Antonio López de Santa Anna
Mexican general and president who lost vast territory to the U.S.
A controversial and pivotal figure in Mexican politics during the 19th century, he has been called an 'uncrowned monarch' by some historians who refer to the 30 years after Mexico's independence as the 'Age of Santa Anna.' Santa Anna is often remembered in Mexico as a vendepatria due to the loss of Mexican territory to the United States during his rule.
- field
- Military, politics
- nationality
- Mexican
- known_for
- Multiple presidencies, loss of Mexican territory to the United States, switching sides in conflicts
Lore & Background
Throughout his career, Santa Anna frequently switched sides, a pattern that began in the War of Independence and continued in political conflicts between liberal and conservative factions. Santa Anna was known for his ostentatious and dictatorial style of rule and use of the military to dissolve Mexico's Congress on several occasions. Later in his career, he referred to himself by the honorific title 'His Most Serene Highness.'
Reader's Guide
His legacy is deeply contested: he is seen as a pivotal figure in 19th-century Mexican politics, but also as a vendepatria for the territorial losses that occurred under his rule.
Did You Know?
- He referred to himself by the honorific title 'His Most Serene Highness' later in his career.
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