Iturbide, Agust�n de, also known as Agustin I 1783-1824
Mexican soldier and politician

Born in Valladolid (now Morelia), he favoured Mexican independence, but fought for the Crown because he opposed the social revolution of the independence movement of Miguel Hidalgo and Jos� Mar�a Morelos. He defeated Morelos's army at Valladolid (1810) and was given command of the royalist army but, dissatisfied with the imposition of a constitutional monarchy in Spain, betrayed the royalists and joined with the Liberals to issue the Plan de Iguala declaring Mexico independent (1821). Then, betraying that movement, he created himself Emperor Agust�n I in the style of Napoleon I (1822). He was unable to govern and his popularity plummeted, forcing him to abdicate (1823). He went into exile in Europe but returned the following year and was captured and executed.

Bibliography: William S Robertson, Iturbide of Mexico (1952)