Across any town, city or country, there are always people who make history, people working more than others to growth and welfare. Over years, decades, centuries, millennia it was held in memory of those who live there, and are recognized by people from elsewhere.
The Following is the biography of the famous people who score high in the history of the region of Puebla, since the founding of the city in colonial times until today, which includes a list of the rulers of the entity.
The time of the Cologne
French Intervention
The Mexican Revolution
Máximo SerdanContemporary History
Josa Luis Bello y GonzalezJosa Maria de Yermo y ParresFray Toribio de Benavente (1482-1569)
Born in Benavente, Spain, he was a Franciscan missionary and historian in New Spain, a defender of the rights of indigenous people, who gave him the name of Motolínea, which in Nahuatl means "He one who is poor" or "The one who is distressed .
His real name was Toribio de Paredes, but adopted as a surname the name of the province where his order is, which he joined when he was 17 years old.
On January 25th 1524, it was organized the expedition to New Spain, for purposes of evangelization, Fray Francisco de los Angeles, who also was known as Cardinal Quiñones, asked Fray Martín Valencia appointed to elect the friars who would accompan him on the mission among them, it was elected Fray Toribio de Benavente.
On March 5th of that year, they arrived to Puerto Rico after having crossed the ocean, and on March 13th, reached the spanish island of Santo Domingo. On April 30th, the island of Trinidad, and finally landed on May 13th in San Juan de Ulúa, Veracruz.
Bernal Díaz del Castillo, a chronicler of the Spanish Indies and historian, described in his chronicles that during the trip from Veracruz to Mexico, they used to walk barefoot, eating tortilla with chile, sleeping on the floor with blankets to withstand the cold, and they looked weak. That is why the Indians started calling him Motolinia, which then adopted Fray Toribio.
On June 18th 1524, the Franciscans arrived in Mexico at last, looking tired and in tatters. They were received by Hernan Cortes and his soldiers in a warm reception.
Motolinia served as guardian of the convent of San Francisco in Mexico City between 1524 and 1527, and taught various trades to the Indians. He was also guardian of the convent of Texcoco in 1527 and subsequently the convent Huejotzingo. Continued his mission along with other monks and founded monasteries in various parts of the region, including Coyoacan and Xochimilco.
Between the years 1527 and 1529, he traveled to Nicaragua and Guatemala. In that same year to Cuernavaca to found the Franciscan convent in that entity. In 1530, he arrived to the convent of Tlaxcala and in 1531 participated in the founding of the city of Puebla de los Angeles, presiding over the Mass, on April 16th.
In 1534 he returned to Guatemala and then travels to Yucatan in the company of Fray Jacobo Testera. Returned to Tlaxcala as custodian of the monastery in 1536. He leads a mission to Guatemala in 1543. While there, Motolinia took over as a vice-commissioner of that province, it was the year of 1544. At that time, Charles V offered him the bishopric of that lands and Yucatan, but he rejected it.
Being back in Mexico, he was appointed as a vicar provincial of the Province of the Holy Gospel in Mexico, in the period 1548 to 1551. He traveled to Michoacan and Jalisco, participated in the construction of the convent of Puebla and temples of Huaquechula and Tula.
He always defended the rights of indigenous people against the abuses committed by the colonizers against them, which caused clashes with the authorities of Mexico and its First and Royal Court.
It is known that he was the last survivor of the twelve Franciscan mission that arrived in New Spain, and was also the most notable. Continued to occupy positions within the remarkable order. It is known also, but not sure that he died on August 9th, between the years 1565 and 1569 in Mexico City, in the Convent of San Francisco. Is buried in Cañada Morelos, Puebla.
Fray Julián Garcés (1452-1542)
Spanish priest of the Dominican order of preachers, he was the first bishop of the diocese of Puebla de los Angeles, from October 13th 1525 until his death on December 7th, 1542.
He was born in Munebrega, in 1452, on the kingdom of Aragon, Spain. From noble family, he entered the Dominican Order, as a distinguished philosopher and theologian.
He was the first bishop of the diocese Carolense in 1519. Soon after, he was nominated by the directors of church and Charles I of Spain in 1525, and by Pope Clement VII appointed as a Bishop of Tlaxcala, in the New Spain, a place where he finally arrived in 1527 with the royal treasurer, and Alfonso of Aragon Estrada, illegitimate son of King Ferdinand II of Aragon.
It ordered the granting of a degree of Ciudad Puebla de los Angeles on September 29, 1531, although the provision for moving the bishop was taken until October 3rd 1539, and reaffirmed by the Royal Charter until after his death, on June 6th 1543.
He tried a lot for the rights of indigenous people, who looked overwhelmed by the cruelty of the Spanish conquistadors, wrote a letter to Pope Paul III in defense of human dignity and extolling the qualities of Maya and Aztec Indians.
He died on 7 December 1542, at the age of 90 years.
Juan de Palafox y Mendoza (1600-1659)
Born in Fitero, a village in Navarre, in Spain, on June 24th, 1600. Son of Don Jaime Palafox, Marquis of Ariza.
He studied at Alcala de Henares and in Salamanca, where he graduated in Law University. In 1626 he was deputy in the courts of nobility Monzón. He was later fiscal War Council and the Supreme Council of the Indies.
Was introduced in 1636 by the King of Spain as the Bishop of Puebla de los Angeles, in the city of Madrid, and confirmed by Pope Urban VIII on October 27th of that year.
Being in the New Spain, worked to protect and convert the Indians by means of persuasion, prohibiting the Spanish colonizers use other methods.
In 1640 he was elevated to the episcopal chair in the city of Puebla. It is due, among other things, completion of the Cathedral of Puebla, the creation of new chairs in the College of San Juan, who joined the college to college in San Pedro and San Pablo.
He was appointed commissioner visitor and to prosecute the viceroy Don Diego Lopez de Pacheco Cabrera y Bobadilla, Duke and Marquis of Villena Escalona, whose loyalty to the king was doubted by the court. Palafox came to Mexico City in secret and on July 9th 1642, sent to arrest him
King Philip IV appointed him as viceroy of New Spain in 1642, a position he held just for few months, from June 10 to November 23. During that time he formed the ordinances to the University Hearing and Lawyers.
As bishop of Puebla, founded the convent of the order of Dominican nuns of Santa Inés. Drafted constitutions for the seminar in San Juan and built schools in San Pedro, for grammar, rhetoric and plain chant, and the college of San Pablo for academic degrees, which he gave an excellent library, now known as Biblioteca Palafoxiana. Created the school for girls dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
Devoted its efforts to complete the Cathedral of Puebla, consecrated on April 18th, 1649.
He was elected Archbishop of Mexico on November 12 of 1643, the death of his predecessor, Bishop Don Feliciano de la Vega.
In its relationship with various religious orders, he had difficulties, particularly with the Jesuits, which led to a great antipathy towards them. Although in a couple of occasions expressed with formal complaints before the papacy of Rome, Innocent X refused their censorship and issued a paper urging the Jesuits to meet his episcopal jurisdiction. In 1653, the Jesuits were able to transfer him to Spain where he was appointed bishop of Osma, and spent his last years. He was buried in his cathedral, now known as Chapel of the Venerable Palafox, designed by Spanish architect Juan de Villanueva.
His beatification process remains open. Started in the diocese of Burgo de Osma in 1666 and Puebla de los Angeles in 1688.
Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín (1829-1862)
Today he is recognized as the "Hero of the Battle of Puebla," on May 5th, 1862. He was a Mexican military, born on March 24th, 1829 at Presidio La Bahia (now Goliad, Texas), where he moved with his parents, Miguel Zaragoza, a native of Veracruz, and Maria de Jesus Seguin, from San Antonio de Bexar, where his father was a foot soldier in the War of Independence of Texas. Ignacio after birth, they moved to the city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, in 1834 and thereafter to the city of Monterrey in 1844. There Ignacio came to the seminar, but abandoned his studies to be convinced that he had no priestly vocation.
When the Army of the United States of America invaded Mexico, Ignacio tried to enlist as a cadet, but was rejected.
He campaigned side by side with the liberals to start the revolution of Ayutla, this movement against Antonio López de Santa Anna. He joined the army of Nuevo León in 1853, with the rank of sergeant, and later his regiment was incorporated into the Mexican Army, and he was promoted to Captain.
He fought for the Constitution of 1857, defeating the troops of Leonardo Marquez in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Shortly thereafter participated in the battle of Calpulalpan, the one which ended with the War of Reform, under the command of Jesus Gonzalez Ortega. He was Secretary of War from April to October 1861, under the orders of President Benito Juárez.
When the French forces under the command of Napoleon III, tried to seize power in Mexico in 1862, under the pretext of not paying debts that Mexico had with France and other countries in Europe, the just promoted General Ignacio Zaragoza, at the command of Army of East, defended the sovereignty of Mexico in this first army on April 28th, 1862 at the Summit of Acultzingo, getting back to the city of Puebla, where two fortress that are located in the hills of Loreto and Guadalupe, managed to defeat the May 5, 1862. The French army was forced to retire then return to the city of Orizaba, in Veracruz state.
Shortly after this glorious battle on September 8, 1862, he contracted typhoid fever which caused him the death at the age of 33 years.
Aquiles Serdan Alatriste
He is the second of 4 children of the marriage Serdan Alatriste, formed by Manuel Serdan and Doña Carmen Serdan de Alatriste, his brothers Carmen, Natalia and Maximum. Achilles was born on November 2, 1876 in the city of Puebla.
They lived in a house located at 6 Calle Oriente No. 206, current home of the Museum of the Mexican Revolution, in Santa Clara street, Down town of Puebla city. In that house lived with his mother and siblings Carmen and Maximo, who occupied the upper floor, and he on the first floor with his wife Filomena Valle.
Studied at the Colegio Franco - Anglo - Mexican, but the death of his father, came to the family and drop out less, so the brothers were engaged in the distribution of footwear in Puebla and surrounding commerce, and travel Frequently, Achilles met many people from various social classes, with whom he established friendship with them and shared his ideals of social rights.
The political climate prevailing in the country, full of tension to people, that continually commented on dissatisfaction with the long period of government of President Diaz and the stagnation in the progress of the poor, who are increasingly faced more misery, while a few looked like grew disproportionately, and the government made it favorable to them and also to foreigner companies.
However, as was considered by the government that opposition parties were accepted, bringing the hope of change. That was how they came to the Democratic Party of Bernardo Reyes, and agrees with Francis I. Madero, who in 1907 published his ideals in the book "The Presidential Succession of 1910". Using this criterion, he founded the political partnership "Light and Progress", and publishes a weekly newspaper called "No Revolution", whose circulation is limited due to lack of resources.
Achilles joins and works with Madero in 1909 to found the "Anti-Party re-election, which began a formal campaign to end the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz.
From Puebla, Achilles and his brothers Maximo and Carmen are organized to start the Mexican Revolution, scheduled in coordination with Madero, for November 20th, 1910. At home kept a large arsenal and pamphlets to promote the movement together with the population already unhappy with the living situation.
However, the governor of Puebla had realized about the plans of the family, and knew the movements and campaigns of Madero, so they were constantly monitored. On November 17th, he receives accurate reports of Madero plans that would start on November 20, and on day 18th, earlier, he sent to several police officers with Miguel Cabrera in control, to check the house and arrest the leader, Aquiles Serdán. When arrived, trespassed the door to enter, they were greeted with bullets.
Upon hearing, the governor goes along with the police and military support, initiated a battle that ends with making the house and arrested the rebels, but not finding Achilles. At two o'clock of morning of November 19th, Achilles emerges from his hiding place, the basement of the home, but by lifting the lid caused surprise to the guard, who shot, killing him immediately, including a shot in the forehead.
Thus, at the age of 34 ended the life of one of the heroes who fought for a better life for the inhabitants of Mexico, as this did not stop plans for starting the armed movement, which began on November 20 and requires Porfirio Díaz to resign in 1911.
Carmen Serdán Alatriste
Born in the city of Puebla on November 11th, 1873. Eldest daughter of the marriage made by Manuel Serdan and Doña Carmen Alatriste de Serdan, had three brothers: Achilles, Natalia and Maximum. She studied at the College Theresian.
With the same ideals as their brothers, Achilles and Maximum, supported the Revolution starting by pasting propaganda against the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz in the evening and spread gunpowder and ammunition among the dissatisfied remained in the movement. Adopted the name as a pseudonym Mark Serratos in these activities.
Affiliated to the Prty Anti-re-election, fought against the dictatorship porphyritic, on November 18th battle, when the revolutionary movement began in Puebla from the balcony, encouraged the people to shout "Viva la no reeleccion." Provided ammunition to the revolutionaries all over the house until she fell wounded in a shooting.
When the police took the house, Carmen, and her mother, and Filomena del Valle, wife of Achilles, were apprehended and sent to jail La Merced, and later taken to San Pedro hospital.
Carmen continued to fight alongside the revolutionaries. Participated in the Revolutionary Board in Puebla. She Distributed weapons, she was a mail in favor of this movement and distributed proclamations. She also became a nurse to care for injured by the movement.
At the conclusion of the Mexican Revolution, she retired to private life and died on August 21, 1948, in the city of Puebla, at the age of 73.
Manuel Espinosa Yglesias
Mexican businessman born in the city of Puebla on May 9th, 1909. When his father dies, takes care of his business, which includes five cinemas in the states of Puebla and Tlaxcala. In 1931, he associated himself with William Jenkins to form a film exhibition company, which eventually turns into the operating theaters Company, whose rooms were established throughout the country. In 1944 he was appointed Managing of COTSA (this company) and a year later he was entrusted with the control of Sugar Company of Atencingo.
In 1949 he joined the Bank of Commerce, as substitute counsel; in 1951 he was promoted to director owner, then a director in 1955, a General Manager in 1959 and chairman in 1961. Since 1963 he was president of the Mary Street Jenkins Foundation and the Trustees of the University of the Americas.
Became the system of commercial banks affiliating with 23 financial institutions in the country, together with the Mortgage Company, the Real Estate and Bacomer Insurance Company, a banking company, offering services that were allowed by the government then. Becomes the country's largest bank in a few years, and shortly after, in Latin America.
On September 1st 1982, the Mexican banks were nationalized by decree of then President Jose Lopez Portillo. Tried to acquire some companies of the group in which he was interested witn the bonds for compensation but was not allowed. By 1990 President Carlos Salinas de Gortari authorizes the re-privatization of banks, the majority being sold to foreign companies, and although he was interested in acquiring the group Bancomer, was not allowed by the Mexican authorities.
In 1979 established his own foundation, from which derives the founding Rugarcía Espinosa, founded by his daughter, Amparo Espinosa Rugarcía, the current president.
He died in Mexico City on June 8, 2000.
People who made history
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