page_title: Juan Almonte
section_title: Opposition to liberal reform, promotion of monarchy
hierarchical_section_title: Juan Almonte / Political life / Opposition to liberal reform, promotion of monarchy
caption_attribution_description: Painting by Cesare-Dell’Acqua: The Mexican Deligation appoints Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria as Emperor of Mexico (1864) Deutsch: Darstellung der Ernennung des österreichischen Erzherzogs Ferdinand Maximilian zum Kaiser Mexikos auf einem Cesare-Dell’Acqua-Gemälde von 1867.
context_page_description: Juan Nepomuceno Almonte was a 19th-century Mexican official, soldier and diplomat, the natural son of Fr. José María Morelos. He was a veteran of the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Almonte was also a leader of Mexico's Conservatives in the 1860s and served as regent after the Second Mexican Empire was established by Napoleon III of France.
context_section_description: After the ouster of Santa Anna in 1855, Mexican liberals came to power and began to implement their vision of Mexico through changes in law and ultimately the writing of a new constitution in 1857. The Constitution of 1857, established February 5, 1857, codified major changes, especially the separation of church and state. Mexican conservatives refused to swear fealty to the new constitution and set up a parallel government under general Félix Zuloaga and precipitated the War of the Reform (or Three Years' War). During this period, General Almonte was named special emissary to Spain to deal with outstanding bilateral issues between the two countries. While in Europe, he sought European powers' intervention in Mexico, concerned that the turmoil would be disastrous for the country. "Unless we can persuade some European power to aid us in establishing some stable government, it is inevitable that the whole of Mexico must be swallowed up by the United States." Almonte was a signatory of the Mon-Almonte Treaty with Spain in 1859, which ended a period of suspension of diplomatic relations between Spain and Mexico over a debt dispute. The treaty saw Mexico pay debts to the Spaniards in exchange for economic aid against the Mexican Liberals.
  Once overseas, Almonte became involved in the promotion of foreign intervention and monarchical plans for Mexico. His machinations culminated in the French intervention in Mexico. In Paris, with José Hidalgo and José María Gutiérrez de Estrada, an expatriate expelled from Mexico for advocating monarchy, Almonte sought supporters for a new monarchy in Mexico.
  He was also appointed lieutenant of the empire by Maximilian in April 1864, and some weeks later marshal of the empire. He adhered to the fortunes of his imperial patron throughout his short reign, and, when Maximilian was executed, he fled to Europe, spending his last days in exile.
caption: Maximilian Habsburg receiving the Mexican delegation at Miramar Castle in Trieste, Italy.
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