3. New Spain, Old Headaches

On November 1799, Félix Berenguer de Marquina arrived in New Spain as the newly appointed Viceroy. Berenguer found it impossible to deal with New Spain’s internal problems, not only was he facing a population much frustrated with Spanish rule, but The Audiencia regulated every single one of his actions. As a result, Berenguer opted instead to focus on external problems, mostly reinforcing the ports against pirate raids and securing the northern frontier from the “uncivilized” tribes. 

His indifference towards the woes of the criollos and mestizos resulted in greater discontent, and indirectly provoked a handful of rebellions. The largest of these rebellions include: the Tepic Conspiracy (in which the idea of crowing an Emperor for New Spain was first promulgated) and the Nuevo Leon Incident where a pseudo-Emperor was actually crowned. Collectively these events are known as the Indio Mariano Rebellion.

The uprising began in Tepic, where a handful of influential men under the leadership of José Desiderio Maldonado, began to promulgate the idea of crowning a monarch for New Spain. Maldonado and his men planned to hold a symbolic coronation of a native of Tlaxcala in January 5th 1801 as a form of protest against the Spanish government. The ceremony - however - was interrupted by the local Spanish forces, turning the otherwise peaceful demonstration into a violent confrontation. The violence quelled within a couple of days but Maldonado and several leaders managed to escape to Guadalajara. Rumors that a force of 1,000 Yaquis and Yumas had gathered to assist Maldonado sparked a second uprising a few weeks later. Once again Maldonado’s forces were defeated and the rebels were forced to scatter through out New Spain. Several smaller battles followed though out Jalisco but the rebellion was successfully quelled by the Spring of 1802.

Frustrated by the impotence of his position, when it came to dealing with such situations, Berenguer de Marquina resigned as Viceroy of New Spain just a few years later. His successor, Jose Joaquin de Iturrigaray y Arósetgui, arrived in New Spain on January 6th, 1803. 

2. What Spain Sold for 10 Million Dollars

At the time of Jefferson’s inauguration Spain was facing serious financial troubles. British attacks on its colonies and a blockade on its major ports only worsened the situation. After the first rebellions broke out in Spain’s American colonies, United States’ officials had been sent to Madrid with the purpose of negotiating the purchase of New Orleans to financially assist Spain. Jefferson’s predecessor, John Adams, had already considered the idea of purchasing the port but negotiations did not begin until Jefferson became President. Immediately after his inauguration, Jefferson sent Robert R. Livingston and James Monroe to negotiate the purchase of New Orleans for up to 10 million dollars. France was also interested in acquiring the territory; Napoleon had openly expressed his plans to start a colonial Empire for France. A small bidding war began between France and the United States but France backed down at the possibility of loosing Spain’s alliance against the British if the negotiations happened to fall apart, or getting in a quarrel with the United States. 

In November 1801, less than a year into the presidency of Thomas Jefferson the United States purchased New Orleans form Spain. Napoleon’s France readily recognized the purchase. But in the haste of finishing the transaction and transferring New Orleans over to the Americans several details of the treaty had been overlooked! For starters, there was no direct land connection between the port and the rest of the United States. For the Americans it seemed easiest to assume that the purchase included the land between the Mississippi River and the Pearl River. This territory was later organized into the Mississippi Territory, but the American claim would become a source of contention between the US, Spain and Britain over the next few years. 

1. Once Upon A Time...

      At the end of the 18th century, life wasn’t easy in New Spain. Even the criollos, descendants of Europeans elite but born in the New World, could only climb so far in society, as the top offices in government were reserved for the those born in the Iberian peninsula, across the ocean. These penninsulares had it easy... or easier, for they found themselves ruling an increasingly unrestful population. By the first decade of the the new century, New Spain had experienced a handful of revolts; criollo and indigenous led; each one more violent than the last. It could only be a mater of time before the right spark ignited the fire!

      Meanwhile, in the north, the United States of America were celebrating the inauguration of their third President, Thomas Jefferson. So far the new nation, which was created out of a loose alliance of former British colonies had enjoyed relative stability. But political schisms were starting to appear. The new President led a faction that fancied themselves “Democratic-Republicans”; these Republicans stood in favor of a decentralized government, preferring to allocate power into the hands of the individual states. In opposition to Jefferson, the Federalist party had formed. Spearheaded by Alexander Hamilton, and former President John Adams. The Federalists supported a strong executive office at the head of government. Their differences and quarrels would pile up over the course of Jefferson’s three terms as President. It would only be a matter of time before the right domino was pushed to and the whole pile was brought down!

The World at the Start of this Story