San Juan de Ulúa: Difference between revisions

The fort was constructedbuilt during the period of [[New Spain|Spanish colonial rule]], with construction being initiatedbegun in 1535 by the [[List of viceroys of New Spain|Spanish authorities]]. The boundaries of the fort were repeatedly expanded several times during its existence. In 1568, the [[Spanish Army|Spanish forces]] stationed on theThe fortress succeededsaw inno trappingaction a [[Privateer|privateer]] fleet underafter the command of [[John Hawkins (naval commander)|John Hawkins]] in the fortress's harbor. After the repulse of the privateers, the fortress saw no further action1560s under Spanish control, becoming an isolated outpost of the Spanish Army in New Spain. In the 1580s, [[Battista Antonelli]] redesigned the fortress during a stopover whileen enrouteroute to the [[Gulf of Fonseca]].<ref>{{Cite Appletons'|wstitle=Antonelli, Juan|year=1900}}</ref>

The fort once held the icon of the La Virgen de La Escalera (Virgin of the Staircase), whose little chapel entrance was under the stone staircase leading to the Baluarte de San Crispin fort, near the chancery, ammunition room, and treasury room. Whenever ships arrived into the bay, this Marian icon iswas raised to the top tower to greet the passengers from the boatsthem, and from whence cannonsthey would befire firedcannons in her honor. The Virgen de La Escalera was known to these travelers and to the surrounding villages in Veracruz. ThisThe original icon has been missing for hundreds of years, its memory lost, ever since Mexico gained independence as this restricted entrance into the walled citadel and broke the [[Manila galleon]] trade linking [[Veracruz]] with [[Havana]], [[Puerto Rico]], [[Portobelo, Colón|Portobelo]], [[Callao]], [[San Blas, Nayarit|San Blas]], the shipyards of [[Barra de Navidad]], [[Acapulco]], the shipyards of [[Cavite City|Cavite]], and eventually, [[Manila]].

A near replica (some dispute as the true statue) of the Virgen de La Escalera was brought by the Antonio Fernandez de Roxas family (ancestors of the [[Zobel de Ayala]] clan also descended from the Zangroniz clan of railroad barons), via the Road of the Viceroys / El Camino de los Virreyes to Mexico City and then down to the [[Pacific]] port of [[Acapulco]] in [[Guerrero]], and sailed to Manila, [[Philippines]], centuries ago. In the mid-1800s, one of the Roxas descendants of Don Jose Bonifacio Roxas donated the icon from their family farm house in [[Calatagan]] where the same familythey owned a gigantic [[encomienda]], the Hacienda Bigaa, to the nearby town of [[Nasugbu]] in the province of [[Batangas]] (they once owned parts of this town as well). The Virgen de Escalera is still venerated, loved, and fiestas are held in her honor, to this day, every year on the 2nd of December. Her feast day is known for the crowds of [[Filipinos]] that come to offer thanks and to pray the rosary, as well as watch a bull run called Fiesta De Los Toros, and another one, called Parada de Los Toros, highlighting cows and water buffalo and carromatas (a type of farm buggy or cart) festooned with flowers in a colorful parade, following the blessing of the farm animals.

After [[Mexican War of Independence|Mexico's independence]] in 1821, a large body of Spanish troops continued to occupy San Juan de Ulúa as late as 1825. It was the last site in the former colonyKingdom of New Spain to be held by the Spanish and was surrendered to Mexican General [[Miguel Barragán]] in November 1825. The justification for the order of expulsion issued by [[President of Mexico|President]] [[Vicente Guerrero]] was their [[Spanish attempts to reconquer Mexico|failed attempt atto re-conqueringconquer Mexico]]. Since then, San Juan de Ulúa has served as a military and political symbol of Mexican resistance to foreign invasions and occupations, thanks to several of which took place during the 19th century. In 1838 the [[July Monarchy|French]] bombarded the fortress in the [[Battle of Veracruz (1838)|Battle of Veracruz]] during the [[Pastry War]], a conflict resulting from a French citizen in Mexico seeking [[Reparation (legal)|reparations]] for his allegedly damaged [[Pastry|pastry]] shop; during the [[Mexican–American War]], a conflict which resulted from disputes over the nascent [[Republic of Texas]], the [[United States]] [[Siege of Veracruz|laid siege]] to the fortress, and in 1863, the [[Second French Empire|French]] [[Second French intervention in Mexico|briefly occupied]] the city whenwhile installing [[Maximilian I of Mexico|Maximilian I]] as [[Second Mexican Empire|Emperor of Mexico]]. For much of the 19th century, the fort served as a [[Law enforcement in Mexico|prison]], especially for [[political prisoner]]s judged to be opposition to the government. Many prominent Mexican politicians spent time here while they were not in power.

The last foreign incursion came in 1914, on the eve of [[World War I]], when an American expedition [[United States occupation of Veracruz|captured and occupied]] Veracruz as a response to the [[Tampico Affair]] against the background of the [[Mexican Revolution]]; which threatened the [[Petroleum industry in Mexico|regional oil industry]] in which Americans were heavily invested. After a short but bloody firefight the Americans captured the city, including San Juan de Ulúa. After seven months of U.S. occupation, the Americans departed and handed back the city to the Mexicans. The national legislature awarded the port and city of Veracruz the title of ''Heroic'' for the fourth time following this incident. A portion of San Juan de Ulúa also served several times as the [[presidential palace]], housing presidents such as [[Benito Juárez]] and [[Venustiano Carranza]]. The citadel was also used as a prison, especially during the early 20th-century regime of President [[Porfirio Díaz]]. It was alleged by some sources that in order to prevent prisoners from escaping, [[Shark|sharks]] were placed into the waters surrounding the island, so that they would kill anyone attempting to escape .{{whom|date=March 2021}}.