Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the chief leader of Mexico's War of Independence against Spain
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Born in the New World in 1753, Miguel Hidalgo & Costilla was a criollo, one born in Mexico of pure Spanish ancestry. He was born in Dolores, now Dolores Hidalgo, which is in the modern day state of Guanajuato in central Mexico, where he became the parish priest.
Hidalgo began to talk with other high society criollos about a plan to lead an uprising of indigenous peasants and mestizos, a Spanish word used to describe those with mixed European and indigenous ancestries. On September 16, 1810, when Hildago learned that these plans had been discovered and his arrest was imminent, he rang the church bells and called for an immediate uprising. This event is recognized as the call for Mexican independence and is known as the Grito de Dolores.
Hidalgo was captured with three other leaders of the revolution, Ignacio Allende, José Mariano Jiménez and Juan Aldama. The others were executed on June 26, 1811, while Hidalgo was executed on July 30, 1811. The executions took place in Chihuahua’s Government Palace, with the heads of the decapitated leaderse were put on display on the four corners of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas in Guanajuato.
Today Hidalgo is buried in the Rotunda of Illustrious Men in Mexico City, and Hidalgo is recognized as the Father of the Mexican Nation and Liberator of Mexico. The Mexican state Hidalgo is named in his honor.
