ANTONIO LÓPEZ DE SANTA ANNA
THE MEXICAN PRESIDENT WHOSE MILITARY DEFEATS WERE DISASTROUS FOR HIS COUNTRY
1794-1876 MEXICO
Santa Anna was the dominant figure in the Mexican military and political life for a large part of the 19th century. Born into a minor but respectable Spanish colonial family, Santa Anna first gained military experience as a junior officer in the Spanish army and even fought against Mexican independence, before he switched sides in the early 1820s.
He then rose in prominence within Mexico and became president for the first time in 1833. Santa Anna famously led Mexican forces against rebellious American settlers in Texas and won the Battle of the Alamo. His subsequent defeat at the Battle of San Jacinto meant that Mexico had to grant Texas de facto independence. This would not be the last time that Santa Anna lost Mexican territory.
Between 1833-55 Mexico went through 36 changes of president. Santa Anna himself directly ruled 11 times as president, and despite his defeats during the Texas Revolution he was renowned for his personal heroism in battle. In 1845 he was exiled, but returned to Mexico as commander in chief of the armed forces in 1846.
During the Mexican-american War, Santa
Anna became president once more but oversaw continual defeats, including the battles of Buena Vista, Churubusco and Cerro Gordo. The capture of Mexico City by American forces was the nadir of his military career and he voluntarily went into exile while a new government negotiated peace.
By the terms of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexico was forced to relinquish over half of its territory to the United States. The blame for this humiliating national disaster was squarely aimed at Santa Anna. He nevertheless remained the most powerful figure in Mexico until 1855, when he was removed as president for the last time.
“DESPITE HIS DEFEATS DURING THE TEXAS REVOLUTION HE WAS RENOWNED FOR HIS PERSONAL HEROISM IN BATTLE”