Revolutions in the Yucatan

An excerpt from Santiago Lopez's Revolutions in the Yucatan


     After Napoleon invaded Spain in 1808 and overthrew the King, New Spain no longer had a primary governance.  Juntas were established across the country to act as a government authority in the absence of the King. The people in New Spain took advantage of this opportunity to strive for independence.  In 1812 the Spanish Constitution was  written and declared individual rights to freedom, education, property, etc.  Also all citizens were seen as equals and the only religion permitted was Catholicism.  Through this constitution, taxation was suppose to be lowered or even abolished. Leaders of the Sanjuanista Movement organized Maya resistance to church taxation which also became apart of the Constitution.  However, once Napoleon was defeated, Fernando Vll returned as the King of Spain and refused to recognize this Constitution.  All legislation passed during the King's absence was abolished. 

     After tasting a bit of independence, New Spain, particularly Mexico, was not ready to give it up.  Mexico began their fight for independence and finally gained it in 1821.  Soon after, leaders of the Yucatan gained their independence in 1824. 


     After the Sanjuanista Movement (Spanish Constitution) of 1812-1814, small groups of liberal Creoles attempted to organize the peasants against the Catholic Church and the colonial rule. This lead to resistance against all authority and taxes.Before this rebellion, the issuance of taxes was the subtext of peasant relations with both Church and state who each maintained their own collection process. "For over three decades tax resistance and revolt would furnish the peasantry with ample occasions to rehearse its eventual role as a revolutionary force." (1)

     Though taxes were frustrating, they were not the root of all peasant difficulties. Other issues such as ownership to land and individual rights assisted the strive for independence from Spain.  Even though Mexico's fight for independence, the Mexican War of Independence, was won after much bloodshed, Yucatan's independence was gained without even a single gun shot.


     After independence was gained, other revolutions resulted from it. The revolution of Santiago  Imãn, a Creole merchant and military officer, occurred in the mid-19th century.  "Imãn mobilized and armed the Mayas by promising once of he things they wanted most: the abolition of church taxes." (2)  His revolt succeeded only briefly but gave the Maya military a sense of organization gave them experience.

 1. Terry Rugeley,Maya Wars: ethnographic accounts from nineteenth-century 

Yucatán, (University of Oklahoma Press, 2001), 9-10.

2. Terry Rugeley, Yucatan's Maya Peasantry and the Origins of the Caste War, (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1996), Vll-Vlll.

The Origins of the Caste War

An excerpt by Santiago Lopez's The Origins of the Caste War (1927)

[Reforming Spanish America] 

Throughout the 18th Century, the Bourbon Reformation's (or Bourbon Reforms) goal was to advance Spain and modernize Spanish American administrations.  In places such as Merida and Campeche, leaders met to discuss moderate ideas and modified local administrations.  This interference in local affairs aggravated the creole elites but was tolerated because of a fear of takeover by the mestizos or any other lower caste group. Spanish peninsulares (leading Spanish officials) attempted to resist the creole elites from having anymore authority, which eventually monopolized power in the old colonial system.  

Bourbon Reforms of Spain stimulated commercial growth and "modified administrations but did not drastically alter Yucatan's long established internal divisions." (1) By the end of the 1700s many administrative units or paridos were created.  The greatest and most influential parido was Merida. At the time Merida was the center for most economical developments. It was "the Rome of the peninsula." (2) Although it was a beautiful city, it still contained poverty and abuse which can later on be credited for contributing to many revolts.  The second most influential parido was Campeche which was at neck and neck with Merida.  Eventually, the tension and rivalry between the two cities was suppressed after being invaded by fellow Amerindians and the Yucatan became divided. 

From the peninsulares trying to modernize and modify the Spanish American administrations, the strive for independence was increasing.  Shortly after the Mexico War of Independence occurred,  the Yucatan declared their own independence from Spain in 1821 becoming the Patriotic Confederation. (3) However, the Mexican Empire did not accept Yucatan's strive for independence and attacked the Yucatan's two main paridos, Merida and Campeche. During their struggle with the Mexican Empire, Yucatan Republic's leaders integrated many Maya soldiers into their armies to help defend their region.  

After Maya soldiers were given the weapons and ability to defend themselves, they were able to maintain more control than before. 

 Eventually, after high taxes and oppression, the Mayas wanted liberty and independence.  Thus, in 1847 the Caste War of the Yucatan begun.  

(The actual Caste War will be explained and discussed in the next chapter)

(1) Terry Rugeley, Yucatan's Maya Peasantry and the Origins of the Caste War, (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1996), 2. 

(2) Terry Rugeley, Yucatan's Maya Peasantry and the Origins of the Caste War, (Austin: University of Texas Press, 1996), 3. 

(3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caste_War_of_Yucat%C3%A1n

Terry Rugeley,Maya Wars: ethnographic accounts from nineteenth-century 

Yucatán, (University of Oklahoma Press, 2001).