In 1519, Hernan Cortez landed on the coast of Mexico, and in the following years the Spanish Empire conquered and colonized the territory from its base in Tenochtitlan, which was administered as the Viceroyalty of New Spain. This territory would eventually become Mexico, following recognition of the colony’s independence in 1821. The post-independence period was characterized by economic instability, the Mexican-American War that led to territorial cession to the United States, the Pastry War, the Franco-Mexican War, a civil war, two empires and a domestic dictatorship. Fertile ground indeed for equestrian statues!
The oldest equestrian statue still existing in the western hemisphere, the statue of the Spanish monarch, Charles IV, dates from 1803 and stands in Mexico City. This equestrian escaped the fate of so many statues of colonial rulers: destruction. As we have seen in previous sections, this happened to the first statue in the western hemisphere: the statue of George III of England, dedicated in New York City in 1770 and destroyed in 1776.
The Mexican Revolution started in 1910, with an uprising led by Francisco Ignacio Madero against long-time dictator Porfirio Díaz, and lasted for the better part of a decade until around 1920. Over time, the revolution changed from a revolt against the established order to a multi-sided civil war, with frequently shifting power struggles. This armed conflict is often categorized as the most important socio-political event in Mexican history, and one of the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century, culminating in the promulgation of the 1917 Constitution and the emergence of the country’s current political system.
About two-thirds of all equestrian statues in Mexico portray one of the five men who were prominent during the Mexican Revolution: Madero, Carranza, Villa, Zapata and Obregón. Madero started the revolution and under his leadership, the dictator Porfirio Díaz was overthrown in 1910. Madero became president, but was assassinated in 1913 after a military coup by Huerta. Carranza overthrew Huerta with the help of Obregón, Villa and the troops of Zapata, and became president in 1914. Zapata in the south of Mexico and Villa in the north turned against Carranza. Zapata because Carranza did not want to implement the social reforms Zapata wanted, and Villa because he did not get the recognition, he deserved for his role in defeating Huerta’s regime.
Zapata was ambushed in 1919. In 1920, Obregón also turned against Carranza, who was assassinated in the same year. Obregón was president from 1920 until 1924. Villa considered aiming for the presidency, but was assassinated in 1923. Obregón was elected president for a second time in 1928, but was assassinated before he could begin his term. So all five met a violent death.
Most of the equestrian statues (almost half of those in Mexico) portray Villa and Zapata. They are apparently seen as the real heroes of the revolution.