Riva Palacio, Vicente, 1832-1896

Lawyer, general, politician, and writer. Born 1832 in Mexico City; died 1896 in Madrid, Spain. Received law degree in 1854; maintained law practice while intermittently holding public office, going to war, and pursuing a literary career. Held offices in the municipality of Mexico City; the constituent and national congresses; the Supreme Court of Justice; the Ministry of Fomento, Colonización, Industria y Comercio; and Mexico's diplomatic corps in Spain and Portugal. Participated in the revolution of Ayutla and the French intervention; attained the rank of General en Jefe del Ejército del Centro. Riva Palacio directed and wrote for several newspapers; his other writings include plays, novels, poems, stories, and historical works.

From the description of Vicente Riva Palacio collection, 1790-1896 (bulk 1814-1896). (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 32288987

Lawyer, general, politician, diplomat, historian, and writer. Vicente Riva Palacio's parents were Mariano Riva Palacio and Dolores Guerrero, who was the daughter of Vicente Guerrero and Guadalupe Hernández. Vicente, who received his law degree in 1854, maintained a legal practice while intermittently holding public office, going to war, and pursuing a literary career. He held offices in the municipality of Mexico City; the constituent and national congresses; the Supreme Court of Justice; the Ministry of Fomento, Colonización, Industria, y Comercio; and Mexico's diplomatic corps in Spain and Portugal. In addition, he participated in the revolution of Ayutla and the French intervention, and directed and wrote for several newspapers. Through his journalism, he contributed to the downfall of the governments of Emperor Maximilian and Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada and to the ascent of Porfirio Díaz.

Vicente Riva Palacio was the author of many literary and historical works, including the following:

• 1832: born in Mexico City.
• 1845: entered the Colegio de San Gregorio
• ?: fought in the war against the U.S.?
• 1854: received law degree, then participated in the revolution of Ayutla
• 1855: regidor in the municipality of Mexico City
• 1856: alternate deputy to the constituent congress
• 1856 - 1857 : secretary of the ayuntamiento of Mexico City until Comonfort took over the government
• 1858 - April 1860 : imprisoned because of his liberal ideas
• 1861: after the War of the Reform, became diputado to the national congress and wrote for the newspaper La Orquesta
• 1861: wrote dramas and comedies in collaboration with Juan A. Mateos
• 1862: organized a guerrilla force and joined General Ignacio Zaragoza to fight against the French intervention
• 1862 - 1867 : continued to fight against the French intervention
• 1862 - 1863 : Jefe de la línea de Sur de la carretera between Puebla and Veracruz
• 1862: designated governor of the state of Mexico
• 1864: Named general de brigada; named jefe de estado mayor; named second in command of the division and chief of the third brigade. Troops under his command took Zitácuaro from the French.
• 1865 - 1866 : founded and published the newspaper El Pito Real
• 1865: Designated governor of Michocán; upon the death of General José María Arteaga, Riva Palacio was named General en Jefe del Ejército del Centro.
• 1865: negotiated an exchange of prisoners with the French
• 1866?: turned over the Ejército del Centro to Nicolás de Régules, then organized other bands of fighters
• 1867: was involved in founding and writing for the newspaper El Radical, which remained active until 1873
• 1867: participated in the sieges of Toluca, Querétaro, and Mexico City
• 1867 - 1870 : magistrate of the Supreme Court of Justice traveled and studied in Europe
• 1873: unsuccessful candidate for president of the Supreme Court of Justice
• December 1874: founded the newspaper El Ahuizote, which was published until at least 1876
• 1876: Minister of Fomento, Colonización, Industria y Comercio; resigned the same year
• 1876: dedicated himself to writing
• 1882: collaborated in the foundation of the Ateneo Mexicano de Ciencias y Artes and served as its president
• 1884: diputado in the government of President Manuel González
• 1884: Accused of conspiracy and imprisioned; while in the military prison of Santiago, he wrote the second volume of México a través de los siglos. Retired from the military after his release from prison.
• 1886: Ministro Plenipotenciario of Mexico in Spain and Portugal. While in Madrid, he developed significant relations with Spanish artists, intellectuals, and politicians.
• 1896: died in Madrid, Spain

From the guide to the Vicente Riva Palacio Collection 32288987., 1790-1896, 1814-1896, (Benson Latin American Collection, General Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin)