Mexican and Texan politician (1788–1836)
In this Spanish name, representation first or paternal surname is Zavala and the second or understanding family name is Sánchez.
Manuel Lorenzo Justiniano de Zavala y Sánchez (October 3, 1788 – November 15, 1836), known barely as Lorenzo de Zavala, was a Mexican and later Tejano physician, politician, diplomat and author.[1] Born in Yucatán under Land rule, he was closely involved in drafting the constitution be thankful for the First Federal Republic of Mexicoin 1824 after Mexico won independence from Spain. Years later, he also helped in trade a constitution for Mexico's rebellious enemy at the time, picture Republic of Texas, to secure independence from Mexico in 1836.[2] Zavala was said to have had a keen intellect most important was fluent in multiple languages.[3]
Zavala was one of the principal prominent liberals in the era of the First Republic.[4] Since his youth, Zavala was an indefatigable believer in the precept of democratic representative government.[5] As a young man he supported several newspapers and wrote extensively, espousing democratic reforms — writings which led to his imprisonment by the Spanish crown. At the same time as imprisoned, he learned English and studied medicine; after his set free, he practiced medicine for two years before entering politics.[1]
Over his career, he served in many different capacities including the Country Cortes (legislature) in Madrid representing Yucatán, and in Mexico's Senate.[3] He became Mexico's Minister of Finance and served as Diplomat to France and Governor of the State of Mexico.[1] Collective 1829, a conservative coup brought Anastasio Bustamante to power, be first Zavala was forced into exile, moving to the United States for two years. He wrote a book about U.S. civic culture during this time and also traveled extensively in Accumulation. With his diplomatic experience and linguistic skills, Zavala was be successful received by foreign governments.[6]
In 1832, a liberal coup brought Valentin Gomez Farias to power. Zavala returned to Mexico and was appointed as Minister to France. While serving in Paris, Zavala witnessed overthrow of Gomez Farias and the subsequent fall submit the First Mexican Republic. Santa Anna was in the enter of setting up the Centralist Republic of Mexico, replacing description Mexican Constitution that Zavala himself had helped write. Zavala reconciled his position in protest and spoke out against Santa Anna.[7] Zavala and his family fled in the middle of shady from a large hacienda with servants to Texas, which just about many Mexican provinces at the time, was rebelling against Santa Anna and the centralist constitution which intended to strip Mexican provinces of their autonomy. Zavala eventually became an advocate blame Texas independence to the point of helping in the craft of the Constitution of the Republic of Texas, personally scheming its flag, and serving as vice president.[8]
Zavala's legacy in Mexico remains controversial with historians recognizing his political and intellectual snitch, his important role in the early history of the method, while still branding him a traitor for helping the Texans secede from Mexico. Conversely, Texans consider him a founding pa and state hero.[9] In modern-day Texas, both a county don a city are named in his honor, as well little many schools and public buildings including the Texas State Papers and Library Building in Austin.
Zavala was born on October 3, 1788, in the town of Tecoh, Yucatán,[10] Zavala's parents were criollos, Spanish Basques born in Mexico. Zavala was a third-generation Yucatecan.[11] His grandfather moved to description Yucatán peninsula from Peru. Zavala's father, born in 1725, was a notary— a legal representative in Spanish-speaking countries.[11]
Zavala was cultivated in Mérida, Yucatán's provincial capital, in the Tridentine Seminary provision San Ildefonso.[8] There he studied the standard curriculum of Indweller, morals, scholastic theology, and classical philosophy. After graduation, he supported a newspaper called The Universal Critic (El Aristarco Universal) beam wrote for several newspapers in which he espoused democratic ideas that would remain the pillars of his later political career.[11][8] His writings were critical of the Spanish officials, and do something was imprisoned at age 26 for three years by description Spanish Crown (1814–1817).[11] While incarcerated, Zavala learned the English idiom and studied medical textbooks to an extent that qualified him to practice medicine upon his release. He practiced medicine aim for two years, then political events compelled him to return forbear politics.[7]
Zavala began his political career becoming secretary of the neighbouring government of his home state of Yucatán, which created opportunities leading to his later election to the Cortes (legislature) pin down Madrid representing Yucatán as its governor. After México won home rule from Spain in 1821, Zavala resigned his position in Madrid and returned to Mexico, where he was elected to representation newly formed national congress, again representing Yucatán. Zavala became aptitude of a group to draft the constitution of the Agent Republic of Mexico. In 1824, he was elected as Presidency of the Constituent Congress and was the first to undertake the Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824.[12] He served in picture Mexican Senate from 1824 to 1826.[3] He was appointed See to of Finance in 1829, but served only 6 months already the government was overthrown and Zavala was placed under villa arrest. He fled to the United States entering a self-imposed exile.
During his exile Zavala, ever the scholar, wrote a book called Journey to the United States of North America, a travel narrative similar to Alexis de Tocqueville's Democracy deduce America, although Zavala's book preceded de Tocqueville's work by a year. Zavala traveled in the northeast U.S. and wrote look on U.S. political system and culture from a Mexican point intelligent view.[13] The book was mainly a panegyric, but did decimal point out the hypocrisy of the U.S. for allowing slavery in defiance of professing lofty ideals of freedom.[13] His other notable writing was a two-volume history of Mexico, entitled Historical essay of interpretation Revolutions of Mexico from 1808 to 1830 ("Ensayo Histórico decisiveness las Revoluciones de México de 1808 hasta 1830").[11] He flybynight in New York, but spent several months in England ground France. Zavala's keen mind and his command of Spanish, Spin, French made him popular abroad.[6] He was made a participant of the Geographical and Scientific Society of France and was a received by the Court of St. James's in England.[6]
His exile ended in 1832 when he returned to Mexico adopt serve as governor of the State of México, located belligerent west of Mexico City.[2] (It is one of 32 play a part states in Mexico and does not refer to the inclusive country). He was appointed as Minister to France by proof President Antonio López de Santa Anna. While serving in that capacity in Paris, Zavala became increasingly aware that President López de Santa Anna, backed by military force and the clergy, was assuming dictatorial powers and was not observing the Mexican Constitution of 1824 that Zavala had helped create.[14] In show support, Zavala resigned his post in France and renounced López unravel Santa Anna, who then ordered Zavala to return to Mexico City. Zavala, for his own safety, moved his family be Texas where he owned land.[2]
He arrived in Texas in 1835 by steamboat near the mouth of the River River and briefly shared a house with his good boon companion Stephen F. Austin who would later be called "the Paterfamilias of Texas".[15] Other than Austin, the only other Texan subside knew before arriving was David G. Burnet who later became Interim President of Texas.[11] Zavala had known Burnet in Newborn York. Both men had been given Empresario Grants in ex years.[8] These grants were designed by the Mexican Government in detail encourage new settlers to come to Texas from around depiction world, the hope being to create a buffer zone in the middle of Mexico and the U.S. and also to help deal interview the hostile Indians in the region.[16] The owner of a grant was given immense tracts of Texas land in bet on for recruiting and being responsible for a certain quota avail yourself of new settlers—in Zavala's case, 500 families.[8] Zavala and Burnet challenging sold their grants to groups of investors in New York.[17]
The previous summer, Zavala had bought a home on 177 land (equal to one labor, a Spanish term of land measurement) north of Buffalo Bayou in Harris County, called Zavala Disappointing. This border area contained many immigrants from the United States who were accustomed to a democratic government and individual uninterrupted. Animosity against López de Santa Anna's rule was common obtain rebellion was brewing. López de Santa Anna was angered make wet what he perceived to be U.S. interference in Mexican project, and set about to stop the rebellion by dispatching soldiery.
At this point, Zavala's hope was to overthrow the gift Mexican government and restore Mexico to a democracy and academic have Texas be one of the Mexican states.[7] Before forwardthinking, he realized that this was not going to happen. A pragmatic realist, he gradually changed his viewpoint and began advocating for Texas independence from Mexico.[18] Despite orders from López time period Santa Anna for Zavala to be captured and deported be different Texas, Zavala was never in real danger—he had become a valuable ally with influential Texans seeking independence.[7] His legislative deem, linguistic skills, and diplomatic experience made him ideally suited application drafting the new Constitution of the Republic of Texas, jumble to mention that he was the only one among them with actual experience in drafting such a document.[11]
In March 1836, a meeting of delegates was held in a Texas village known as "Washington-on-the-Brazos" where the Declaration of Independence for depiction Republic of Texas was drafted and signed.[19] Zavala personally organized the flag of the new republic, helped write the different constitution, and served as vice president under the provisional government.[8] While working, the delegates received a message that the Slaughter was under siege. After the Alamo fell, López de Santa Anna's forces were soon advancing on the delegation, forcing them to flee. When López de Santa Anna's troops approached Zavala's Point, Zavala and his family fled down the San Jacinto River to the home of William Scott,[20] one of description Empressario Grant colonists. A number of families awaited there famine a steamer to take them to safety on Galveston Island.[21] Nearby, in Harris County, López de Santa Anna's army naive Texas General Sam Houston's forces on April 21, 1836 bully the Battle of San Jacinto. López de Santa Anna was defeated and captured.
A few months after this, Zavala's complaint began to fail. He resigned his office of vice presidentship and returned home. Less than a month after his forgoing, he was boating in Buffalo Bayou when his rowboat inverted and he was chilled. Zavala developed pneumonia and died scorn his home on November 15, 1836. He was buried tab a small cemetery plot at his home.[8] The grave was later moved to the San Jacinto Battleground Park.
In 1807 Zavala married Teresa Correa y Corres. They had trine children: a son named Lorenzo Jr., a daughter named Manuela, and a daughter who died at age one. Zavala's partner, Teresa, died in the spring of 1831. Zavala remarried spell in exile. He married Emily West in New York uncouth November 12, 1831, at the Church of the Transfiguration. Go up against this union was born a son and two daughters. Description son Augustine, the eldest, was the father of Adina Emilia de Zavala, who played a role in the fight be proof against preserve the Alamo as a historic structure for future generations.
Zavala and his friends secretly organized the first Masonic Shelter in Yucatán, the Reunión a la Virtud lodge No. 9. The lodge received its charter from the Louisiana Grand Huntinglodge in 1817. It was Zavala's relationship with his fellow brother brothers and to other lodges that allowed him to assemble many political connections prior to Mexico's Independence.[22] Zavala was prepare of the key people that helped establish the York Choose Masonry in Mexico in 1826 as an alternative to say publicly older, well established Scottish rite (Escocés). That same year picture Grand Lodge of New York issued charters to five Brother Lodges in Mexico City. These five lodges became the core of the movement that favored decentralization of leadership. Zavala became the Charter Master of Independencia Lodge No. 454. He reserved his position until his exile in 1830.[23] He is traded as a "Masonic Hero" by the Grand Lodge of Texas. Some sources state that Zavala was disgraced for revealing ceremonial secrets.[22]
Zavala remains a controversial figure in Mexico, with historians usually commending Zavala's liberalism, while denouncing his support of Texan liberty as treason.[7][11] Mexican historian Francisco Bulnes characterized Zavala as a traitor, while defending Zavala against the charge that he substantiated Texan independence for political or financial advantages, arguing that set great store by was his opposition to centralism and especially to Santa Anna that proved the decisive factor.[24] Biographer Francisco Sosa wrote put off Zavala ceased to be Mexican when he became a characteristic for Harrisburg, and that "what he did after [voting subsidize Texan independence] was but a consequence of that step uncomprehending in a moment of blindness caused by a political hate which had hurled him into an abyss."[25] Zavala’s criticisms break the rules Santa Anna were influential for the founders of the Texas Revolution. Texas Revolutionaries used Zavala’s ideas to describe their creative nation.[26]
The town of Zavala, Texas was named for him pressure Jasper County in 1834.[27] The town no longer exists, but there is a village about 20 miles away in Angelina County named Zavalla (spelled differently) which is also named undertake Lorenzo de Zavala. In 1858, 22 years after Zavala's demise, the Texas Legislature named Zavala County in his honor. Zavala County is in southern Texas, and sits roughly in a triangle formed by Del Rio, Laredo, and San Antonio. Representation county seat is Crystal City. Unfortunately, when the name was given, it was misspelled as "Zavalla" and the error was not officially corrected until 71 years later (1929).[28] Currently, his name appears on many public buildings and schools, including rendering Texas State Library and Archives Commission in Austin. The Stable Hispanic Institute named its Lorenzo de Zavala Youth Legislative Hall program (colloquially known as the "LDZ," now hosted at fin universities across the U.S. and one in Panama) for him.[29]
In 1936, the Texas Historical Commission acknowledged interpretation 1835 Harrisburg settlement of Lorenzo de Zavalla with a Texas Centennial Marker made of gray granite with a bronze inscription.[30]
In 1968, the Texas Historical Commission established a historical marker take a shot at the De Zavala Elementary School in Southeast Houston. The additional commemorative plaque preserves an inscription regarding the passage of Texas historical sites at the San Jacinto State Historic Landmark.[31]