Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont

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Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont

Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont (born December 3, 1749 (according to other sources: December 3, 1750 ) in Arnedo , Province of Rioja , Spain , † March 6, 1811 in Mexico City ) was a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church who officiated as Archbishop of Mexico and Viceroy of New Spain.

Origin, education and church career

Lizana came from a Basque family. He studied theology and law in Calatayud and Saragossa . In 1771 he received his doctorate from the University of Zaragoza . He taught at the University of Alcalá from 1772.

In addition to his teaching activities, he was canon in Sigüenza and Penitenciario in Zamora . In 1795 he received the office of canon in Toledo and was titular bishop of Thaumacus . The office of Bishop of Teruel was assigned to him in August 1800; he stayed there until 1802 in office.

Term of office as Archbishop of Mexico

The appointment as Archbishop of Mexico followed in May 1802. Lizana traveled to Mexico with the Viceroy José de Iturrigaray in 1803 and took over the episcopate in January 1803. Alonso Núñez de Haro y Peralta was already in 1787 briefly Viceroy of New Spain.

During his tenure, a monastery was founded in Santiago de Querétaro . As archbishop he was universally recognized.

Situation after the occupation of Spain by Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte had Spain occupied by French troops in 1808. He held King Ferdinand VII prisoner in France and appointed his brother Joseph Bonaparte as the new king. The loyal Spanish resistance tried militarily to wear down the French with a guerrilla tactic, while a junta Suprema Central took over the affairs of state in Ferdinand's absence.

In the Spanish colonies, the question arose as to what legitimation and what form of organization should the legislature and executive continue to work with. The Peninsulares sent from Spain tended to wait until King Ferdinand was able to act again; they had their mouthpiece in New Spain in the representatives of the Real Audiencia of Mexico . The local Creoles, however, were looking for an independent solution with more local autonomy; moderate forces called for a Mexican junta modeled on the motherland, while more radical leaders demanded popular sovereignty and a separate congress, as the United States had shown.

Coup

After the discussions between the parties in Mexico remained unsuccessful and the viceroy José de Iturrigaray leaned towards the Creole side, on September 15, 1808 the coup d'état of the Peninsulares took place . A few hundred men under the leadership of the merchant Gabriel de Yermo stormed (with the knowledge and approval of the Audiencia and the Archbishop) the Viceroy's palace, took him and his family prisoner and declared him deposed.

On September 17, Audiencia and Archbishop Lizana published a special edition of Gazeta de México in which they stated that the arrest of the Viceroy was for reasons of security and public order. The Audiencia appointed the most senior officer in New Spain, Pedro de Garibay , as the new viceroy .

Tenure as viceroy

Garibay proved unsuitable for reaching a solution between the diverging political interest groups. In July 1810 the junta Suprema Central ordered to replace the viceroy and to entrust Archbishop Lizana with the management of the colony in his place.

Lizana appointed his cousin Sáez de Alfaro as his representative as bishop. His first official act as viceroy was to forego the remuneration for the office in order not to burden the state treasury in the fight against Napoleon. The possessions of Miguel de la Grúa Talamanca y Branciforte and the Duke of Terranova , which had switched to the Napoleonic side, he had confiscated and was able to send considerable sums of money to Spain.

From 1809, the conflict between Creoles and Peninsular escalated. Lizana feared an open rebellion by the locals and pro-independence activists and sought a policy of cautious concessions and compromises. For this reason, he came into conflict several times with the Oidores of the Audiencia and with Juan López Cancelada , the editor of the Gazeta de México . At the same time, he sought military security by distributing the concentrated military presence over several locations.

In December 1809 the first riots broke out in Morelia (which was then called Valladolid).

The policy of understanding that Lizana pursued met with vehement rejection from the Peninsulares . They pushed for his removal, and as in the previous year, the Bishop of Michoacán , Manuel Abad y Queipo , wrote a letter of fire to Spain, in which he strongly condemned the viceroy's policy and called for a new man to be sent.

Recall and death

The central junta in Spain had transferred executive tasks to the Regencia in Cádiz in January 1810 . This body prepared the convening of the Constituent Cortes of Cadiz and organized the elections of the representatives. On May 7, 1810, a letter with the government's election papers reached Mexico City. In the same mail came a letter in which the viceroy was dismissed because of his age and poor health. For the time being, the Audiencia should continue government business. As a thank you for his commitment, Archbishop Lizana was awarded the Order of Charles III. excellent.

The Audiencia, viewed with suspicion by the constituent assembly, postponed the election of deputies until June and July. At the end of August, the new viceroy Francisco Javier Venegas arrived in Mexico.

Francisco Javier de Lizana resumed his office as archbishop, which he held until his death six months later.

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predecessor Office successor
Pedro de Garibay Viceroy of New Spain
1809–1810 		Francisco Javier Venegas
personal data
SURNAME Lizana y Beaumont, Francisco Javier de
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Archbishop of Mexico and Viceroy of New Spain
DATE OF BIRTH uncertain: December 3, 1749 or December 3, 1750
PLACE OF BIRTH Arnedo , Spain
DATE OF DEATH March 6, 1811
Place of death Mexico City , Mexico