México
Heroes & Heroines
El Padre de la Independencia
Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla
Father of Mexico’s Independence
by Angie Galicia.
Late one September evening the name of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla became forever engraved in Mexico’s history. Since that night, his life as well as that of Mexico changed radically.
Before that historic moment when his voice cried out to demand Mexico’s independence from the Spanish crown El Cura Hidalgo, Father Hidalgo, as he was called, was exactly that — an old priest from a parish in the small town of Dolores, Guanajuato. It was there that he organized meetings with the townspeople and taught the farmers to work the land
He was an enthusiastic and hard-working man, always worrying about the well-being of his community. To help the indigenous people, he built an estate where he established a pottery shop, a leather shop, a blacksmith stable, a carpentry store, and a looming shop. In addition, he sent for bees from La Habana and introduced apiculture to the inhabitants of Dolores.
Up until that famous night, Hidalgo was a Creole priest, born in a hacienda in Pénjamo, Guanajuato in 1753, and Mexico continued as a Spanish colony, one of the most prosperous ones though full of social injustice.
Hidalgo’s liberal ideas led him to join forces with a group of people who opposed Spanish authority. Together with this group of liberals, among them Ignacio Allende, Aldama, and Abasolo, they reached an agreement in Queretaro to begin a revolution in October of 1810. However, they were discovered and forced to move up the date to September 16, 1810.
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In 1811 Father Hidalgo fell in an ambush staged by Félix María Calleja and, after being relieved of his duties as a priest, he was sentenced and shot to death.
His fight was not in vain, Mexico gained its independence on September 21, 1821. Mexico would never have gained independence had it not been for Hidalgo’s calling on the people of Dolores. His grito brought about the birth of Mexico.
Hidalgo took the banner with the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe and, ringing the church bell, he gathered many faithful Catholics from his parish to listen attentively to Hidalgo‘s speech. He talked to them about Spanish oppression and about the impending need to free themselves from Spain.
The angry people shouted: “Long live independence! Long live America! Away with the bad government!” With that, the armed battle began which would give birth to a new nation, free and sovereign.
El Pipila
Juan José de los Reyes Martínez Amaro
El Pípila, born (1782–1863), was a miner and local hero of Guanajuato, Mexico. He was born with physical disabilities that affected his movement, earning him the nickname "El Pípila," possibly due to his gait resembling that of a turkey. Despite these challenges, he became a symbol of resilience and bravery.
During the Mexican War of Independence, on September 28, 1810, he performed an act of heroism that changed history. The Spanish forces had barricaded themselves inside the Alhóndiga de Granaditas, a massive stone granary. With a flat stone tied to his back as a shield against enemy muskets, Pípila carried tar and a torch to the door of the fortress and set it on fire, allowing insurgents to storm inside and claim victory. Some accounts suggest he was accompanied by other indigenous miners, but his legend tells of him standing alone against the enemy.
His significance goes beyond this daring act—he represents the courage and sacrifice of everyday people who fought for Mexico’s independence. His legacy lives on in Guanajuato, where a towering statue of him holding a torch overlooks the city, a powerful symbol of freedom and resistance. His story continues to inspire generations, proving that even in the face of adversity, one person’s bravery can ignite change.
The Alhóndiga de Granaditas is a historic building in Guanajuato City, Mexico, originally constructed between 1798 and 1809 as a granary warehouse and marketplace. It played a crucial role in the Mexican War of Independence, serving as a fortress for Spanish colonial forces during the Battle of Guanajuato in 1810.
Architecturally, the Alhóndiga is a massive stone structure with a fortress-like appearance, featuring thick walls, small windows, and Doric-style cornices. It was designed to store grain and prevent famine in the region but later became a military barracks and prison.
One of its most infamous historical moments came after the Spanish recaptured Guanajuato. The heads of four executed independence leaders—Miguel Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama, and Mariano Jiménez—were displayed on the building’s corners as a warning to rebels.
Today, the Alhóndiga de Granaditas houses the Museo Regional de Guanajuato, showcasing exhibits on Mexican independence, colonial history, and pre-Columbian artifacts. It remains a symbol of resistance and a key landmark in Mexican history.
"La Correjidora"
This article is copied from "Inside Mexico"
Doña Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, a Mexican patriot as well as a heroine of Mexico’s Independence War, made her name in history for her bravery when she risked her own life alerting the rebel insurgents about the discovery of the Queretaro Conspiracy for Independence.
Thanks to her, Father Miguel Hidalgo moved forward the date in which the Independence movement would start to the early hours of September 16th, 1810. Without her timely notice, the struggle for independence would have been discovered and the efforts of the conspirators would never have achieved their ultimate purpose: Mexico’s Independence from the Spanish Crown.
Maria de la Natividad Giron Josefa Ortiz is best known as Doña Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez, “La Corregidora” (the Chief Magistrate) of Queretaro. She was the daughter of the Spaniards Juan Jose Ortiz and Maria Manuela Giron.
She was born in Valladolid– what is now Morelia– in 1768 and was raised in Mexico City. Her parents died when she was a small child so her older sister Maria Sotero was granted custody. Maria enrolled her sister in the Colegio de las Vizcaínas, a very prestigious school to which she was accepted because she was a criolla, creole, that is, the children of Spaniards born in the New Spain.
While still a college student she met Miguel Dominguez, a widower who often visited the school. They fell in love and were married secretly in 1791; they had 14 children.
As secretary of the Royal Court, Miguel Dominguez was subsequently appointed magistrate of Queretaro in 1802 where the family settled. They quickly won over the sympathy of the Queretaro society of the time, joining various social groups.
It is well known that Doña Josefa was vehemently against the abuse that the Spaniards– that is, the European-born Spaniards – exercised over the natives considering and treating them as second-class citizens. She always identified with the native’s social problems, for they were relegated to secondary positions in public administration as well as in the military.
Throughout her life she fought for the recognition of the Indigenous people’s rights, in addition to using her position as Chief Magistrate to involve herself in numerous charitable ventures.
La Corregidora of Querétaro was a key figure at the very beginning of the struggle for independence. She actively participated in the Querétaro conspiracy, an underground movement that in essence gave way to the armed struggle for independence from the Spanish rule.
Its main objective was to establish a governing board to assume power and thus, she opened the doors of her house to hold so-called literary social gatherings, which were in fact, meetings of a political nature where decisions were made to initiate the independence movement.
These meetings were also attended by some of the most important revolutionaries that participated in the first stages of the struggle such as Don Miguel Hidalgo, Igancio Allende, Juan Aldama
The best known passage in the life of Doña Josefa Ortiz was when – on September 13, 1810– it was discovered that the supporters of the revolutionary movement were stockpiling weapons in their homes. The Chief magistrate, Doña Josefa’s husband, was immediately informed and ordered to raid the homes and the rioters jailed.
The Corregidor, Miguel Dominguez, aware of the clandestine meetings in which his wife participated, decided to warn her of the plot’s discovery and in order to protect her, also decided to lock her in her bedroom, for he well knew that she was very determined and that she would immediately give notice to her friends.
Doña Josefa was not one to be restrained or intimidated, so she wrote a note made from newspaper clippings, so that her handwriting could not be identified. She loudly stomped her heels on the floor of her room to draw attention, and was thus able to give the missive to the mayor, Ignacio Perez, who in turn sent it to FatherMiguel Hidalgo.
Upon receiving the note, Father Miguel Hidalgo decided to advance the date of the insurgency to the morning of September 16, 1810, instead of as previously planned – for the 1st of October of that year.
The priest summoned the faithful to fight for a more just government in what is now known as El Grito de Dolores. Hidalgo‘s call was successful, for most of those who joined the struggle were victims of the terrible conditions of life and of tremendous social inequalities.
Thanks to La Corregidora’s timely alert, many conspirators were able to escape before being arrested and jailed, though she herself was the victim of Captain Arias’ betrayal, on 14 September. She was arrested and taken to Mexico City, where a trial was held in which she was convicted of treason. She was jailed in various convents until finally, in June of 1817, her husband was able to have her released.
Once Independence from the Spanish rule was achieved, Agustin Iturbide – who proclaimed himself emperor – invited her to be part of his court, but she refused the appointment of Doña Josefa to the empress, because she considered that the Empire was completely contrary to the ideals for which the War of Independence had been fought. Moreover, she refused any reward for her services to the insurrection.
Doña Josefa Ortiz de Dominguez died on March 2, 1829 at the age of 61 in Mexico City. Her remains were moved to the city of Queretaro and deposited, along with her husband’s, in the Mausoleum of the Illustriousin Queretaro.
by Chela Orozco
El Valiente
Ignacio Allende
Ignacio José de Allende y Unzaga was born into a wealthy Spanish criollo family in San Miguel el Grande, Guanajuato, Mexico. His father, Domingo Narciso de Allende, was a prosperous trader. Allende joined the Spanish army in 1802, serving under General Félix María Calleja. By 1806, he had begun to favor the idea of Mexican independence.
His involvement in the independence movement deepened when he attended secret meetings in Querétaro, hosted by Miguel Domínguez and his wife, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez. It was during these meetings that he met Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and Juan Aldama, key figures in the rebellion. Originally, Allende and Aldama were meant to lead the movement together, but the discovery of their conspiracy forced Hidalgo to launch the revolution earlier than planned.
After Hidalgo’s famous Grito de Dolores in September 1810, Allende quickly secured the support of his cavalry regiment. He played a crucial role in early victories, including the capture of Guanajuato and the Battle of Monte de las Cruces. However, he disagreed with Hidalgo’s decision to retreat instead of marching on Mexico City, believing they could have secured independence sooner.
Following the rebels’ defeat at the Battle of Calderón Bridge, Allende took over leadership from Hidalgo. He attempted to reorganize the insurgent forces but was ultimately captured in Coahuila and executed for treason in Chihuahua in June 1811.
After his execution, Allende was decapitated, and his head was placed in a cage and displayed at the Alhóndiga de Granaditas in Guanajuato. This grim act was meant as a warning to other insurgents fighting for Mexican independence.
Despite this, his legacy remains strong in Mexico. In 1925, his remains were moved to the Independence Column in Mexico City, and the city of San Miguel el Grande was renamed San Miguel de Allende in his honor..
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