intimate friend of the viceroy. Iturrigaray was on the point of resigning when, on September 15, 1808 the pro-Spanish party, headed by Gabriel J. de Yermo, arrested him. Yermo was supported by the rich Spanish merchants, by the oidores Aguirre and Bataller, by the archbishop, and by the judges of the Inquisition. Five hundred well-armed conspirators attacked the viceregal palace at 2 in the morning. One soldier was killed. The members of the Cabildo were also arrested. After Iturrigaray was taken prisoner, he was conducted to the Inquisition, so that the populace could be made to believe he had been deposed for heresy. His wife and children were taken to the convent of San Bernardo. The vicereine was cruelly insulted and her jewelry was stolen. The viceroy was deposed by the Audiencia. An inventory of the viceroy's valuables was ordered, and the total came to more than one million pesos. This was considered evidence that the viceroy had taken advantage of the situation for his personal enrichment. In accordance with custom, the unanticipated vacancy in the office of viceroy was filled with the oldest and highest-ranking military officer in the colony, Marshall Pedro de Garibay, an octogenarian controlled by the Audiencia. Primo Verdad y Ramos and Melchor de Talamantes were imprisoned, and died in jail. Also imprisoned were Lic. Cristo, Juan Francisco Azcárate and French general Octaviano d'Alvímar. Return to Spain On September 21, 1808, Iturrigaray was sent as a prisoner to Spain. He was brought to trial in Cádiz for disloyalty. The charges were not proven and he was freed under the amnesty granted by the Cortes in 1810. A juicio de residencia continued after the amnesty, and was ended only by the death of Iturrigaray in 1815, but not before he was assessed a fine of 435,000 pesetas. According to most historians, he was also implicated in a private scheme by James Wilkinson to head off an invasion of Mexico by Aaron Burr. Footnotes Further reading Diccionario Porrúa de Historia, Biografía y Geografía de México, 6th ed., v. 2, pp. 1857–58. Mexico City: Editorial Porrúa, S.A., 1995. . "Iturrigaray y Aróstegui, José de," Enciclopedia de México, v. 8. Mexico City: 1987. García Puron, Manuel, México y sus gobernantes, v. 1. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984. Orozco L., Fernando, Fechas Históricas de México. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1988, . Orozco Linares, Fernando, Gobernantes de México. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial,