Ignacio Lopez Rayon

Ignacio López Rayón was a Mexican insurgent, secretary of Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, and leader of the independence movement after his death. He drafted the Constitutional Elements, the first constitution of the proposed independent nation, and was a member of the Supreme National American Council and the Congress of Anahuac in 1813 that resulted in the Constitution of Apatzingan in 1814. He was born in Tlalpujahua, Michoacán, in 1773, the first son of a wealthy mining family. He studied law in Mexico City and became a lawyer in 1796. He returned to his hometown to manage the family business and the post office. He married María Ana Martínez de Rulfo in 1810 and had ten children. He joined the insurgent cause in September 1810, after contacting Antonio Fernández, an independence soldier. He suggested creating a junta to represent the authority of Fernando VII and avoid the waste of resources. Hidalgo approved his idea and ordered Fernández to follow his orders. Rayón met Hidalgo in Maravatío and became his private secretary. In Guadalajara, Hidalgo appointed him Secretary of State, and he signed the emancipation of slaves on December 6, 1810. He organized the provisional government with José María Chico as president, Pascasio Ortiz de Letona as ambassador and Francisco Severo Maldonado as chief editor of the first newspaper of the rebellion: El Despertador Americano. Hidalgo's army was defeated in the Battle of Calderon Bridge and Rayón escaped to Aguascalientes to join Rafael Iriarte. They went to Zacatecas to join the rest of the army that had escaped from the battle. Rayón assumed the leadership of the insurgent forces after the capture and execution of Hidalgo, Allende, Aldama and Jiménez in Chihuahua. He established the Supreme National American Council in Zitácuaro, Michoacán, in August 1811, and became its president and universal minister of the nation. He also wrote the Constitutional Elements, a document that outlined the principles of the independent government, such as popular sovereignty, separation of powers, human rights, and federalism. He defended Zitácuaro from the royalist attacks, but was forced to retreat to Sultepec. He moved the council to different locations, such as Tlalchapa, Tlacotepec, and Tehuacán. He fought several battles against the Spanish troops, such as the Battle of Tenango, the Battle of Zitácuaro, and the Battle of Cerro de Cóporo. He also tried to negotiate with the viceroy Francisco Javier Venegas, but his proposals were rejected. He joined forces with José María Morelos in Acapulco, and recognized him as the generalissimo of the insurgent army. He attended the Congress of Anahuac in Chilpancingo, where he was elected deputy of Nueva Galicia. He supported the Declaration of Independence of Mexico and the appointment of Morelos as the head of the executive power. He also contributed to the drafting of the Constitution of Apatzingan, which was promulgated in 1814. However, he had disagreements with Morelos over some issues, such as the role of the Catholic Church, the abolition of slavery, and the distribution of land. He formed a faction with other deputies, such as Carlos María de Bustamante and José Manuel de Herrera, and opposed Morelos' decisions. He was captured by the royalist forces in Tezmalaca, Puebla, in November 1815, along with other members of the congress. He was taken to Mexico City, where he was tried by the Inquisition and sentenced to exile in Spain. He was pardoned by the Spanish government in 1820, after the liberal revolution of Rafael del Riego. He returned to Mexico in 1821, after the Plan of Iguala and the Treaty of Córdoba recognized the independence of Mexico. He was welcomed by Agustín de Iturbide, who offered him a position in his government, but he declined. He retired from public life and dedicated himself to his family and his business. He died in Mexico City in 1832, at the age of 58. He was buried in the church of San Fernando. He is considered one of the founders of the Mexican nation and a hero of the independence war.