La Guera Rodriguez: The Life and Legends of a Mexican Independence Heroine

Mar燰 Ignacia Rodr璲uez de Velasco y Osorio Barba (1778-1850) is an iconic figure in Mexican history. Known by the nickname "La Gra Rodr璲uez" because she was so fair, she is said to have possessed a remarkably sharp wit, a face fit for statuary, and a penchant for defying the status quo. Charming influential figures such as Simon Bol癉ar, Alexander von Humboldt, and Agust璯 de Iturbide, she utilized gold and guile in equal measure to support the independence movement--or so the stories say.

In La Gra Rodr璲uez, Silvia Marina Arrom approaches the legends of Rodr璲uez de Velasco with a keen eye, seeking to disentangle the woman from the myth. Arrom uses a wide array of primary sources from the period to piece together an intimate portrait of this remarkable woman, followed by a review of her evolving representation in Mexican arts and letters that shows how the legends became ever more fanciful after her death. How much of the story is rooted in fact, and how much is fiction sculpted to fit the cultural sensibilities of a given moment in time? In our contemporary moment of unprecedented misinformation, it is particularly relevant to analyze how and why falsehoods become part of historical memory. La Gra Rodriguez will prove an indispensable resource for those searching to understand late-colonial Mexico, the role of women in the independence movement, and the use of historic figures in crafting national narratives.