Félix María Zuloaga
A conservative Mexican general whose rebellion against the liberal constitution ignited the bloody Reform War and a schism in the presidency.
1813–1898 (age 85)·President of Mexico from 1858 from 1859, from 1860 to 1862·Birthday: March 31
Biography
Félix María Zuloaga was a central, polarizing figure in one of Mexico's most turbulent decades. A career military officer from Chihuahua with deep conservative convictions, he rose to prominence by leading the coup against President Ignacio Comonfort in 1857. His proclamation against the new, liberal constitution sparked the three-year-long Reform War, a brutal conflict between conservatives and liberals. Installed as president by his faction in Mexico City, Zuloaga led a government that was recognized by the church and the conservative elite but was simultaneously opposed by Benito Juárez's parallel liberal government. His tenure was marked by military struggle and political instability, even within his own party, leading to his temporary ousting and replacement. Though his forces initially held the capital, the war ultimately turned in favor of Juárez. Zuloaga's legacy is that of a staunch defender of the old order, whose actions plunged Mexico into a civil war that would redefine the nation's future.
#1 When Félix Was Born
The biggest hits of 1813
Félix's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1813Born
1818Started school
1826Became a teenager
1829Could drive
1831Could vote
1834Turned 21
1843Turned 30
1853Turned 40
1863Turned 50
President: Abraham Lincoln
1873Turned 60
President: Ulysses S. Grant
1883Turned 70
President: Chester A. Arthur
1893Turned 80
World's Columbian Exposition dazzles Chicago
President: Grover Cleveland
1898Died at 85
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
Key Achievements
- Proclaimed the Plan of Tacubaya in 1857, repudiating the liberal Constitution and triggering the Reform War.
- Served as the unrecognized conservative President of Mexico from 1858 to 1859, operating from Mexico City.
- Commanded conservative forces during the early, successful stages of the Reform War against Benito Juárez.
- Was a key member of the conservative junta that governed Mexico after the fall of Emperor Maximilian I.
Did You Know?
Before his political career, he worked as a silversmith, a trade for which his family was famous.
He was captured by liberal forces in 1860 and sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted.
After the fall of the Second Mexican Empire, he was exiled to Cuba.
His presidency is not considered legitimate in the official line of succession of Mexican presidents.
“The nation must be preserved under the banner of religion and the ancient laws.”
