When the Mexican War of Independence broke out in 1810, Agustín de Iturbide rejected an offer to lead insurgent troops, choosing to fight on the royalist side. In 1820, when the Spanish king accepted the Cadiz Constitution and its republican ideals, it caused the Mexican landed class, which included Iturbide, to "switched sides" and fight for Mexico's independence from Spain. They saw it as a way to preserve their status and the colonial system.

This flag was used from 1821-1823 during the First Mexican Empire of Agustín de Iturbide. The flag was a green-white-red vertical tricolor with a crowned eagle standing of a nopal raised out from a stone in the middle of the lake. While similar to the national flag that is used today, the eagle in these arms is not holding a serpent in his talons and a crown has been affixed to the head of the eagle to signify the Empire. This basic design was destined to remain the same until the present day, with only nine "official" changes to the design of the coat-of-arms centered on the white stripe.   ( For more information about the coat-of-arms on this flag - click here )

Proposed Flag 1821

During this time, the colored stripes were used in several different orders and directions, until the Junta Provisional Gubernativa decided that the stripes should be vertically green, white and red. Of course, there also existed several unofficial variants of this flag with different coat of arms depictions, specially the eagle. A naval flag had the tricolor pattern, but only contained the eagle with the crown above its head. The army used a similar, square flag, but the eagle was larger than on the national flag.

Used from 1823-1864 during the establishment of the Mexican Republic. The second national flag was adopted around the same time as the establishment of the first federal republic in 1823. The only difference the new flag had was in the appearance of the central emblem. The crown was removed from the eagle's head and a serpent was placed in the eagle's right talon. Another addition to the flag is a branch of oak and laurel branches, a tradition which is carried over to the current flag.

In 1840 a group of insurgents known as the Federalistes (Federalists) declared an independent nation in the Mexican States of Coahuila, Nuevo Leon and Tamulipas. Calling themselves the República de Río Grande they declared Laredo their capitol. They named Jesús de Cárdenas their president and Antonio Canales the Commander-in-Chief of their army. The Mexican Government responded by sending Federal troops under Mexican General Mariano Arista to put down the rebellion.

The two forces met in March of 1840 at the Battle of Morales, where Canales's forces where soundly defeated. General Canales and his remaining troops sought refuge and assistance in Texas, but failed to get any official support. A small force of about 100 Texans volunteers did briefly cross the border, but were driven back into Texas by Mexican forces. In November the Mexican government offered General Canales a position as Brigadier General in the Mexican army if he would abandon the cause; he did and the rebellion collapsed. The whole revolution lasted from January 17 to November 6, 1840.

Used from 1864-1867 during the Second Mexican Empire of Maximilian I, the third official national flag used the green, white and red tricolor pattern with the white stripe being charged with the national arms. However, the ratio of the flag was changed from 4:7 to 1:2 and four eagles, which had crowns above their heads, were placed at each corner of the flag. The design, which was ordered by the Emperor Maximilian, gave the arms a look similar to the French Imperial arms, but he decided to add a bit of "Mexican flavor" to the flag.

Two Spanish families claim to be descendants of the Aztec Emperor Montezuma today. In 1531, Aztec Prince Tehualicahualzin, baptized Pedro, renounced his claim to the empire in exchange for economic compensation and the Spanish title of the "Count of Montezuma." This title was officially recognized on 1627, when his great grandson Pedro Tesifón de Moctezuma received the title. In 1865, the 13th Count of Montezuma was upgraded to the rank of "Duke of Montezuma." This family title is still recognized by the Spanish authorities.

The San Blas Battalion was a Mexican infantry unit founded in 1823 in San Blas, hence its name. It most famous action was in the Mexican-American War. The battalion participated in the Battle of Chapultepec, where commanded by Lt. Colonel Felipe Santiago Xicoténcatl, it aided in the defense of the Military Academy in the Chapultepec Castle. Of the 300 men comprising the battalion, only a few survived the tragic battle against the American forces. ( To see more Mexican-American War Era Flags used in Texas and California - Click here )

This flag is based on a drawing found on a coin most likely created by a Mexican political group named the Federalist in the 1880s. There is no evidence that any actual attempt was made to establish a new "Republic of North Mexico," and it appears to be simply the brain child of this hopeful Mexican political group which was in opposition to Porfitio Díaz's government during the period of 1886-1890. Establishing a Republic of North Mexico was, of course, an unrealistic concept that never came to fruition, though apparently a flag was designed and some coinage produced.

This distinctive merchant flag was adopted in 1864. It was used by all non-military ships of Mexican origin, and occasionally also saw some limited, but unofficial use on land.

The present version of the Mexican National Flag is an adaptation of these designs, where the eagle was changed from a front-facing to a side-facing position. Because of the lack of clarity on the legislation regarding different national symbols, such as the national coat of arms, there were many interpretations, and all was left to artistic interpretation. Several governments tried to unify the criteria about the arms' design through decrees, laws and rules, but in the process failed to abrogated the original decree of 1823, just adding to it. Despite government efforts to unify the design: eagle, nopal, stone and lagoon, were all drawn, painted, embroidered after the artists imagination. Those "official" attempts all eventually reached a certain kind of uniformity, and the one of 1934 finally achieved the goal of being the only version universally known throughout the country and abroad.

The first flag shown on the left was the first national "variant" flag used after the Republic Restoration between 1881-1898.   ( For more information about the coat-of-arms on this flag - click here ) The second national "variant" flag also shown on the left was used during the last part of Porfirio Díaz's government and Revolution between 1899-1916.   ( For more information about the coat-of-arms on this flag - click here )

Mexican Flag of 1917-1934 (Official variant)		Mexican National Flag 1934-1964 (Official variant)

The third "variant" national flag (shown directly above) was used from 1917-1934, and originally approved by presidential decree in 1916 by Venustiano Carranza.   ( For more information about the coat-of-arms on this flag - click here ) The last "variant" national flag (also shown above) was used from 1934-1968, with the new Coat of Arms designed by Jorge Enciso. Eventually, it became the most universally accepted and known of the "official variant" flags.   ( For more information about the coat-of-arms on this flag - click here )

The Cristero War (La Cristiada) was a short 4 year violent counter-revolution between 1926 and 1929 against the anti-clericalism of the then ruling Mexican government. The rebellion began when Mexican President Plutarco Calles tried to enforce the anti-clerical statutes of the Mexican Constitution of 1917 in order to lessen the influence of the Roman Catholic Church over the secular government.

The Flag of the United Mexican States or Mexico has been a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe since 1821. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these three colors were adopted by Mexico following independence from Spain during the country's War of Independence. The current version of the flag was adopted in 1968.