However, being the loyal subject he was, Iturbide wished for Mexico to retain King Fernando VII as their head of state, making the nation an independent member of the global Spanish Empire. However, the King of Spain refused this offer and it became a problem finding any Catholic royal who would accept the throne of the chaotic nation torn by 11 years of war. It was not long before many began to urge their champion general to accept the crown, but Iturbide was reluctant, he was not the kind of man who put himself up. Eventually though, the military joined with the masses of monarchists in demanding that Iturbide take the lead in ruling the new Mexican nation. Already having served on the temporary council of regency, on the early morning of May 19, 1822 Don Agustin de Iturbide was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico.
The National Congress made the appropriate laws, including an official act making the imperial title hereditary in the Iturbide family. On July 21, 1822 Emperor Agustin I was officially crowned in a ceremony in the cathedral of Mexico City. At the time of his coronation the Empire of Mexico stretched from northern California, across the Rocky Mountains, all of Texas, modern Mexico as well as all of Central America. In terms of resources and productive territory it was possibly the wealthiest nation in the world. However, the new Emperor was not without rivals in the upper echelons of society. One of the most dangerous of which was the ruthless army officer Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the man who would one day lose more than half of Mexico's territory in wars against the Americans as well as ruining Mexico's reputation by his many massacres in Texas. Santa Anna had originally swore an oath of loyalty to Emperor Agustin I, but when the monarch refused to take his side in a feud with a fellow officer Santa Anna launched a rebellion against his sovereign. The Emperor was cut to the quick by this turn of events. He had not actively sought the throne of Mexico for himself and indeed had accepted only when the people and the army prevailed upon him that it was his duty. Now he was already being attacked by those demanding a republic. Emperor Agustin went before the Congress and declared that if the government had lost faith in him and no longer desired his service to Mexico he would abdicate the throne without incident. Unfortunately for the people and the future of Mexico the Congress had come under the influence of Agustin's enemies and without a formal vote or plebiscite declared that the nation no longer desired to retain its emperor. Keeping his word, Emperor Agustin I abdicated in 1823 and went into exile in Europe.
It was not long before Emperor Agustin realized that he had been deceived and that the Mexican public had never wished him to leave. He was in effect the victim of a government coup. In 1824 the Emperor determined that it was his duty before God to return to Mexico, reclaim his throne and save his country from the corruption that had gripped the government in Mexico City. However, the Mexican President was informed of this by his spies in England before Agustin left Southampton. The government was afraid that Agustin would lead a monarchist takeover with the support of the masses and restore the imperial system. He therefore sent troops to the coast with orders to arrest the Emperor on sight. When Agustin landed he was taken by General Filip Garza and executed by firing squad without a trial or even any show of law or justice. However, through his children the dynasty would go on.
In his absence and following the regicide of the Emperor, Mexico experienced the full force of the dangers of republicanism. Mexico's history was one of one corrupt and all-powerful president after another. The rich grew richer and the poor grew poorer. Especially under the dictator Santa Anna numerous groups within the population were oppressed with extreme brutality. From the Yucatan Indians to Zacatecas and ultimately the huge loss of Texas. After all of this, and losing a war to the United States, Mexico was a wreck of the great Empire it had once been. This period of interregnum did not last forever, but did not end well either.
At this time the United States was in the midst of civil war and therefore could not enforce the "Monroe Doctrine" which declared the America's hands-off to Europe. However, even Napoleon knew that he could not keep Mexico forever. The conquest had been easy but maintaining control was proving difficult. He therefore decided to set up a French-backed regime to rule a restored Mexican Empire. Along with Mexican conservatives in Europe, including such men of high reputation as Juan Almonte, Napoleon offered the Mexican crown to Archduke Maximilian von Hapsburg, the brother of the Emperor of Austria. Maximilian was at first reluctant and first demanded proof that the Mexican people truly wanted him to be their monarch.
Napoleon managed to clear this obstacle by using his troops to force Mexicans into signing a petition requesting Maximilian to become Emperor of Mexico. There was also though a considerable number of Mexican conservatives who truly wished the empire to be restored. Finally, in 1864 Maximilian agreed and accepted the offer to take the throne of Mexico. The Austrians gave him a grand send off, he had an audience in Rome where he received the blessing of the Pope and the British garrison at Gibraltar fired a salute to his passing ship. During this time Maximilian steeped himself in the culture of his new nation and along with his wife learned to speak fluent Spanish. He was determined to be a Mexican and not simply an Austrian living in Mexico. However, when the new Emperor reached Mexico he found his country in poor condition. Some people seemed indifferent to him at all, though he was warmly welcomed by the Mexican Indians. He noted the beautiful landscape but also the huge gap in the classes between the wealthy landowners and the bands of beggars roaming the streets.
In 1865 things took a turn for the worse when the American Civil War ended and the United States sent an army of 50,000 veteran troops to the border. It did not help relations with the U.S. when many former Confederate generals joined Maximilian's army rather than surrender. At this turn of events Napoleon was obliged to pull out his troops and almost as an after thought Maximilian was advised to leave. Carlota was sent back to Europe but Emperor Maximilian, still believing that the people wanted him as their monarch chose to remain and fight Juarez with his army of Mexican loyalists. In 1867 though Maximilian was betrayed by one of his officers, captured and turned over to Benito Juarez. He was promptly sentenced to death by firing squad. He met his death bravely, speaking only in Spanish and insisting that he had always kept the best interests of his adopted country at heart. His last words were "Viva Indipendencia!". His two top generals were shot after him crying, "Long live the Emperor!" His wife became hopelessly insane with grief and had to be confined in her native country of Belgium. After Maximilian's death his adopted son became Emperor Agustin II but the Mexican Empire was completely overthrown by Juarez' republican regime.