Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla was a Roman Catholic priest, a leader in the Mexican War for
Independence, and recognized as the Father of the Nation.
Miguel Gregorio Antonio Francisco-Ignacio Hidalgo Costilla y Gallaga Mandarte
Villaseñor, commonly known as Miguel Hidalgo was born on May 8, 1753 in Pénjamo
Guanajuato. On his maternal side he was from Basque Ancestry and from his paternal side he
was a Criollo descendant.
Hidalgo’s education:
At the age of fifteen, he was sent to Valladolid (now Morelia), Michoacán to study at the
Colegio de San Francisco Javier with the Jesuits, after the Jesuits were expelled from Mexico in 1767 he entered the Colegio de San Nicolás where he studied for priesthood. Miguel completed his preparatory education in 1770. Also, he learned some Indian languages. He went to the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico in Mexico City to get higher education earning his degree in philosophy and theology in 1773.
Miguel Hidalgo was ordained as a priest in 1778 when he was 25 years old. In his personal life,
he formed liaisons with women. One was Manuela Ramos Pichardo with whom he had two
children, and one with Bibiana Lucero, two daughters with María Manuela Herrera and then he
fathered three other children with a woman named Josefa Quintana.
Grito de Dolores or “Cry of Dolores”:
Hidalgo feared his arrest and in command with his brother Mauricio, Ignacio Allende and
Mariano Abasolo to go with other armed men to make the sheriffs release prison inmates in
Dolores on the night of September 15, 1810. Eighty were set free. On the morning of September
16,1810, he celebrated mass, which was attended by approximately 300 people from hacienda
owners, local politicians and Spaniards. There he gave what is known as the Grito de Dolores
(Cry of Dolores) against the government.
Hidalgo’s execution:
Miguel died in July 30, 1811 at the age of 58 years in Chihuahua City in Chihuahua, Mexico.
There are many theories in regards to his execution, the most famous one is that he was killed by
a firing squad in the morning of July 30 and then decapitated. It is said, that before his execution
he thanked his jailers, two soldiers for their humane treatment. At his execution, Hidalgo stated,
“Though I may die, I shall be remembered forever; you all will soon be forgotten.”
To conclude, Hidalgo’s remains lie in the column of the Angel of Independence in Mexico City,
next to a lamp lit to represent the sacrifice of those who gave their lives for the Mexican
Independence. Miguel Hidalgo’s birthday is a civic holiday in Mexico.
*{{PD-1996}} – public domain in a source country on January 1, 1996 and in the U.S.
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