Miguel Hidalgo-Costilla (Hacienda de Corralejo, Guamajuato, May 8, 1753-Chihuahua, July 30, 1811). He was a Mexican Roman Catholic priest and a leader of the Mexican War of Independence. He was born creole. He completed his ecclesiastical studies at the College of San Nicolás in Valladolid (current Morelia) where later he became Professor and rector. In 1788, he was ordained priest and performed several curacies until being allocated in the village of Dolores. Influenced by French illustrated, he devoted himself to the promotion of agriculture in order to raise the level of life of the Indians. At the beginning of 1810, he joined the conspiracy that sought to overthrow the French Viceroy Javier Venegas (1754-1838) and convened a Congress to recognize as King to Fernando VII. Once the conspiracy was discovered, along with Ignacio Allende (1769-1811) and other patriots, he started the revolt in Dolores, the night of September 15 to 16, 1810 ("Cry of Dolores") which meant the beginning of the fight for the Mexican Independence. He was in charge of 300 creoles. They took San Miguel el Grande, that by giving to the independence movement a dimension of social reform and overcoming racial barriers, most of the Indians of the region were grouped around him. On 22 September, after occupying Celaya, he was appointed Captain General and was invested of the Political and Military Supreme Authority, while his deputy Allende performed the position of Lieutenant General. The excommunication of the priest of Michoacán, Abad y Queipo, Mexico and Lizana (September 24), did not prevent the progress on Guanajuato, which was occupied after the battle of the Alhóndiga de Granaditas (September 28). While he was continuing with his programme of reforms, he abolished slavery, Indians tribute and taxes on Pulque. The Hidalgo forces grew quickly, mainly due to the number of Indians who joined, who jumped into the fight without distinguishing between creoles and peninsular residents. Afterwards, the confiscation of the property of the Europeans and the reduction of the sales taxes were decreed. These measures originated that the creole aristocracy, favorable to the emancipation until 1810, saw the character of the war of castes that the insurgent movement had, joined the viceroy and the royalists because the landowner regime was in danger. October 15, he entered in Valladolid, and shortly after, in Monte de las Cruces, he defeated the Royalist Army in Trujillo (October 30). This way, it was opened the path towards the capital. But Hidalgo decided, against the Allende?s opinion and the military leaders, not advance considering that his troops would not hold another combat and ordered the retreat towards Guadalajara. The retreat to Querétaro meant the decline of the emancipation movement, and many supporters began to desert. However, the royalists were reorganized and put their forces under the vocation of the Virgin of Los Remedios. Once the realist army was grouped under the leadership of the Spanish General Félix María Calleja del Rey (1753-1828), they won in Aculco (November 7), when the Patriots were dispersed without a fight. Hidalgo moved to Guadalajara where he formed a national Government which published more administrative and tax decrees (extinction of the shops of gunpowder, tobacco and stamped paper?) Calleja arrived at Guadalajara and on the Calderón Bridge and defeated the troops of Hidalgo (January 15, 1811). Once Guadalajara was lost, the leaders of the Independence had to escape to Zacatecas, where Allende and other leaders deposed. Hidalgo?s positions were not made public because of his military disability. He went to the United States to seek support, but he was captured by Ignacio Elionzo in Acatita de Baján (March 21). He was led to Chihuahua and was suppressed to a civil and ecclesiastical process, sentenced to death and executed.