Ana María de Huarte y Muñiz
Encyclopedia
Ana María Josefa Ramona de Huarte y Muñiz (17 January 1786 – 21 March 1861), was the consort of 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...

 of Mexico. She was daughter of the nobleman Isidro Huarte, provincial intendant and descendant of the Marquis of Altamira
Luis Sánchez de Tagle, 1st Marquis of Altamira
Don Luis Sánchez de Tagle y de la Rasa, 1st Marquis of Altamira was a Spanish aristocrat who gained great wealth and influence in New Spain during the 17th century.- Early life :...

.

Early Life

Ana Maria was born on January 17, 1786 in the Valladolid, considered by scholars of that time as "The Garden of New Spain". Her father was Isidro Huarte, an immigrant from Goizueta, Navarre in search for better opportunities in the second half of the 18th century and has amassed a huge fortune. Her mother, Doña Ana Manuela Muñíz y Sánchez de Tagle was Isidro Huarte's second wife. Ana Manuela belongs to one of New Spain's richest and most influential family, the House of Tagle, the family of the Marquises of Altamira. Her great great grandfather was the brother of Don Luis Sánchez de Tagle, 1st Marquis of Altamira.

Ana Maria was baptized at Sagrario Metropolitano de Valladolid at the same year she was born and later, she attended Colegio Santa Rosa Maria de Valladolid which is known for its educational and musical excellence. Ana Maria distinguished herself as an excellent student and was also gifted with musical talents.

Marriage and family

According to the standards of her time, Ana Maria possessed great beauty with features likened to that of the Madonna. She showed grace, great beauty and exquisite manners while in Colegio Santa Rosa Maria, and it was in this school where she met the young Agustin de Iturbide and courtship followed and soon enough, in ended in marriage. The young Agustin was considered very handsome and came from a very wealthy Basque noble family. Their marriage was considered by many as a perfect match.

On a Friday afternoon, February 27 of 1805 , at one o'clock, the nineteen year old Ana Maria married the twenty-two year old Agustin de Iturbide. Ana Maria arrived in the Cathedral of Valladolid dressed as an Austrian princess, filled with white lace and fringed combs. Their wedding as a great social event as women wore their best jewels and sumptuous dresses, while men were dressed in strict formal attire.

Ana María provided a dowry of one hundred thousand pesos with which the couple bought a hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...

 in the town of Maravatío
Maravatío
Maravatío is a municipality in the Mexican state of Michoacán, representing 1.17% of its land area, or 691.55 km2.- Etymology :The modern word Maravatío comes from the P'urhépecha word Marhabatio, meaning a precious place or thing....

.

Together they had 10 children:
  • HIH
    Imperial Highness
    His/Her Imperial Highness is a style used by members of an imperial family to denote imperial - as opposed to royal - status to show that the holder in question is descended from an Emperor rather than a King .Today the style has mainly fallen from use with the exception of the Imperial Family of...

     Don
    Don (honorific)
    Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...

     Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte
    Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte
    Don Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte, Prince Imperial of Mexico, OG OME was the son of the first Mexican Emperor Agustín I of Mexico, the heir apparent to the First Mexican Empire and a member of the Imperial House of Iturbide; later in his life he served as a military officer in South...

    , Prince Imperial of Mexico (1807–1866)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Doña Sabina de Iturbide y Huarte
    Sabina de Iturbide y Huarte
    Doña Sabina de Iturbide y Huarte, Princess of Mexico was a Mexican princess during the short-lived First Mexican Empire and a member of the Imperial House of Iturbide. She was the eldest daughter of Agustín de Iturbide and Ana María de Huarte y Muñiz...

     (1809–1871)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Doña Juana María de Iturbide y Huarte
    Sister Margarita of Jesus
    Juana María de Iturbide y Huarte , Princess of Mexico, known as Sister Margarita of Jesus, was the third child of Agustín I of Mexico and Empress Ana Maria Huarte...

     (1811–1828)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Doña Josefa de Iturbide y Huarte (1814–1891)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Don Ángel de Iturbide y Huarte (1816–1872) father of Agustín de Iturbide y Green
    Agustín de Iturbide y Green
    Don Agustín de Iturbide y Green, Prince of Iturbide was the grandson of Agustín de Iturbide, the first emperor of independent Mexico, and his consort Empress Ana María...

  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Doña María Isis de Iturbide y Huarte (1818–1849)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Doña María de los Dolores de Iturbide y Huarte (1819–1820)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Don Salvador de Iturbide y Huarte (1820–1856) father of Salvador de Iturbide y de Marzán
    Salvador de Iturbide y de Marzán
    Don Salvador, Prince of Iturbide, also named Salvador de Iturbide y Marzán . was the second adopted son of Maximilian I of Mexico.-Family:...

  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Don Felipe Andrés María Guadalupe de Iturbide y Huarte (1822–1853)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Don Agustín Cosme de Iturbide y Huarte (1824–1873)
  • HH
    Highness
    Highness, often used with a possessive adjective , is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty in an address...

     Don Jesus de Iturbide y Huarte (1817–1841) ????

Empress consort

Agustín de Iturbide's coronation was held at the Mexico City Cathedral on 21 July 1822, Ana María was crowned empress, in an elaborate ceremony. It was attended by the bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

s of Puebla
Puebla
Puebla officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Puebla is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 217 municipalities and its capital city is Puebla....

, Guadalajara
Guadalajara
Guadalajara may refer to:In Mexico:*Guadalajara, Jalisco, the capital of the state of Jalisco and second largest city in Mexico**Guadalajara Metropolitan Area*University of Guadalajara, a public university in Guadalajara, Jalisco...

, Durango
Durango
Durango officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Durango is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is located in Northwest Mexico. With a population of 1,632,934, it has Mexico's second-lowest population density, after Baja...

 and Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...

 and presided over by Archbishop of Mexico Fonte.

At the the time of the coronation, Ana maria's marriage with Agustin was on the rocks to the point that the two were almost separated. This was due to the fact that Agustin de Iturbide enjoyed gambling, parties and had a reputation as a womanizer. One of his mistresses was Maria Ignacia Rodriguez, the famous "Guera Rodriguez". During these times of depression, Ana Maria found comfort in their children and food, particularly to milk candy made ​​with nuts which made her reminisce childhood memories. The couple reconciled before the coronation for political purposes.

After the coronation, the couple lived at the 18th century palace of the Marquis of San Mateo Valparaiso along with the sum of one and half million pesos for expenses. Empress Ana Maria was accompanied by a leading lady, seven lady in waiting, nine honorary ladies, seven ladies of the chamber, ladies in charge of her wardrobe, and a personal doctor while her children were given guardians, tutors and governesses.

Fall of the Empire and Exile

When the problem within the Mexican Empire started, the Empress and her children took refuge in the convent. She soon joined her husband into exile when he abdicated the throne on March 19, 1823.

The Imperial family was accompanied by their loyal subjects and was escorted by Gen. Nicolas Bravo. The family sailed on a ship filled with food, wine, jewelry and artwork until they finally reached Italy. Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany
Ferdinand III, Grand Duke of Tuscany was Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1790 to 1801 and, after a period of disenfranchisement, again from 1814 to 1824. He was also the Prince-elector and Grand Duke of Salzburg and Grand Duke of Würzburg .-Biography:Ferdinand was born in Florence, Tuscany, into the...

 allowed the Imperial family to stay in Livorno where they rented a small country house. But then, the King of Spain pressured the Grand Duke of Tuscany to expel the Imperial family, and in so, the Empress and her family left for London.

Her husband, the former Emperor, continued to receive reports from Mexico as well as advice from supporters that if he returned he would be hailed as a liberator and a potential leader against the Spanish invasion. Iturbide sent word to congress in Mexico City on 13 February 1824 offering his services in the event of Spanish attack. Congress never replied. More conservative political factions in Mexico finally convinced Iturbide to return. Accompanied by his wife, two children, and a chaplain, Agustin de Iturbide landed at the port of Soto la Marina on Mexico on 14 July 1824 where he was arrested and later executed by a by firing squad on 19 July 1824. Ana Maria was pregnant with her youngest child during these times.

The Mexico Congress allowed the Empress and her children go to the Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...

 and granted the family an annual pension of 8,000 pesos. But there was no ship to take them. The family instead settled in the United States. Ana Maria gave birth to her tenth child in New Orleans and then resided at Baltimore and then settled in a small house in Georgetown, just outside Washington. The former Empress, along with her 2 daughters were finally stationed in Philadelphia , while the children continued their studies in various places. On 1847, the Mexican Government stopped giving her pension befitting of a former Empress. She was also received by former US President James K. Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...

 in the White Houses as she seeks help about her pension.

Empress Ana Maria donated several portraits and family memorabilia of the exiled Imperial family on a convent such as a crown of woven material made out of gold and silver. She experienced the pain of the death of two of her daughter as well as the marriage of her sons Salvador and Angel. The Empress never approved of the marriage her son Angel to Alice Green, the American great-granddaughter of George Plater, Governor of Maryland.

Death

On the night of Thursday March 21 of 1861, at 75 years old, Ana Maria Josefa Ramona de Huarte de Iturbide y Muñiz, the former Empress of Mexico died at her residence in Philadelphia. She was buried in the vault IX of the Cemetery of the Church of St. John the Evangelist.

The service was very simple. No former associates of this noble woman born to one of Spain's most distinguish families and once wore a crown gave their final respects. There were a few men in Philadelphia who's high social position gave then the privilege to have past realtions with the former Imperial family attended the funeral. And sadly, only one in ten thousand of Philadelphia's population knew that the woman lay there to rest once held rank as an Empress.

Titles and styles

  • 17 January 1786 – 21 July 1822: Doña Ana María Josefa Ramona de Huarte y Muñiz
  • 21 July 1822 – 19 March 1823: Her Imperial Majesty The Empress of Mexico
  • 19 March 1823 – 21 March 1861: Her Imperial Majesty Empress Ana Maria of Mexico
  • 19 March 1823 – 21 March 1861: Ana Maria de Iturbide

Ancestry



External links

  • Ana María de Huarte y Muñiz on Find A Grave
    Find A Grave
    Find a Grave is a commercial website providing free access and input to an online database of cemetery records. It was founded in 1998 as a DBA and incorporated in 2000.-History:...

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