ide, and, all obstacles having been overcome,
the insurgent army made its way to the capital, entering it, with
Iturbide at its head, on September 27, 1821. The triumph of the
independent cause was assured and the birth of the new Empire of Mexico
was heralded at that moment.

The geographical extent of Mexico at that date was very considerable.
It embraced all that enormous area of territory of Texas, New Mexico,
California, the whole of modern Mexico and Yucatan, and the present
south-bounding republic of Guatemala. This great area of the Empire of
Mexico was, indeed, the third largest country in the world, coming next
after the Russian and Chinese empires. Such was the great political
entity over which Iturbide's brief royal sway extended--brief, for,
crowned Emperor Augustine I. on July 21, 1822, he abdicated on March
19, 1823--a brief kingship of a few months--left the country, returned,
hoping to benefit it, and was "executed" on July 19, 1824! Thus passed
the Empire--the first attempt for royal rule in the Americas, although
not the last.

It is not to be supposed that the birth of independence in Mexico had
brought forth peace and order among the Mexicans. Far from it. If the
_grito_ of Hidalgo had heralded political liberty it was also the
signal for the almost continual internecine wars and bloody struggles
which made the name of Mexico a synonym for revolution and bloodshed
for more than half a century, and which it only began to lose at the
close of the nineteenth century. The execution of Iturbide showed the
rise of that spirit of ferocity and remorseless ingratitude which has
always characterised the political history and strife of Latin America,
whether Mexico, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, or any other of the Hispanic
self-governing countries. Immediately after the formation of Iturbide's
regency, which included O'Donoju, whose acts had been repudiated by
Spain, dissensions arose, and the first Constitutional Congress, of
February 24, 1822, soon formed itself into political sections, some of
which regarded Iturbide with disfavour. From his position as Emperor he
threw various Congressmen into prison for opposition to the empire (a
sentiment which grew rapidly), and finally dissolved Congress. At this
time the somewhat sinister figure of Santa-Anna arose, with a
_pronunciamiento_ at Vera Cruz in favour of a republican form of
government; and although supported by Bravo, Guerrero, and others, the
insurgents fe