Marcos Escobedo
Encyclopedia
Marcos Marcelo Escobedo (1784–1833) was a military commander in the Mexican War of Independence
. He later became Mayor of Colotlán
, Jalisco
.
colonizers of the region.
army and was governor of the Tlaxcala neighborhood. On November 1, 1808, he declared himself in favor of Mexico's independence from Spain, and along with a priest named Pablo José Calvillo
and the indigenous garrisons of the region, put himself at the service of independence leader Miguel Hidalgo
.
In January 1811, he and his troops participated in the Battle of the Bridge of Calderón. His troops suffered great losses in the battle and returned to Colotlán to face the troops of Francisco del Real, Juan Lozano, and Sebastián Gallegos, who had occupied the town's square in their absence. In the same month, they faced a battle in Las Canoas with the troops of royalist priest Álvarez known as "El Chicharronero". In April 1811, his troops faced the army of Colonel Pedro Celestino Negrete
and were defeated in the Battle of Tierra Blanca
. Marcos Escobedo went into hiding for several years after this defeat.
In 1817, he came out of hiding and once again joined the war for independence, fighting battles in the towns of San Andrés
, Chalchihuites
and Huejuquilla
, gaining control of the region for the independence movement. He then joined forces with the armies of Tlaltenango
and Jerez and launched a military campaign to take Bolaños
and then Tepic
.
. In 1825, Marcos Escobedo was named Mayor of Colotlán. As mayor, he was charged with subjugating the indigenous groups in the region who opposed the distribution of communal lands. Marcos Escobedo died on August 7, 1833.
Mexican War of Independence
The Mexican War of Independence was an armed conflict between the people of Mexico and the Spanish colonial authorities which started on 16 September 1810. The movement, which became known as the Mexican War of Independence, was led by Mexican-born Spaniards, Mestizos and Amerindians who sought...
. He later became Mayor of Colotlán
Colotlán
The municipality of Colotlán is located in the northern extremity of the Mexican state of Jalisco. The municipality covers an area of approximately 505 square kilometers...
, Jalisco
Jalisco
Jalisco officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Jalisco is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in Western Mexico and divided in 125 municipalities and its capital city is Guadalajara.It is one of the more important states...
.
Early life
Marcos Escobedo was born in 1784, son of José Joaquín Escobedo, presumably a descendant of the original TlaxcaltecTlaxcaltec
The Tlaxcalteca were an indigenous group of Nahua ethnicity that inhabited the Kingdom of Tlaxcala located in what is now the Mexican state of Tlaxcala.-Pre-hispanic history:...
colonizers of the region.
Military career
In 1808, he held the title Second Lieutenant in the SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
army and was governor of the Tlaxcala neighborhood. On November 1, 1808, he declared himself in favor of Mexico's independence from Spain, and along with a priest named Pablo José Calvillo
Pablo José Calvillo
Pablo José Calvillo served as a parish priest in northern Nueva Galicia in the early Nineteenth century, and led a number of the indigenous inhabitants of the Colotlán region in open rebellion against the Spanish during the Mexican War of Independence....
and the indigenous garrisons of the region, put himself at the service of independence leader Miguel Hidalgo
Miguel Hidalgo
Miguel Gregorio Antonio Ignacio Hidalgo y Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte Villaseñor , more commonly known as Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla or simply Miguel Hidalgo, was a Mexican priest and a leader of the Mexican War of Independence.In 1810 Hidalgo led a group of peasants in a revolt against the dominant...
.
In January 1811, he and his troops participated in the Battle of the Bridge of Calderón. His troops suffered great losses in the battle and returned to Colotlán to face the troops of Francisco del Real, Juan Lozano, and Sebastián Gallegos, who had occupied the town's square in their absence. In the same month, they faced a battle in Las Canoas with the troops of royalist priest Álvarez known as "El Chicharronero". In April 1811, his troops faced the army of Colonel Pedro Celestino Negrete
Pedro Celestino Negrete
Pedro Celestino Negrete was a Spanish politician and military man who served as a member of the interim government of México after the abolition of the First Mexican Empire. He fought alongside of Agustín de Iturbide in the royalist army during the Mexican War of Independence...
and were defeated in the Battle of Tierra Blanca
Battle of Tierra Blanca
The Battle of Tierra Blanca was fought during the Mexican Revolution. It took place about 35 miles south of Ciudad Juárez. It was a major victory for Francisco "Pancho" Villa over the forces of José Inés Salazar, commander of the forces loyal to Victoriano Huerta.The two armies were of relatively...
. Marcos Escobedo went into hiding for several years after this defeat.
In 1817, he came out of hiding and once again joined the war for independence, fighting battles in the towns of San Andrés
San Andrés Cohamiata
San Andrés Cohamiata is an autonomously governed Wixárika village located in Mezquitic, Jalisco, Mexico. The village is called Tatei Kié in the native Wixárika language....
, Chalchihuites
Chalchihuites
Alta Vista, or Chalchihuites, is a small Mesoamerican archaeological site in the Mexican state of Zacatecas, in the northwest of Mexico. The archaeological site of Alta Vista, at Chalchihuites, is located 137 miles to the northwest of the city of Zacatecas and 102 miles southeast of the city of...
and Huejuquilla
Huejuquilla El Alto
Huejuquilla El Alto is a town and municipality, in Jalisco in central-western Mexico. The municipality covers an area of 717.26 km².As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 7,926....
, gaining control of the region for the independence movement. He then joined forces with the armies of Tlaltenango
Tlaltenango de Sánchez Román
The municipality of Tlaltenango de Sánchez Román is located in the southwestern portion of the Mexican state of Zacatecas. The average elevation of the municipality is 1,723 meters above sea level and the municipality covers an area of...
and Jerez and launched a military campaign to take Bolaños
Bolaños
The municipality of Bolaños is located in the north of the Mexican state of Jalisco.The municipality shares its border on the north with the municipalities of Mezquitic and Villa Guerrero and to the southeast with the municipality of Chimaltitán...
and then Tepic
Tepic
Tepic is the capital and largest city of the Mexican state of Nayarit.It is located in the central part of the state, at.It stands at an altitude above sea level of some 915 meters, on the banks of the Río Mololoa and the Río Tepic, approximately 225 kilometers north-west of Guadalajara, Jalisco....
.
Late life
On September 27, 1820, Marcos Escobedo organized great festivities in Colotlán to celebrate Mexican independence and the entrance of the independence movement's troops into Mexico CityMexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
. In 1825, Marcos Escobedo was named Mayor of Colotlán. As mayor, he was charged with subjugating the indigenous groups in the region who opposed the distribution of communal lands. Marcos Escobedo died on August 7, 1833.