The American Civil War, erupting in 1861, presented a unique window of opportunity for conservative political factions across the Atlantic. European monarchies, wary of the burgeoning power of the United States just decades after its inception, saw in American instability a chance to diminish a growing rival. Simultaneously, in Mexico, anti-republican forces sought a strong external ally to counter the liberal reforms of Benito Juárez. This convergence of interests paved the way for the birth of the Second Mexican Empire.
As historian Raymond Jonas elucidates, the Second Mexican Empire, often relegated to a minor footnote in history, is crucial for understanding the globally destabilizing impact of the United States’ ascendant power in the 19th century. In 1862, responding to appeals from Mexican conservatives and initially backed by Spain and Great Britain, Napoleon III of France deployed troops to Mexico. His aim was to install Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian as emperor, establishing a bulwark against the spread of democracy from North America. However, this intervention, envisioned as a swift victory, devolved into a protracted and ultimately disastrous campaign. The French forces suffered a significant defeat at the Battle of Puebla. For the subsequent four years, Mexican republican guerrillas relentlessly undermined the fragile empire. The tide turned decisively with the conclusion of the US Civil War. The United States government, now free to act, dispatched troops to the Mexican border, compelling France to withdraw its support.
Jonas’s research, drawing upon sources in five languages and archival materials from around the world, as presented in Habsburgs on the Rio Grande, offers a fundamental revision of global historical narratives. Far from being a peripheral event, the Second Mexican Empire stood at the heart of major world power struggles. It represented a pivotal moment in the contest for global dominance, shaping the geopolitical landscape and foreshadowing the rivalries that would define the 20th century.
