September 27, 1821

Army of the Three Guarantees

The Army of the Three Guarantees enters Mexico City

The independence army marched into the capital on Iturbide's 38th birthday, and the last of its columns was still entering after three in the afternoon.

A procession, not a battle

Agustín de Iturbide led the Army of the Three Guarantees into Mexico City on 27 September 1821, a peaceful triumphal procession that handed effective control of the capital to the independence coalition.

It began between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m. Iturbide received a ceremonial gold key beneath a triumphal arch, then went on through San Francisco, Palafox and Plateros streets toward the former viceregal palace.

At the palace he addressed the population from a balcony and walked to the Metropolitan Cathedral for a religious service; about 16,000 officers and soldiers took part, and the entry continued until after 3 p.m.

Nobody had to fight for the capital

Juan O'Donojú, who had entered the city the previous day, waited for Iturbide at the former viceregal palace and joined the official reception.

He had signed the Treaty of Córdoba with Iturbide, then negotiated with Francisco Novella, the royalist authority in Mexico City; Novella recognised O'Donojú's authority and relinquished command, peninsular troops departed, and the capital was opened.

O'Donojú was not technically a viceroy: his titles were superior political chief and captain general of New Spain.

The declaration came the next day

27 September was the entry and occupation. On 28 September the Provisional Governing Junta convened, drafted, proclaimed and signed the Act of Independence of the Mexican Empire.

The same day the junta selected a five-member regency that included Iturbide and O'Donojú.

Spain never ratified the Treaty of Córdoba — it rejected the treaty in 1822 and did not formally recognise Mexican independence until 1836.

Sources

Researched 24 Aug 2026 4 sources not yet audited

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