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#TowardTheCentenary The Return of the Habsburgs, the Provisional Constitution of the Mexican Empire The Second Mexican Empire, in defiance of the clergy and the conservatives, continued to implement the Reform Laws. Maximilian believed that the liberal legislation he had promoted would enable him to fulfill his dream of making Mexico the richest, most cultured, and most modern empire in the world. That dream came to an end at Cerro de las Campanas. At the end of the War of Reform, the government led by Benito Juárez was in ruins. The country was divided and in conflict with the remnants of the conservative army scattered throughout the nation. Faced with this situation, Congress decreed, on July 17, 1861, the suspension of foreign debt payments. The measure sparked protests from international creditors and provided the perfect excuse to justify an invasion. Against this backdrop, France, England, and Spain signed the Treaty of London (1861). The intervention by the three powers did not materialize, as England and Spain abandoned their plans after reaching an agreement with the Mexican government. However, France continued to pursue its imperialist ambitions, which were delayed by the victory of the Mexican liberals over the French on May 5, 1862, in Puebla. In June 1863, General Aquiles Bazaine entered Mexico City as part of the vanguard of the French army. That same month, Federico Forey issued a manifesto announcing that the Reform Laws would not be repealed; he also ordered the formation of the Superior Governing Council, composed of 35 individuals, who would elect a Regency. In addition, an Assembly of Notables was convened, which decided to adopt the monarchy as the form of government; to this end, Maximilian of Habsburg was invited to ascend the throne, and he accepted the offer on April 10, 1864. The new emperor made his solemn entry into Mexico City on June 12. During his three years in power, Maximilian enacted a series of laws and decrees that earned him the animosity of those who had previously been the Empire’s supporters. For example, in August 1864, a decree on freedom of the press was issued; in February 1865, the Law on Religious Tolerance was enacted, declaring Catholicism the official religion but allowing the practice of other faiths; in November, the Imperial Law on Free Labor, prohibiting serfdom and granting rights to agricultural workers; in June 1866, the Law on Community and Allotted Lands; and in September, the Agrarian Law, to grant legal landholdings and ejidos to communities that lacked them. Upon completing the first year of his administration, Maximilian promulgated the Provisional Statute of the Mexican Empire. This legal document consisted of 18 titles and 81 articles, among which the second article stands out—stipulating that in the event of the emperor’s death, command of the Empire would fall to the empress—and the third, which specifies that the emperor would seek the “well-being and prosperity of the Nation, defend its independence, and preserve the integrity of its territory.” Article 58 of the Statute stipulated that “the Emperor’s government guarantees to all inhabitants of the Empire, in accordance with the provisions of the respective laws: equality before the law; personal safety; property; the practice of their religion; and the freedom to publish their opinions.” Subsequent articles affirmed the right to habeas corpus, thereby outlawing slavery throughout the Empire. Furthermore, they prohibited the confiscation of property and the imposition of unpaid or forced labor. The content of the laws cited above is evidence of a liberal monarchical mindset and reflects the similarities between republican and imperial legislation. Maximilian’s government fell from grace for various reasons, including the looming threat of war between Prussia and France, which led Emperor Napoleon III to order Marshal Bazaine to set sail for Europe with all French forces. This event, combined with the resistance of the Republican army—which succeeded in defeating the conservatives and the Empire—culminated in the execution of Maximilian of Habsburg, Miguel Miramón, and Tomás Mejía at Cerro de las Campanas on June 19, 1867.