by Vida G

Created on: July 30, 2008

Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla (05/08/1753- 06/30/1811)

Early Life:

Most commonly known as the Father of Mexican Independence, he was born of peninsular Spanish parents. His birth in Mexico, did not make him eligible for Spanish rights or citizenship, and so he fell under the category of criollo.

His parents sent him to the College of San Nicolas where he studied theology and philosophy in Valladolid in what is now, present day Morelia. Among his peers, he gained the nickname of "el zorro" (the fox) for his cunning sagacity and wit. After graduating with his Bachellor's he gained a position teaching Latin, and Philosophy.

After a few run-ins with the law (due to political beliefs and so-called financial debts), he left Valladolid in his 30's and spent about a decade doing parochial work for different congregations.

During these times, the Spanish Inquisition worked hard to catch deviants. Miguel Hidalgo was turned in by a man named Fray Joaquin Huesca as a chronic gambler and womanizer. He was also accused of acting too French-like (the French revolution was going on exactly at that time). After some convincing, Miguel Hidalgo was sent to work at a Parish in Dolores, Guanajuato and eventually became its curate.

Grito de Dolores:

It is in Dolores where Father Miguel Hidalgo does what makes him famous. The word dolores literally means pain or sorrow, and so it is ironic that his call to independence becomes known as "El Grito de Dolores" (the cry of pain).

During these times, France was in the process of taking over Mexico with the promise to help out the original Spanish people they are known as peninsulares. Father Miguel Hidalgo, a criollo, was part of a sizeable population who were given no Spanish rights, citizenship and poor treatment. Among the criollo's there were those who insisted on being a part of Spain, and those who insisted on being apart. The mestizos (mixed heritage) and indios were treated, as you can imagine, like slaves. This class feud and a few other factors is what led to the need for an independence movement and is the only reason why it gained the support from the criollos in the first place.

An insurrection was already being planned to begin on the 8th of December of 1810, however, the plot was discovered. Ignacio Perez, a member of this underground movement acted as a messenger and warned Father Hidalgo that their plan had been discovered. At that point they could all get killed, or go to jail and never accomplish their plans for independence. Yet that was not the case, heroically, just minutes after midnight, on the morning of September 16th of 1810, Father Miguel Hidalgo rang the bells of the parish to wake up and gather the entire town. He is remembered for giving this famous shout, "Viva Independencia! Viva America! Muera el mal gobierno!" (Long live Independence! Long live America! Death to bad government!).
From this moment on, Father Miguel Hidalgo and his followers gained quick momentum and took over the town of Dolores and much more territory. He had alliances with other Mexican heroes such Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama and Manuel Jimenez, all of whom were executed on the 30th of July in the year 1811. A mercenary, Ignacio Elizondo, turned them in. Their remains can be found today in the Column (Angel) of Independence in the Paseo de la Reforma of Mexico City.

References:

http://www.acabtu.com.mx/guerrero/hi dalgo.html

The Life and Times of Miguel Hidalgo Y Costilla by Howard Noll, and Amos Philip Mc Mahon.

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