Ignacio Zaragoza
Mexican general who defeated French forces at Puebla.
This triumph is celebrated annually as Cinco de Mayo. He also served as Mexico's minister of war and navy under President Benito Juárez.
- died
- September 8, 1862, of typhoid fever
- field
- Military officer and politician
- nationality
- Mexican
- known_for
- Leading the Mexican victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862
Lore & Background
Zaragoza resigned in 1862 after his wife's death to lead the Army of the East against the French invasion. He was forced to withdraw at Acultzingo on April 28, 1862, before his decisive victory at Puebla.
Reader's Guide
This victory, celebrated as Cinco de Mayo, made him a national hero and delayed French advances. His success was notable against what was then considered the world's greatest army. After his death from typhoid fever shortly after the battle, President Juárez renamed the city of Puebla to Puebla de Zaragoza and the state of Coahuila to Coahuila de Zaragoza. Numerous localities and a Mexico City metro station bear his name, cementing his legacy as a symbol of Mexican resistance.
Did You Know?
- Zaragoza was born in what is now Goliad, Texas, in the United States.
- He missed his own wedding to lead his army in the Mexican civil war.
- His wife Rafaela died in January 1862, months before his victory at Puebla.
- His remains were later exhumed and transferred from Mexico City to Puebla.
More in Colonial And Post-Colonial Leaders 1-21
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