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Description of  Santa Anna of Mexico

Antonio L?pez de Santa Anna (17941876) is one of the most famous, and infamous, figures in Mexican history. Six times the countrys president, he is consistently depicted as a traitor, a turncoat, and a tyrantthe exclusive cause of all of Mexicos misfortunes following the countrys independence from Spain. He is also, as this biography makes clear, grossly misrepresented. Drawing on seventeen years of research into the politics of independent Mexico, Will Fowler provides a revised picture of Santa Annas life, with new insights into his activities in his bailiwick of Veracruz and in his numerous military engagements. The Santa Anna who emerges from this book is an intelligent, dynamic, yet reluctant leader, ingeniously deceptive at times, courageous and patriotic at others. His extraordinary story is that of a middle-class provincial criollo, a high-ranking officer, an arbitrator, a dedicated landowner, and a political leader who tried to prosper personally and help his country develop at a time of severe and repeated crises, as the colony that was New Spain gave way to a young, troubled, besieged, and beleaguered Mexican nation. Deconstructing the myths surrounding Santa Annas life, the book offers a fresh view of a critical chapter in Mexicos history. (20071115)