Pastry War

The Pastry War was an 1838–1839 French intervention in Mexico, prompted by French residents’ claims for damages and ended by Mexico’s agreement to pay compensation.

French claims in Mexico: Claims by French residents in Mexico for damage to property and other losses, presented to the Mexican government. These grievances supplied the stated basis for France’s intervention.
Mexican War of Independence: The 1810–1821 conflict that ended Spanish rule and established Mexico as an independent state. The new republic faced foreign claims amid the instability left by independence.
Louis-Philippe I: King of the French from 1830 to 1848, during the Pastry War. His government authorized the French intervention in Mexico.
Second French intervention in Mexico: The 1862–1867 French invasion and occupation of Mexico, which sought to establish a monarchy under Maximilian. The later intervention was distinct, but continued French intervention in Mexican affairs.
French naval blockade of Mexico: A French naval operation that closed Mexican ports to shipping during the Pastry War. France used the blockade to pressure Mexico to accept its demands.
First Mexican Republic: Mexico’s federal republic from 1824 to 1835, marked by political instability and recurring financial difficulties. Its unsettled finances and institutions formed part of the backdrop to the claims.
Charles Baudin: A French admiral who commanded French forces during the Pastry War. He led the naval campaign and assault at Veracruz.
French intervention in Mexico: French military involvement in Mexico, including the Pastry War and the later invasion of 1862. The Pastry War was the first major French intervention in independent Mexico.
Battle of Veracruz: The 1838 bombardment and French capture of the fortress of San Juan de Ulúa and the port of Veracruz. The attack escalated the blockade into open warfare.
French migration to Mexico: The movement of French people to Mexico, which grew after Mexican independence. French residents in Mexico were among those seeking compensation.

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Reform WarCompared with: Unlike this foreign conflict, the Reform War was fought principally between rival Mexican governments.