Mexico was once an up and coming nation. There were a lot of power struggles as ex-pats arrived, opened businesses and prospered.

At the start of the 19th Century Mexico was a churning cauldron for it was thought to be come a major power.

Politics was often fought with guns, and there was unrest.

By 1828 the situation reached the breaking point.

The President of Mexico, Manuel Gómez Pedraza, fired Lorenzo de Zavala from his post as Governor of the state of México.



Zavala was not pleased. And he could do something about it.

He gained the support of Antonio López de Santa Anna, a General.. This meant the army would join his cause.

For four days there was fighting in the busy streets of Mexico City. A great deal of property was destroyed. Some of it belonged to foreign nationals.



There were no diplomats to effect any kind of settlement and most of the ex-pats accepted the loss.

Most ex pats, not a French pastry chef, Monsieur Remontel.

The Chef appealed to King Louis-Phillipe of France. He advised that his shop in the Tacubaya district of Mexico City had been ruined by looting Mexican officers in 1828.

Without slow communication, it was not until 1838 the King of France demanded 600,000 pesos in damages on behalf of all French nationals who had suffered loss due the Mexican confusion.

Baron Deffaudis conveyed this ultimatum to Mexico; pay or else.

The payment was not made.