View source for Second French intervention in Mexico

{{Icons|Start|Altverse II}}
{{Infobox military conflict
| name        = Second French intervention in Mexico
| image       = Entrée du corps expéditionnaire français à Mexico, juin 1863.jpg
| image_size  = 300px
| caption     = Entrence of the French Expeditionary Corps in Mexico City, 1863
| place       = [[Mexico]]
| date        = December 8, 1861 – 21 June 1867 <br>(5 years, 6 months, 1 week and 6 days)
| result      = French and Imperial Mexican victory
*Establishment of the [[Second Mexican Empire]] under [[Maximilian I of Mexico|Maximilian I]] 
*Mexico becomes a colonial protectorate of the French empire 
*Beginning of European ventures into the Americas
| combatant1  = {{Flagicon|Mexico|1823}} {{W|Second Federal Republic of Mexico|Mexican Republic}}<br>'''Supported by'''<br>{{Flagicon|United States|1861}} [[United States (Altverse)|United States]]<br>(1865–66)
| combatant2  = {{Flagicon|France|1794}} [[Second French Empire|France]]<br>{{Flagicon|Mexico|1864}} [[Second Mexican Empire|Mexican Empire]]<br>'''Supported by:'''<br>{{Flagicon|Austria|empire}} {{W|Austrian Empire|Austria}}<br>{{Flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} ({{W|Ottoman Egypt|Egypt}} (inclduing {{W|Turko-Egyptian Sudan|Sudanese slave soldiers}})<br>[[File:Flag of the Polish-Lithuanian-Ruthenian Commonwealth (January Uprising).svg|22x22px]] {{W|Polish National Government (January Uprising)|Polish exiles}}<br>{{Flagicon|Spain|1785}} [[Kingdom of Spain|Spain]] (1861–1862)<br>{{Flag|United Kingdom}} (1861–1862)  
| commander1  = {{Flagicon|Mexico|1823}} [[Benito Juarez]]<br>{{Flagicon|Mexico|1823}} [[Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada]]
| commander2  = {{flagicon|France|1794}} {{W|Napoleon III}}<br>{{Flagicon|Mexico|1864}} [[Maximilian I of Mexico|Maximilian I]]
| strength1   = {{Flagicon|Mexico|1823}} 70,000<br>'''Supported by'''<br>{{Flagicon|United States|1861}} 3,000
| strength2   = {{Flagicon|France|1794}} 38,493<br>{{Flagicon|Mexico|1864}} 20,285<br>{{Flagicon|Austria|empire}} 7,859<br>{{Flagicon|Confederate States of America}} 2,000 
| casualties1 = 31,962 killed<br>8,304 wounded<br>33,281 captured<br>11,000 executed
| casualties2 = 14,000 killed
| conflict    = 
}}

The '''Second French intervention in Mexico''' ({{W|Spanish language|Spanish}}: ''Segunda intervención Francesa en México'', 1861–1867; known as ''Expédition du Mexique'' in France at the time and today as ''Intervention française au Mexique''), also known as the '''Imperial Restoration War''' and the '''Second Franco–Mexican War''', was an invasion of [[Mexico]] launched by the {{W|Second French Empire}} seeking to establish a new regime in the country that was favorable towards French interests. The invasion led to the conquest of Mexico and the establishment of the [[Second Mexican Empire]] under the Austrian-born archduke [[Maximilian I of Mexico|Maximilian von Habsburg]] as [[Emperor of Mexico]]. 

The invasion began on December 8, 1861 when a European military expedition arrived to invade Mexico to collect debt payments owed from the {{W|Reform War}} in accordance with the {{W|Convention of London}}. France, the [[United Kingdom]], and [[Spain]] participated in the invasion of the country under the goal of forcing Mexico into paying off all debts. France's ulterior motive of seeking to conquer Mexico was revealed by 1862, resulting in Britain and Spain negotiating a peaceful settlement with Mexico and withdrawing their troops, however the French campaign continued. The French forces would later {{W|Capture of Mexico City (1863)|capture}} {{W|Mexico City}} and install Maximilian as Mexico's emperor, making Mexico City the official capital of the Second Mexican Empire with many nations recognizing the new nation despite it being a client state of France. 

The [[United States (Altverse)|United States]] would be involved in the conflict by supporting the Mexican republicans starting in 1865 after the end of the {{W|American Civil War}}, however the assassination of Lincoln's cabinet and the subsequent political crisis caused aid to slow down and ended in 1866 after the [[Confederate Uprising]] kickstarted the [[War of Contingency]]. Without outside support, the republicans fought a defensive war against the French and Mexican Imperial forces before being defeated in 1867. Maximilian I remained as Emperor of Mexico for the rest of his life and France would gain a major foothold in the Americas. 

The Second French intervention would have profound effects in the {{W|Americas}} as with the French victory in the war, Mexico became a colonial protectorate and would allow France to expand further into the continents. The political fragmentation of the former United States which occured shortly after France's victory in Mexico would begin a [[European ventures into the Americas|series of colonial ventures]] into the Americas starting with a joint [[Anglo–Sierran invasion of the United States]] in 1868 and later Spanish involvement in installing [[Alfonso I of Florida|Alfonso I]] as the King of [[Florida]]. Both North and South America would fall under European influence which would cause resentment and future conflicts following the end of the 19th century.

==Background==
{{See also|Monarchism in Mexico}} 
Monarchism had been a prominent political movement within Mexico with monarchists hoping for the restoration of monarchal rule in Mexico, a stance that had existed form before the {{W|Mexican War of Independence}} and its inception as a sovereign nation-state from the {{W|Spanish Empire}} in 1821. The first monarchal government in Mexico was the {{W|First Mexican Empire}} under Emperor {{W|Augustin I}} which lasted from 1821 to 1823. Mexican monarchists and other conservatives sought to re-establish a monarchy in Mexico and sought military assistance from France with said calls being heard by French Emperor Napoleon III. Napoleon had invested interests in establishing French influence in the Americas and saw an opportunity to do so after the [[American Civil War]] broke out between the Union and breakaway [[Confederate States of America|Confederate States]], leaving Washington without the capability to enforce the {{W|Monroe Doctrine}} to deter European imperial ventures into the {{W|Americas}} as it was busy dealing with the insurrection by the Southern States. 
==French invasion==
==Capture of Mexico City==
===Installment of Maximilian I===
==U.S. involvement==
==U.S. withdrawal and French offensives==
==French triumpth, Imperial Mexican victory==
==Aftermath and effects==
===Geopolitical effects===
==See also==
*[[European ventures into the Americas]]
*[[War of Reconquest]] 

[[Category:Second French intervention in Mexico]]
[[Category:19th-century conflicts]]
[[Category:1860s in Mexico]]
[[Category:19th-century colonization of the Americas]]
[[Category:19th century in Mexico]]
[[Category:19th-century guerrilla wars]]
[[Category:French colonization of the Americas]]
[[Category:Foreign intervention]]
[[Category:Invasions of Mexico]]
[[Category:Maximilian I of Mexico]]