From Empire to Republic - Arthur H. Noll |
| 1469 | Marriage of Ferdinand and Isabella, union of Aragon and Castile, and virtual beginning of Spanish national history. | |
| 1481 | Inquisition established at Sevilla. | |
| 1492 | The Great Voyage of Discovery. | |
| 1493 | The Papal Bulls of Partition. | |
| 1501 | Papal Bull entitling Spanish sovereigns to tithes in the colonies. | |
| 1503 | Casa de Contratacion established. | |
| 1508 | Papal Bull giving to King of Spain right of collation to benefices in the colonies. | |
| 1511 | Consejo de las Indias instituted by Ferdinand. | |
| 1518 | Expedition of Grijalva to Yucatan. | |
| 1519 | Carlos I. of Spain elected Emperor and becomes Charles V. of Germany. Cortes lands in Mexico. | |
| 1520 | Retreat of Cortes from Tenochtitlan. | |
| 1521 | Tenochtitlan captured and destroyed by Cortes and virtual subjugation of Mexico. | |
| 1522 | Cortes Governor, Captain-General, and Chief Justice of New Spain. | |
| 1523 | Pedro de Alvarado sent by Cortes to Guatemala. | |
| 1524 | Consejo de las Indias perfected by Charles V. Arrival in Mexico of the Franciscan "Twelve Apostles." | |
| 1527 | Bishopric of Mexico created. Juan de Zumarraga, Bishop. | |
| 1528 | First Audiencia in New Spain. | |
| 1529 | Second Audiencia in New Spain. | |
| 1530 | "La Puebla de los Angeles" founded in Mexico. | |
| 1531 | Alleged apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico. | |
| 1534 | Four Bishoprics created in New Spain. | |
| 1535 | Antonio de Mendoza, first Viceroy of New Spain. First printing-press and first book published in the New World, in Mexico. Peninsula of Lower California discovered. | |
| 1536 | Cabeza de Vaca and three companions, survivors of the Narvaez expedition of 1528, meet Spanish explorers in northern Mexico. | |
| 1540 | Expedition of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado in search of the "Seven Cities of Cibola." | |
| 1541 | Guadalajara founded in New Spain. | |
| 1542 | Death of de Soto on the Mississippi. Valladolid (now Morelia) founded in New Spain. | |
| 1544 | Las Casas Bishop of Chiapas in Mexico. | |
| 1545 | Archbishopric of Mexico created. | |
| 1550 | Mendoza promoted from vireinate of New Spain to that of Peru. Luis de Velasco, "the Emancipator," Viceroy of New Spain. | |
| 1551 | Alonso de Montufar, Archbishop of Mexico. | |
| 1552 | Santa Hermandad established in New Spain. | |
| 1553 | University of Mexico founded. | |
| 1556 | Abdication of Carlos I. and accession of Felipe II. | |
| 1563 | City of Durango founded in New Spain. | |
| 1566 | Gaston de Peralta, Viceroy. | |
| 1568 | Martin de Enriques de Almanza, "the Inquisitor," Viceroy. | |
| 1571 | Inquisition established in the New World. | |
| 1572 | Arrival of the Jesuits in Mexico. | |
| 1574 | First Auto-de-fe in Mexico. | |
| 1577 | Drake lands at Bodega Bay and takes possession of California for England calling it "New Albion." | |
| 1580 | Lorenzo Juarez de Mendoza, Viceroy. | |
| 1584 | Pedro Moya de Contreras Archbishop of Mexico and Viceroy. | |
| 1585 | Humana's expedition into New Mexico results in the settlement of Paso del Norte. Alvaro Manrique de Zuniga, Viceroy. | |
| 1590 | Luis de Velasco, son of "the Emancipator," Marquis of Salinas, Viceroy. | |
| 1595 | Gaspar de Zuniga y Acevedo, Count of Monterey, Viceroy. One of the dates assigned for the foundation of Santa Fe, New Mexico. | |
| 1596 | Expedition of Sebastian Viscayno along the Pacific coast. | |
| 1598 | Death of Felipe II. and accession of Felipe III. First Spanish settlement in New Mexico by Juan de Onate. | |
| 1602 | Second expedition along the Pacific coast reaches point two degrees north of Cape Mendocino on coast of California. | |
| 1603 | Juan de Mendoza y Luna, Marquis of Montes Claros, Viceroy. | |
| 1607 | Velasco, Marquis of Salinas, Viceroy a second time. | |
| 1608 | Probable date of founding of Santa Fe. | |
| 1612 | Diego Fernandez de Cordova, Marquis of Guadalcazar, Viceroy. | |
| 1621 | Diego Carrillo Mendoza y Pimentel, Marquis of Gelves, Viceroy. | |
| 1624 | Rodrigo Pacheco Osorio, Viceroy. | |
| 1635 | Lope Diaz de Armendariz, Viceroy. | |
| 1640 | Diego Lopez Pacheco Cabrero y Bobadillo, Viceroy. | |
| 1642 | Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, Bishop of Puebla and Royal Visitor, Viceroy for about five months and then succeeded by Garcia Sarmiento Sotomayor, Co ant of Salvatierra. | |
| 1648 | Marcos Lopez de Torres y Rueda, Bishop of Yucatan, Viceroy. | |
| 1650 | Luis Enriques de Guzman, Count of Alba Liste, Viceroy. | |
| 1653 | Francisco Fernandez de la Cueva, Viceroy. | |
| 1660 | Juan de Leiva y de la Cerda, Viceroy. | |
| 1664 | Diego Osorio Escobar y Llamas, Bishop of Puebla, Viceroy for a few months and then succeeded by Antonio Sebastian de Toledo. | |
| 1665 | Death of Felipe II and accession of Carlos II. | |
| 1673 | Pedro Nuno Colon de Portugal y Castro, Viceroy for six days and then succeeded by Fray Payo de Rivera, Archbishop of Mexico, who proves one of the best of Viceroys. | |
| 1680 | Tomas Antonio Manrique de la Cerda, Viceroy. | |
| 1686 | Melchor Portocarrerro Laso de la Vega, Count of Monclova. Viceroy. | |
| 1688 | Gaspar de la Cerda Sandoval Silva y Mendoza, Viceroy. | |
| 1696 | Juan de Ortega Montanez, Bishop of Michoacan, Viceroy, quickly succeeded by Jose Sarmiento Valladares, Count of Moctezuma (more properly Moteczuma). | |
| 1700 | Death of Carlos II., end of Hapsburg line of Spanish Kings; accession of Felipe V. and beginning of the Bourbon dynasty. | |
| 1701 | Montanez, Bishop of Michoacan, Viceroy a second time, succeeded in a few months by Fernandez de la Cuevas Enriques. | |
| 1711 | Fernando Alencastro Norona y Silva, Viceroy. | |
| 1716 | Baltasar de Zuniga Guzman Sotomayor y Mendoza, Viceroy. | |
| 1718 | Casa de Contracion transferred to Cadiz. | |
| 1722 | Juan de Acuna, Viceroy. | |
| 1734 | Juan Antonio de Vizarron y Eguiarreta,Archbishop of Mexico, Viceroy. | |
| 1740 | Pedro de Castro Figueroa y Salazar, Viceroy. | |
| 1741 | Jose Antonio Villasenor y Sanchez, "Cosmographer of New Spain." | |
| 1742 | Pedro Cebrian y Agustin, Viceroy. | |
| 1746 | Death of Felipe V. and accession of Fernando VI. Juan Francisco de Guemes y Horcasitas, Viceroy. | |
| 1747 | City of Mexico reported by Villasenor, the "Cosmographer," to contain fifty thousand families of Europeans and Creoles, forty thousand Mestizos, mixed castes and negroes, and eight thousand Indians. | |
| 1755 | Agustin de Ahumada y Villalon, Viceroy, | |
| 1759 | Death of Fernando VI. and accession of Carlos III. | |
| 1760 | Francisco Cajigal de la Vega, ex-Governor of Cuba, Viceroy for a short time, succeeded by Joaquin de Monserrat. | |
| 1763 | Louisiana acquired by Spain. | |
| 1766 | Carlos Francisco de Croix, Viceroy. | |
| 1767 | Expulsion of Jesuits from Spain and Spanish America. | |
| 1771 | Antonio Maria de Bucareli y Ursua, Viceroy; the best of rulers in New Spain. | |
| 1779 | Martin de Mayorga, Governor of Guatemala, becomes Viceroy. | |
| 1783 | Matias de Galvez, "the Diligent," Viceroy. | |
| 1785 | Bernardo de Galvez, Viceroy. | |
| 1787 | Alonso Nunez de Haro y Peralta, Archbishop of Mexico, Viceroy for a few months; succeeded by Manuel Antonio Flores, Governor of Bogota. | |
| 1788 | Death of Carlos III. and accession of Carlos IV. | |
| 1789 | Juan Vicente Pacheco de Padilla, Viceroy. | |
| 1794 | Miguel de la Grua Talamanca, Viceroy. | |
| 1798 | Miguel Jose de Azanza, "the Bonapartist," Viceroy. | |
| 1800 | Felix Berenguer de Marquina, Viceroy. | |
| 1801 | Retrocession to France of Louisiana by secret treaty. | |
| 1803 | Jose de Iturrigaray, "the Monarchist," Viceroy. | |
| 1808 | Intervention of Napoleon Bonaparte in Spanish affairs. Revolution in Spain. Abdication of Carlos IV. and accession of Fernando VII. Joseph Bonaparte usurps the throne. National revolt and establishment of Juntas. English Alliance and Peninsula War. Iturrigaray deposed and Pedro Garibay, "the Revolutionist," made Viceroy ad interim. | |
| 1809 | Francisco Javier Lizana, Archbishop of Mexico, Viceroy. | |
| 1810 | Pedro Catani, President of Audiencia, Viceroy ad interim, succeeded by Francisco Javier Venegas. Grito de Dolores (September 16). | |
| 1811 | Execution of Hidalgo and other Revolutionists. | |
| 1812 | Liberal Constitution in Spain. | |
| 1813 | Congress of Chilpantzingo. Mexican Declaration of In dependence and first Mexican Constitution. | |
| 1814 | Release of Fernando VII. from captivity. Absolutism reestablished in Spain. | |
| 1815 | Capture and execution of Jose Maria Morelos,—"the last victim of the Inquisition." | |
| 1816 | Juan Ruiz de Apodaca, "the Unfortunate," Viceroy. | |
| 1817 | Freebooting expedition of Mina into Mexico. | |
| 1820 | Restoration of Constitution of 1812 in Spain. Inquisition finally abolished. Vicente Guerrero becomes formidable Independent chief in Mexico. | |
| 1821 | Francisco de Novella, Viceroy ad interim. Plan de Iguala and Treaty of Cordoba. Independence of Mexico. Iturbide, the Liberator. Regency installed. Juan O'Donoju, the last of the Viceroys. | |
| 1822 | Mexican Congress organized. Bourbonista, Republican and Iturbidista political parties formed. Iturbide, Emperor. | |
| 1823 | Abdication of Iturbide and collapse of the First Mexican Empire. Centralist and Federalist parties formed. Monroe Doctrine proclaimed. | |
| 1824 | Federal Constitution proclaimed. Mexican United States organized. Guadalupe Victoria, President. | |
| 1828 | Yorkino and Escoces party names become prominent. Rise of High Liberal or Radical, Conservative and Moderate parties. Election of Manuel Gomez Pedraza as President. | |
| 1829 | Vicente Guerrero proclaimed President. Spain's effort to reclaim Mexico. Jose Maria Bocanegra, , Acting President. | |
| 1830 | Anastasio Bustamante, President. | |
| 1832 | Melchor Muzquiz, Acting President. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President; Valentin Gomez Farias, Vice-President. | |
| 183i | Gomez Farias proclaims program of Government Reforms. | |
| 1835 | Constitution of "Las Siete Leyes" replaces Constitution of 1824. Central Republic established. | |
| 1836 | New Constitution proclaimed. General Barragan, Acting President, followed by Jose Justo Corro as Acting President. Spain acknowledges the Independence of Mexico. Revolt of Texas. | |
| 1837 | Anastasio Bustamante, President. | |
| 1840 | Gutierrez de Estrada's letter proposing an Empire/ | |
| 1841 | Santa Anna, Provisional President. | |
| 1842 | Javier Echavarria, Acting President pending the Plan de Tacubaya; succeeded by Santa Anna, Provisional President. | |
| 1843 | Bases Organicas Politicas de la Republica Mexicana and final centralization of the government. | |
| 1845 | Revolutions culminate in deposition and impeachment of Santa Anna and elevation of Jose Joaquin Herrera to the Presidency. Annexation of Texas to the United States. War between Mexico and the United States. | |
| 1846 | Mariano Paredes y Arrillaga, President with Monarchical tendencies. Advance of General Taylor to Monterey. California and New Mexico captured by the United States. Paredes succeeded by Nicolas Bravo and the latter by Mariano Salas, pending the election of Santa Anna as President. | |
| 1847 | Presidential functions exercised by Santa Anna, Gomez Farias, and others. Constitution of 1824 in force for a short time. American army under General Scott advance from Yera Cruz to the Capital. | |
| 1848 | Jose Joaquin Herrera elected President. Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo ends war with the United States. | |
| 1851 | Mariano Arista, President. | |
| 1852 | Juan Bautista Ceballos, President, succeeded by Manuel Maria Lombardini as Acting President. | |
| 1853 | Santa Anna, President,—Absolutism triumphant. Santa Anna decrees himself Perpetual Dictator. | |
| 1854 | General Juan Alvarez pronounces in Acapulco. Plan de Ayotla proclaimed. Final deposition and exile of Santa Anna. | |
| 1855 | Alvarez Provisional President under Plan de Ayotla, succeeded by Ignacio Comonfort. Ley Juarez proclaimed. | |
| 1856 | Ley Lerdo proclaimed. Constituent Congress adopts "Estatico Organico Provisional de la Republica Mexicana," as tentative Constitution. | |
| 1857 | Final Constitution adopted and Ignacio Comonfort elected and installed as Constitutional President. Reactionary movement headed by Felix Zuloaga. | |
| 1858 | Comonfort abandons Presidency and is succeeded by Benito Juarez as Constitutional President. Reactionaries elect Zuloaga and he, Miguel Miramon and others attempt to control the Presidential office and are known as Anti-Presidents. | |
| 1859 | Juarez finally establishes his government in Vera Cruz. War of the Reform. | |
| 1860 | Juarez issues Reform Decrees from Yera Cruz. Decisive Battle of Calpulalpam, collapse of Reactionaries, and return of Juarez and Constitutionalists to the capital. | |
| 1861 | Juarez constitutionally elected President. Decree suspending for two years' payment of foreign debts. Forces of England, France, and Spain arrive in Vera Cruz to carry out provisions of Treaty of London. | |
| 1862 | Convention of Soledad and Conference at Orizaba. Treaty of London dissolved. England and Spain withdraw from Mexico. French army advances and is defeated at Puebla in battle of Cinco de Mayo. | |
| 1863 | French capture Puebla and advance to the capital. Republican government retires to San Luis Potosi, thence to Saltillo, and thence to Monterey. French organize government at capital and elect Maximilian of Austria Emperor. | |
| 1864 | Maximilian arrives in Mexico. Juarez at Chihuahua. | |
| 1865 | Juarez at Paso del Norte. United States Government demands withdrawal of French troops from Mexico. Maximilian's famous decree of October 3. | |
| 1866 | Withdrawal of French troops from North of Mexico. Republican forces, recruited and re-organized, advance toward the South. Juarez returns to Chihuahua. | |
| 1867 | French troops withdraw from Mexico. Collapse of the Second Mexican Empire. Execution of Maximilian. Juarez returns to the capital and is re-elected Constitutional President. | |
| 1871 | Juarez again elected Constitutional President. | |
| 1872 | Death of Juarez and accession of Sebastian Lerdo de Tejada to the Presidency. | |
| 1873 | Reform Laws incorporated in the Constitution of 1857. | |
| 1876 | Successful Plan de Tuxtepec and Provisional Presidency of Porfirio Diaz. | |
| 1877 | Porfirio Diaz elected Constitutional President. | |
| 1880 | Manuel Gonzales elected Constitutional President. | |
| 1884 | Porfirio Diaz elected Constitutional President. | |
| 1888 | 1892, 1896, 1900. Diaz again elected President. |