In the context of this artwork, explain the 3. The Second French Invasion, (1861–67) of the Independence, Reform, Revolution Panel.
The first French Invasion called the Pastry War (1838–39) and was a minor skirmish in which French citizen tried to recover their commercial losses due to chaos that followed the independence of Mexico. And it was a harbinger of something much bigger. In the Pastry War, the French attackers were subdued by Santa Anna.
The Second French intervention in Mexico was a major war by European powers, initially France, England and Spain and later only France, to recover debts owed by Mexico and later to install a regime in Mexico favourable to France. It was a civil war like the other wars discussed here pitting Mexican conservatives against Mexican liberals. In that sense the Second French Invasion represents a continuation of the War of Reform and the War of Independence.
In the image below, which is not from the mural, Mexican Conservatives are inviting Maximilian to become the Emperor of Mexico. The role of Mexican Conservatives in keeping monarchism alive and in inviting Maximilian to Mexico sometimes gets overlooked and the Second French Intervention in Mexico is sometimes incorrectly attributed solely to France, and not linked to Mexican conservatives who also played a major role in initiating and prolonging the war.
Emperor civil war Maximilian Second French Intervention Emperor of Mexico Mexica Second French intervention in Mexico War of Reform Santa Anna Pastry War independence War of Independence Independence Second French Invasion Second French Intervention in Mexico Conservative mural The Second French intervention in Mexico