In 1857, Great Britain, France, and Spain, unsatisfied with the manner in which their nationals were treated as Foreign
Intervention. shareholders in Mexican concerns, seized the Intention Custom House at Vera Cruz. Great Britain and Spain shortly afterwards withdrew their forces, but France intimated her intention of founding a monarchy in Mexico. French troops were landed, and on 5th May the battle of Puebla was fought. The French were broken in a magnificent charge, and took flight. They rallied, however, and retired in good order, although they had sustained a severe reverse. But they poured troops into the country and, after a resistance of the most stern description, Mexico was forced to receive a foreign king from her French conquerors the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian of Austria, brother of the late Emperor Franz Josef. The heroic Diaz, afterwards President, still held out, however, with a handful of troops. Captured, he escaped, gathered together his scattered comrades, and so harassed the French occupants of Mexican soil, that at last Napoleon III had perforce to withdraw his forces.
The unfortunate Maximilian, thus deserted, was speedily defeated and captured after a display of simple yet The Execution
of Maximilian. distinguished bravery in the face of the perils of War by which he had been surrounded on all sides. He was tried, sentenced to death, and executed, despite petitions of mercy received from many of the foreign powers.
In December, 1867, Juarez was re-elected to the Presidency, and during his second term, political disturbances were of frequent occurrence, lasting almost until the day of his death. Insurrections broke out in several of the States, and in Yucatan there was a serious outbreak, the insurgents, even after being several times defeated, continuing to harass the various settlements. There was also sedition in Guerrero, Puebla, Vera Cruz, and elsewhere, though none of the outbreaks in these States were successful.
