Miguel Domínguez
Encyclopedia
José Miguel Domínguez Alemán (January 14, 1756, most likely in Mexico City
—April 22, 1830, Mexico City) was a Spanish colonial official in New Spain who played a part in the Mexican independence movement. He was also a member of a transitional governing committee in the period between the abdication of Mexican Emperor Agustín de Iturbide
and the installation of Guadalupe Victoria
as the first president of independent Mexico. His wife, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
, known as La Corregidora, was a heroine of Mexican independence.
Domínguez occupied various positions in the treasury office and in other offices of the viceregal government. Viceroy Félix Berenguer de Marquina
named him corregidor
of the city of Querétaro
. Domínguez was an opponent of Viceroy José de Iturrigaray
's appropriation of the religious estates in 1805. In 1808, he proposed to the city government of Querétaro that they join with the government of Mexico City in establishing a junta for the colony, to govern New Spain in the name of the deposed King Ferdinand VII. Viceroy Iturrigaray at least tacitly supported this effort.
and Juan Aldama
. The latter two were stationed in San Miguel el Grande
, Guanajuato. They were in contact with Father Miguel Hidalgo
in Dolores
, Guanajuato, as was Domínguez. Also part of the conspiracy in Querétaro were the brothers Emeterio and Epigmenio González, as arms-makers for the rebels.
In addition there were organized conspiracies in San Miguel, Celaya
, Guanajuato, San Felipe, San Luis Potosí
and Mexico City
. Father Hidalgo was chosen to lead. December 1, 1810 was chosen as the date for the insurrection, but this was later advanced to October 2.
However, the denunciations of Arias in Querétaro on September 10 and of Juan Garrido in Guanajuato on the 13th, forced the conspirators to take faster action. The corregidor was ordered to arrest the conspirators. He raided the house of Epigmenio González. Finding arms, he had González arrested. Aware of his wife's commitment, he had her locked in an upstairs room while he went to alert the militia. Josefa Ortiz was able to alert a fellow conspirator in the house next door, Ignacio Pérez. On September 15, 1810, Pérez rode to San Miguel, and from there to Dolores to give the warning.
In the early morning of the following day, September 16, 1810, Hidalgo gave the Grito de Dolores
, signaling the beginning of the war for Mexican independence.
This led to the arrest of both the corregidor and the corregidora. They were held in the convent of La Cruz (Querétaro). Three years later, in 1813, the corregidora was sent to Mexico City, where she was held for several more years in the convent of Santa Clara. No longer a prisoner himself but deprived of his office, Domínguez moved to Mexico City to be near his wife. He was allowed to visit her occasionally. Recognizing his earlier service, Viceroy Juan Ruiz de Apodaca later granted him a small pension.
He died in Mexico City in 1830, one year after the death of his wife.
Mexico 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...
—April 22, 1830, Mexico City) was a Spanish colonial official in New Spain who played a part in the Mexican independence movement. He was also a member of a transitional governing committee in the period between the abdication of Mexican Emperor Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Aramburu , also known as Augustine I of Mexico, was a Mexican army general who built a successful political and military coalition that was able to march into Mexico City on 27 September 1821, decisively ending the Mexican War of Independence...
and the installation of Guadalupe Victoria
Guadalupe Victoria
Guadalupe Victoria born José Miguel Ramón Adaucto Fernández y Félix, was a Mexican politician and military man who fought for independence against the Spanish Empire in the Mexican War of Independence. He was a deputy for Durango and a member of the Supreme Executive Power...
as the first president of independent Mexico. His wife, Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez
María Josefa Cresencia Ortiz y Girón, popularly known as Doña Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez or La Corregidora was an insurgent and supporter of the Mexican War of Independence, which fought for independence against Spain, in the early 19th century...
, known as La Corregidora, was a heroine of Mexican independence.
Background
Domínguez was a Criollo (a Spaniard born in America), although his parents were from Spain. He studied law in the College of San Ildefonso, graduating and entering the legal profession. In 1791 he met Josefa Ortiz in the College of the Vizcainas and married her the same year. She was 12 years younger than he.Domínguez occupied various positions in the treasury office and in other offices of the viceregal government. Viceroy Félix Berenguer de Marquina
Félix Berenguer de Marquina
Félix Berenguer de Marquina was a Spanish naval officer, colonial official and, from April 30, 1800 to January 4, 1803, viceroy of New Spain.-Origins and early career:...
named him corregidor
Corregidor (position)
A corregidor was a local, administrative and judicial position in Spain and its empire. He was the highest authority of a Corregimiento. In the Americas a corregidor was often called an alcalde mayor. They began to be appointed in fourteenth century Castile and the institution was definitively...
of the city of Querétaro
Querétaro
Querétaro officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Querétaro de Arteaga is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 18 municipalities and its capital city is Santiago de Querétaro....
. Domínguez was an opponent of Viceroy José de Iturrigaray
José de Iturrigaray
José de Iturrigaray was a Spanish military officer and viceroy of New Spain, from January 4, 1803 to September 16, 1808, during a period of turbulence....
's appropriation of the religious estates in 1805. In 1808, he proposed to the city government of Querétaro that they join with the government of Mexico City in establishing a junta for the colony, to govern New Spain in the name of the deposed King Ferdinand VII. Viceroy Iturrigaray at least tacitly supported this effort.
Independence conspiracy
In Querétaro both Domínguez and his wife were involved in the independence conspiracy organized after the French occupation of Spain. Meetings were held in the guise of a literary society at the home of the priest José María Sánchez, and were under the protection of the corregidor himself. Besides the Domínguezes and Sánchez, the other conspirators included the licenciados Parra, Laso and Altamirano and the military officers Joaquín Arias, Francisco Lanzagorta Inchaurreri, Ignacio AllendeIgnacio Allende
Ignacio José de Allende y Unzaga , born Ignacio Allende y Unzaga, was a captain of the Spanish Army in Mexico who came to sympathize with the Mexican independence movement. He attended the secret meetings organized by Josefa Ortiz de Domínguez, where the possibility of an independent New Spain was...
and Juan Aldama
Juan Aldama
Juan Aldama was a Mexican revolutionary rebel soldier during the Mexican War of Independence in 1810. He was also the brother of Ignacio Aldama....
. The latter two were stationed in San Miguel el Grande
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende is a city and municipality located in the far eastern part of the state of Guanajuato in central Mexico. It is 274 km from Mexico City and 97 km from the state capital of Guanajuato...
, Guanajuato. They were in contact with Father 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 Dolores
Dolores Hidalgo
Dolores Hidalgo Dolores Hidalgo Dolores Hidalgo (in full, Dolores Hidalgo Cuna de la Independencia Nacional is the name of a city and the surrounding municipality in the north-central part of the Mexican state of Guanajuato....
, Guanajuato, as was Domínguez. Also part of the conspiracy in Querétaro were the brothers Emeterio and Epigmenio González, as arms-makers for the rebels.
In addition there were organized conspiracies in San Miguel, Celaya
Celaya
Celaya is a city and its surrounding municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 310,413. The municipality for which the city serves as municipal seat, had a...
, Guanajuato, San Felipe, San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí
San Luis Potosí officially Estado Libre y Soberano de San Luis Potosí is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is San Luis Potosí....
and Mexico City
Mexico 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...
. Father Hidalgo was chosen to lead. December 1, 1810 was chosen as the date for the insurrection, but this was later advanced to October 2.
However, the denunciations of Arias in Querétaro on September 10 and of Juan Garrido in Guanajuato on the 13th, forced the conspirators to take faster action. The corregidor was ordered to arrest the conspirators. He raided the house of Epigmenio González. Finding arms, he had González arrested. Aware of his wife's commitment, he had her locked in an upstairs room while he went to alert the militia. Josefa Ortiz was able to alert a fellow conspirator in the house next door, Ignacio Pérez. On September 15, 1810, Pérez rode to San Miguel, and from there to Dolores to give the warning.
In the early morning of the following day, September 16, 1810, Hidalgo gave the Grito de Dolores
Grito de Dolores
The Grito de Dolores also known as El Grito de la Independencia , uttered from the small town of Dolores, near Guanajuato on April 19, 1810 is the event that marks the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence and is the most important national holiday observed in Mexico...
, signaling the beginning of the war for Mexican independence.
This led to the arrest of both the corregidor and the corregidora. They were held in the convent of La Cruz (Querétaro). Three years later, in 1813, the corregidora was sent to Mexico City, where she was held for several more years in the convent of Santa Clara. No longer a prisoner himself but deprived of his office, Domínguez moved to Mexico City to be near his wife. He was allowed to visit her occasionally. Recognizing his earlier service, Viceroy Juan Ruiz de Apodaca later granted him a small pension.
In the executive of the Republic
In 1823 he served as a replacement in the triumvirate that exercised executive power in Mexico after the fall of Emperor Iturbide and before the selection of Guadalupe Victoria as president under the Constitution of 1824. Later he was named president of the Supreme Court, taking office on December 23, 1824.He died in Mexico City in 1830, one year after the death of his wife.