The fifth of May celebrates the triumph of the Mexican army over the French under Napoleon III at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. The French came to Mexico to collect debts, and, anxious to add to their empire, decided to stay. Although Mexican soldiers under General Zaragosa won the Battle of Puebla in 1862, the French, after several subsequent battles and more troops, were able to install Maximilian, the archduke of Austria, as their President from 1864 until 1867. Finally in 1867, Maximilian was overthrown and executed, thus ending French rule in Mexico.
The holiday is celebrated with parades and parties mainly in the state of Puebla, but also in areas of the United States where there is a large Mexican population.
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