Cinco De Mayo

France  had invaded Mexico in the winter of 1861 and seeking to legitimize French rule in the Americas, Napoleon III invited Maximilian to establish a new Mexican monarchy for him. Napoleon decided not to make it a kingdom but an empire. He had his eye on Central America. And he chose Maximilian of Austria to be Emperor of Mexico.

"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.

Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."

Puebla, May 5, 1862

In 1862, the French marched from the coast to Mexico City under the command of General Charles Latrille. The French expected to be welcomed by the conservatives and the clergy. The Mexicans dug in at Puebla and heavily fortified it under General Ignacio Zaragoza, where around 4500 Mexicans troops faced off against over 6000 French.

"La Golondrina" compose by

Narciso Serradell Sevilla 1862

The French expected the Mexicans to retreat in the face of their aggressive assault and attacked recklessly. The French ran low on ammunition and many of their troops were weakened by sickness . On May 5, 1862, the Mexican forces managed to drive back the French to Veracruz while losing 83 men and the French lost 462. The date became the major Mexican Celebration of Cinco de Mayo.

"La Paloma" a favorite of Empress Carlotta

With the support of a larger French army, and a group of the rich conservative Mexican monarchists hostile to the liberal administration of new Mexican President Benito Juárez, Maximilian was able to get control in Mexico City. Once there, he declared himself Emperor of Mexico on 10 April 1864. And it took Benito Juarez three years to get financial and military help. Some from the United States to reclaim the republic. Maximilian was captured and put before the firing squad in 1867 and Cinco De Mayo became officially a National Holiday in Mexico.

On the left: Maximiliano, El primer y ultimo

Emperador de Mexico, 1861 - 1867

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."