Patzcuaro and its Players in the Fight for Mexico’s Independence
September is the month to recognize the invaluable legacy of the people of Pátzcuaro who played a fundamental role in our struggle to achieve an independent Mexico. It is important to know them and remember their important legacy.
It is important to highlight why Pátzcuaro was
important during the time of the independence movement. Its
geographical position made it an important point for the control of
communications and the movement of troops. Another determining factor
was the solid intellectual and religious base of the city, together with the
existing social discontent.
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| Patzcuaro a colonial town in central Mexico |
It is also to recognize the fundamental role that the Colegio de San Nicolás Obispo had in the formation of illustrious characters
that forged the independent Mexico.
This prestigious college was founded in Patzcuaro
by Don Vasco de Quiroga in 1540. The college moved
to the city of Valladolid, now Morelia, in 1580, when
Morelia was designated the capital of Michoacan. What is now the
prestigious Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas de Hidalgo was the
seedbed of great leaders who would later stand out in the struggle for our
independence.
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| Ancient College of Saint Nicholas in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México |
When talking about the independence in Pátzcuaro,
a transcendental character, respected and remembered by the people of Pátzcuaro
is Doña Gertrudiz Bocanegra, the heroine of Pátzcuaro. A
woman ahead of her time, she defied the social norms of her time to join the
fight for independence. Her bravery led her to risk her life to help the
insurgents. Without fear of reprisals, she confronted the royalist army and,
after being executed in what is now the "Plaza Grande" the
Vasco de Quiroga Square in 1817, becoming a symbol of the struggle for freedom.
Mansión Iturbe, an architectural jewel of Pátzcuaro and
witness of centuries of history, keeps within its walls an invaluable legacy,
which is connected to the history of an independent Mexico. It
was home to Don Jose Maria Abarca y Monasterio, a key player in the
struggle for independence.
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| Hotel Mansion Iturbe a historical hotel in Patzcuaro |
Don José María Abarca y Monasterio was an influential person, subdelegate of
Justice of Pátzcuaro, among other positions. Due to his position and his
business, he had a relationship with the elite of Valladolid (Morelia),
and other distinguished characters such as the brothers Nicolas and Mariano
Michelena, Vicente Santa María, José Antonio Soto Saldaña and José María Obeso,
among other significant insurgents.
Don Manuel de la
Torre Lloreda was an outstanding pro-independence priest
who was also an outstanding man of letters. He participated
in the Conspiracy of Valladolid in 1809, and after
independence was won, he was a Deputy of the First Constituent
Congress of Michoacán.
Doña Gertrudis Bocanegra Heroine of Patzcuaro
Pátzcuaro,
with its illustrious characters of the
independence movement, including our beloved heroine Doña
Gertrudis Bocanegra, reminds us every moment of the importance of those who
forged our nation. As we celebrate the national holiday of
independence in this beautiful magical town, we honor their legacy and
reaffirm our commitment to the values of freedom and justice that they
defended .Let's enjoy the Fiestas Patrias in harmony and ¡Viva
México!
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| Patzcuaron, Michoacan, Mexico |
*Text and pictures property of Hotel Mansion Iturbe.
We invite you to check more post in our blog, you will find information about Pátzcuaro and its surroudings, that we hope will be useful for our next trip to our colonial town in Mexico.
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So you have only one day to spend in Pátzcuaro?
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