Servando Teresa de Mier facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Servando Teresa de Mier
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Portrait in the Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones
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| Deputy to the Second Constituent Congress | |
| In office 7 November 1823 – 24 December 1824 |
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| Constituency | Nuevo León |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 18, 1765 Monterrey, New Kingdom of León, New Spain (now Nuevo León, Mexico) |
| Died | December 3, 1827 (aged 62) Mexico City, Mexico |
Fray José Servando Teresa de Mier Noriega y Guerra (born October 18, 1765 – died December 3, 1827) was an important figure in Mexican history. He was a Roman Catholic priest, a powerful speaker, and a politician in New Spain (which is now Mexico).
Mier was known for his strong and sometimes unusual ideas. He was put in prison many times because of his beliefs. He also lived in other countries like Spain, France, and England for a long time. His speeches and writings shared new ways of thinking about history and religion. These ideas often supported the idea of a republic, where people elect their leaders, instead of a king.
He worked with Francisco Javier Mina during the Mexican War of Independence. After Mexico became independent, he was a representative in the government. He strongly disagreed with Agustín de Iturbide wanting to be emperor. Servando Teresa de Mier is remembered for his important role in helping Mexico become a free country.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Servando Teresa de Mier was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León. This area was part of the Spanish colony called New Spain. He came from a family with a long history.
When he was 16, he joined the Dominican Order, a group of priests, in Mexico City. He studied important subjects like philosophy and theology. He became a priest at a young age. By the time he was 27, he had earned a special degree called a doctorate. He was already known as a very good speaker and preacher.
The Famous Sermon
On December 12, 1794, a special event happened. It was a celebration for the Virgin of Guadalupe. Many important people were there, including the Viceroy and the Archbishop.
During this event, Mier gave a sermon. He said that the Virgin of Guadalupe had appeared much earlier than people thought. He believed it happened 1750 years before, not in 1531. He also claimed the original painting of Our Lady of Guadalupe was on the cloak of Saint Thomas the Apostle. Mier argued that Saint Thomas had preached in the Americas long before the Spanish arrived. He said that Juan Diego had simply found this old painting again.
This sermon was very bold and changed Mexican history and identity. It was seen as a challenge to the usual beliefs. The Virgin of Guadalupe was a very important symbol for Mexicans. Later, leaders like Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla used her image to fight against Spanish rule.
Life in Exile and Escapes
Mier's sermon caused big trouble. One week later, the Archbishop punished him. Mier was sent away for 10 years to a convent in Spain. He was also forbidden from teaching, preaching, or hearing confessions. He lost his special doctorate degree too.
In 1796, he tried to explain his case to a powerful Spanish council. But on his way back, he was arrested again. This time, he was held in a Franciscan convent in Burgos, Spain.
Escaping from Prison
In 1801, Mier managed to escape from prison. This was his first escape! He went to Bayonne, France, then to Bordeaux, and finally to Paris. In Paris, he worked as an interpreter for a wealthy man from Peru.
He also opened a school in Paris with Simón Rodríguez, who used to be Simón Bolívar's teacher. They taught Spanish and translated books. Mier met many interesting people in Paris, including famous writers and scientists. In 1802, he left the Dominican Order and became a regular priest in Rome.
When he returned to Madrid, Spain, he was arrested again. This time, it was for something he wrote that supported Mexican independence. He was sent to a prison in Seville. He escaped again in 1804, but was quickly caught and sent back to prison for three more years.
Joining the Fight in Spain
Later, during a war between France and Spain, Mier returned to Spain. He became a chaplain, a priest who serves in the military. He was part of many battles. In one battle, he was captured by the French. But he escaped again, for the fifth time!
He then joined General Blake and was praised for his service. He received a yearly payment from the Spanish government.
Working for Independence in London
Mier then moved to London. There, he worked with José María Blanco on a newspaper called El Español. This newspaper supported countries in Latin America that wanted to be independent from Spain.
Expedition to New Spain
In London, Mier met Francisco Javier Mina, a Spanish revolutionary. Mina convinced Mier to join him on a trip to New Spain. Their goal was to fight for Mexico's independence. They sailed to the United States in 1816.
Mier became friends with Manuel Torres, a diplomat from New Granada (now Colombia). Torres helped organize Mina's trip. The expedition went to New Spain in September, but it did not go well. On June 13, 1817, Mier was captured again by the Spanish royalists. He was sent to different prisons, including the castle of San Carlos de Perote. Finally, in 1820, he was sent to Havana, Cuba. From there, he escaped for the sixth time!
In Philadelphia
After his escape, Mier returned to the United States in June 1821. He lived in Philadelphia for three months with Manuel Torres and Vicente Rocafuerte. Torres was then representing Colombia in the U.S. Mier and Torres became close friends. They both strongly believed that countries should not have kings.
Through Torres, Mier contacted the Colombian foreign minister. He encouraged him to send a diplomat to Mexico to stop the idea of having a king there. Mier also published several writings in Philadelphia. These included a new edition of A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies and a paper against having a king.
Mier also got involved in a disagreement at St. Mary's Church in Philadelphia. He defended a priest who had upset the bishop. Mier believed it was important for people to have control over their church. He wrote many strong letters about this. He left the U.S. with a Colombian passport.
Return to Independent Mexico
In February 1822, Mier returned to Mexico, arriving in Veracruz. But he was captured again! He was held at the castle of San Juan de Ulúa, which was still controlled by the Spanish.
However, the first Mexican congress helped him get released. He then became a representative for Nuevo León. He strongly opposed Agustín de Iturbide becoming the Emperor of Mexico. Because of this, he was arrested again. He was put in prison in the convent of Santo Domingo. But on January 1, 1823, he escaped again, for the seventh and last time!
Working in Congress
Mier was elected as a representative to the second congress. On December 13, 1823, he gave a very famous speech. It was called Discurso de las profecias (which means "Prophetic Discourse"). In this speech, he argued for a strong central republic. If a federal system was chosen, he wanted it to be moderate.
He was one of the people who signed the document that created the Mexican Federation. He also signed the Federal Constitution of the United States of Mexico. Mexico's first president, Guadalupe Victoria, invited Mier to live in the palace.
Death and Legacy
In 1797, Mier wrote a letter saying that the original date for celebrating the Virgen de Guadalupe was September 8 for the native people. The Spanish celebrated it on December 12.
As he got older and knew he was dying, Mier invited his friends to a farewell party on November 16, 1827. He gave a speech explaining his life and his ideas. He passed away on December 3, 1827. He was buried with great honor in a church in Mexico City.
In 1861, his body was dug up along with 12 others. All the bodies were found to be mummified (preserved). These mummies were shown to the public. Some of them, including Mier's, were sold to an Italian person. His mummy was later displayed in Brussels. What happened to his remains after that is not known.
Mier's name is written in gold letters on the Wall of Honor. This wall is in the Legislative Palace of San Lázaro in Mexico City. This building is where the Mexican government's Chamber of Deputies meets today.
Writings
Servando Teresa de Mier wrote many speeches, sermons, and letters about religion and politics. Some of his important works include:
- Cartas de un americano al español (Letters from an American to the Spaniard), written between 1811 and 1813.
- Historia de la revolución de Nueva España (New Spain Revolution History), published in 2 volumes in London in 1813.
- Apología y relaciones de su vida bajo el título de Memorias (His life's apology and relations under memoirs title), published in Madrid in 1924.
- The Memoirs of Fray Servando Teresa de Mier (Library of Latin America), published in New York in 1998.
Images for kids
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Portrait of Servando Teresa de Mier
See also
In Spanish: Servando Teresa de Mier para niños
