Note: The Second Mexican Empire 1863-67 was re-organised into fifty departments by imperial proclamation by Emperor Maximilian on March 3rd 1865, replacing the twenty seven states and federal territory of Baja California. However, the establishment of the first departments had begun with the founding of the empire in 1863. Maximilian commissioned scholar Manuel Orozco y Berra 1816-1881, to draw the boundaries of the new departments based on the geography and cultural regions of Mexico, that were also grouped into regions under an imperial commissioner. Due to the ongoing war between the French backed empire and Republican forces the new department system was not fully implemented and ceased to exist with the downfall of the Second Empire and capture and execution of Maximilian at Santiago de Queretaro in 1867. The Mexican federal states were restored along with federal constitution of 1857.
1865 State of México divided into departments of Acapulcó, Guerrero,
Iturbide, Michoácan, Toluca, Tula, Tulancin and Valle de México
1867 State of México restored after the fall of the Second Empire
Imperial Commissioner
24 Apr 1866- 1867 José María Iribarren
1865 - 1866 Imperial Acapulco department (not organised)
Prefect
1865 - 1866 Agustín de Mora Basadre
1865 - 1866 Imperial Guerrero department (not organised)
Prefect
1865 - 1866 Agustín de Mora Basadre
1865 - 1867 Imperial Iturbide department
Prefects
1865 - 1866 Francisco G. Casanova
1866 Epigmenio de Arehavala
1866 Pedro Valdés
1866 - 1867 Miguel Peña
1863 Imperial Michoácan de Ocampo department
1867 Re-incorporated into Michoácan state
Prefects
01 Dec 1863 - 19 Jun 1864 José de Ugarte
20 Jun - 12 Oct 1864 Dionisio Castillo
15 Oct 1864 - 21 Jun 1865 Antonio de Moral
21 Jun - Oct 1865 Francisco Cuevas
Oct 1865 - 13 Feb 1867 Manuel Elguero
07 Jun 1862 First District of the Department of Mexico
13 Apr 1866 Re-organised as the Imperial Toluca department
1867 Re-incorporated into Mexico state
Prefects
09 Jun 1863 - 02 Apr 1864 Manuel de la Sota Riva
02 Apr - 27 Oct 1864 Santiago Cuevas
17 Nov 1864 - 13 Apr 1866 Pascual González Fuentes
13 Apr - 1866 Camilo Zamora
(continues as prefect of Mexico to 1867)
1866 Felipe N. Chacón García 1820-1907
07 Aug 1866 - Feb 1867 José María Adalid
1863 Imperial Tula department
1867 Re-incorporated into Mexico state
Prefects
1863 - 1865 Felipe Blanco
1865 - 1866 Eligio Ruelas
1866 Joaquín Silva
1866 J.A. Bravo
1866 - 1867 Francisco González Pavón
1863 Imperial Tulancingo department
1867 Re-incorporated into Mexico state
Prefects
1863 - 1865 Francisco González Pavón
22 Apr 1865 - 1866 Agustín Ricoy
14 Sep 1866 - 1867 José Pedro Hernández
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Valle de México department
12 Apr - 21 Jun 1867 Under siege from Republican forces
21 Jun 1867 Distrito federal restored
Prefects
22 Oct 1863 - 06 Jul 1864 José del Villar y Bocanegra
06 Jul 1864 - 28 Nov 1865 Miguel María de Azcárate
28 Nov 1865 - 09 Apr 1866 José María González de Mendoza
09 Apr - 19 Sep 1866 Manuel A. Campero
19 Sep 1866 - 11 Feb 1867 Mariano Icaza
11 Feb - 21 Jun 1867 Tomás Antonio Ignacio O'Horán Escuedero
Imperial Commissioners
16 Sep 1865 - 1866 Jesús López Portillo
03 Mar 1866 Severo del Castillo
(did not take office)
Aug - 21 Dec 1866 Francisco Gutiérrez Mendoza
1865 - 1866 Imperial Aguascalientes department
Prefects
1864 Cayetano Basabe
1864 - 1866 Francisco Ruiz de Esparza
1866 Manuel Arteaga Guerrero
1865 Imperial Autlán department
Prefect
1865 Ángel de Oyarzábal
1865 Imperial department of Coalcomán (not organised)
Prefect
1865 Antonio Pallares
(did not take office)
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Colima department
Prefects
03 Mar 1865 - 27 Dec 1866 José María Mendoza
09 Aug - 18 Aug 1865 Carlos Meillón
(acting)
27 Dec 1866 - 02 Jan 1867 Miguel Zires
02 Jan - 02 Feb 1867 Felipe Neri Chacón
02 Feb - 10 Jun 1867 Ramón Corona
(acting)
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Jalisco department
1867 Re-incorporated into Jalisco state
Prefects
1863 - 17 Aug 1864 Rómulo Díaz de la Vega 1804-1877
18 Aug - 11 Dec 1864 Domingo Llamas Flores 1803-1873
12 Dec 1864 - 07 May 1865 Mariano Morett Vizcaino (1st Time) 1813-1886
08 May - 04 Oct 1865 Jesús López Portillo
05 Oct 1865 - 01 Apr 1866 Mariano Morett Vizcaino (2nd Time)
01 Apr - 30 Apr 1866 Teodoro Marmolejo Sandoval
(substitute)
01 May - 31 Oct 1866 Mariano Morett Vizcaino (3rd Time)
01 Nov 1866 - 01 Jan 1867 Juan Carlos Jontan Rábago
03 Mar 1865 - 31 Aug 1867 Imperial San José de Nayarit
1867 - 19 Jul 1873 Local rebel forces under Juan Lozada (1828-1873)
Prefect
1865 - 31 Aug 1867 Manuel Rivas
1865 Imperial department of Tancítaro
1867 Re-incorporated into Michoacán
Prefect
1865 - 1867 Carlos Venezuela
(military commander)
1864 Imperial department of Zacatecas
1866 Dissolved by republican forces
Prefects
05 Feb 1864 - 22 Apr 1865 Paulino Raigosa (1st Time)
22 Apr 1865 - 1866 José María Ávila
1866 Paulino Raigosa (2nd Time)
May - 28 Nov 1866 José María Saldierna
Imperial Commissioners
25 Jun 1865 - 03 Mar 1866 Manuel Gamboa
03 Mar 1866 - 1867 José María Iribarren
1865 Imperial Álamos department
1866 Re-incorporated into Sonora state
Prefect
03 Mar 1865 - 20 Sep 1866 José María Tranquilano Almada 1822-1866
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Arizona department
1866 Re-incorporated into Sonora state
Prefects
03 Mar 1865 - 02 Mar 1866 José Moreno Bustamante
03 Mar - 1866 Santiago Campillo
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Department of California (not organised)
Political chief
02 Jan - 17 Nov 1865 Félix Juan Gilbert 1835-1935
Imperial Commissioner
29 Sep - 12 Nov 1865 Rafael Espinosa
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Mazatlán department
Prefects
14 Nov 1864 - 20 Jan 1865 Andrés Vasavilbaso
(acting)
27 Jan - 12 Nov 1865 Gregorio Almada
12 Nov 1865 - 24 Mar 1866 José María Loreto Iribarren
24 Mar - 14 Nov 1866 Gal Antonio Grosso
03 Mar 1865 - 1866 Imperial Sinaloa Department (not organised)
Prefect
21 Aug 1865 - 1866 Manuel Gamboa
03 Mar 1865 - 1867 Imperial Sonora Department
Prefects
03 Mar 1865 - 1866 Santiago Campillo
1866 Manuel Vélez Escalante (1st Time)
1866 Joaquín María Astiazarán
1866 Mariano Salazar
1866 Manuel Vélez Escalante (2nd Time)
1866 - 1867 Manuel María Gándara
Imperial Commissioners
Dec 1863 - 04 Sep 1864 Felipe Navarrete 1831-1908
04 Sep 1864 - 25 Mar 1866 José Salazar Ilarregui (1st Time) 1823-1892
25 Mar - 24 Oct 1866 Domingo Bureau 1843-1903
(acting)
24 Oct - 09 Nov 1866 José Domingo Sosa
10 Nov 1866 - 15 Jun 1867 José Salazar Ilarregui (2nd Time)
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Campeche Department
Prefects
26 Jan 1864 - 23 Feb 1865 Manuel Mendéz y Hernández
23 Feb 1865 - 16 Nov 1866 Manuel Ramos
16 Nov 1866 - 13 Jun 1867 Nicolás Dorantes y Ávila
13 Apr - 23 Apr 1867 José Dolores Ponce
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Department of Chiapas (not organised)
Prefects
26 Aug 1863 - Jan 1864 Juan Ortega
Oct 1863 - Apr 1865 Adolfo Faugier (in Soconusco)
(imperial supporter, in rebellion)
03 Mar 1865 - 1867 Imperial La Laguna Department
1867 Incorporated into Campeche
Prefects
1865 - 1866 Manuel María Sandoval
1866 - 1867 Tomás Marin
1865 Imperial Tabasco Department
Prefecto Políticos y Commandments General
18 Jun 1863 - 20 Jan 1864 Eduardo González Arévalo 1832-1867
20 Jan 1864 - 26 Feb 1866 Manuel Díaz de la Vega 1828-1903
03 Mar 1863 - 1867 Imperial Yucatán department
Prefects
1863 - 1864 Felipe Navarrete
1864 José María García Morales (1st Time)
1864 - 1865 David Cásares
(substitute)
1865 Ignacio Lozano
(substitute)
1865 José María García Morales (2nd Time)
1865 José María Adali
1865 - 1866 José María García Morales (3rd Time)
1866 José Domingo Sosa
1866 - 1867 José María García Morales (4th Time)
1867 Pantaleón Barrera
Imperial Commissioners
05 Jul 1864 - Oct 1865 Buenaventura González Saravia (1st Time)
Feb - Sep 1865 Juan de Dios Palacios
18 Nov 1865 - 1866 Paulino Raygosa
1866 - 1867 Buenaventura González Saravia (2nd Time)
1865 Imperial Batopilas department
Prefects
Aug - 05 Nov 1865 Jesús Fontana 1810-1874
Dec 1865 - 23 Mar 1866 Joaquín H. Rodríguez
04 Apr - 23 May 1866 Inocente Rubio
1865 Imperial Chihuahua department
Prefects
Sep - Dec 1865 Tomás Zuloaga
(acting)
11 Dec 1865 - 31 Jan 1866 Tomás Irigoyen
1865 - 1866 Francisco Prieto Madariaga
(acting)
01 Feb - 25 Mar 1866 Jullio Carranco
1865 Imperial Durango department
Prefects
05 Jul 1864 - Feb 1865 Buenaventura González Saravia (1st Time)
Feb - Sep 1865 Juan de Dios Palacios (1st Time)
Sep - Oct 1865 Buenaventura González Saravia (2nd Time)
18 Nov 1865 - 1866 Juan de Dios Palacios (2nd Time)
Mar - Sep 1866 Felipe Pérez Gavilán
Oct - Nov 1866 Buenaventura González Saravia (3rd Time)
1865 Imperial Huejuquilla department
Prefects
Aug 1865 - Feb 1866 Jesús Fontana 1810-1874
Feb - May 1866 Guillermo Ortíz
1865 - 1867 Imperial Nazas department (not organised)
Prefect
1865 - 1867 Manuel Estrada
(did not take office)
Imperial Commissioners
16 Sep 1865 - 1866 Nicolás de la Portilla
Aug - 02 Nov 1866 José Ignacio Gutiérrez
02 Nov 1866 - 1867 Santiago Vidaurri
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Coahuila department
Prefects
1864 - 1865 Ignacio Lozano
1866 Simón Blanco
29 Jan - 29 Jan 1866 Maximo Campos
(substitute)
1866 - 1867 Francisco de la Peña y Fuentes
(did not take office)
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Mapimí department
1867 Re-incorporated into Coahuila
Prefect
Apr 1865 - Feb 1867 Jacobo Sánchez Navarro
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Matamoros Department
Prefects
1864 - 1865 Jacobo Sánchez Navarro
08 Nov 1864 - 1865 Tomas García
(acting)
1865 - 1866 Pedro J. de la Garza
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Nuevo León department
Prefects
15 Aug - 26 Aug 1864 Julián Quiroga Villareal 1829-1877
(acting)
26 Aug 1864 - 13 Apr 1865 Jesús María Aguilar 1829-189
12 Jun 1865 - Jan 1866 José María García
02 Nov 1866 - 1867 Ignacio de la Garza García
Imperial Commissioner
03 Mar 1865 - Dec 1866 José María Esteva
1866 Imperial Ejutla Department created from part of Oaxaca
state, but not organised
Sub-prefect
1866 Ignacio Atristáin
(did not take office)
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Oaxaca Department
31 Oct 1866 Extinguished by Mexican republican forces
Prefects
Dec 1864 - 25 Apr 1865 Juan Pablo Franco (1st Time)
25 Apr - 22 Jul 1865 Juan María Santaella (1st Time)
22 Jul - 05 Sep 1865 Juan Pablo Franco (2nd Time)
(commissioner 05 Sep 1865 - 1866)
05 Sep - 29 Sep 1865 Juan María Santaella (2nd Time)
29 Sep - 14 Oct 1865 Manuel María Fagoaga
14 Oct 1865 - 06 Aug 1866 Juan María Santaella (3rd Time)
06 Aug - 31 Oct 1866 Carlos Oronoz y Díaz de la Serna 1820-1901
03 Mar 1865 - 1867 Imperial Puebla Department (areas part of
Iturbide, Tlaxcala and Veracruz)
07 Aug 1865 Imperial decree returns Puebla to its original boundaries
Prefects
17 May 1863 - 1864 Fernando Pardo
1864 - 1865 José María Esteva
1865 - 1866 Alonso Manuel Peón
Oct - 24 Nov 1866 José María Galicia Aróstegui
25 Nov 1866 - 02 Apr 1867 Manuel Noriega
14 Oct 1863 - 21 Jan 1824 Isthmus Province separated from Oaxaca state (not organised)
29 May 1853 Territory of Isthmus of Tehuantepec
05 Feb 1857 Re-incorporated into Oaxaca
03 Mar 1865 - 1866 Imperial Tehuantepec Department
1867 Re-incorporated into Oaxaca
Commissioner
1823 - 1824 Simón Tadeo Ortíz de Ayala
Political Chiefs
1853 Tomas Marín
Oct 1853 - 01 Oct 1854 Martín Perfecto de Cos
Oct 1854 - 1855 José Mariano Monterde
1855 Máximo Ramón Ortíz
(in opposition)
- 11 Nov 1855 Francisco Avalos
11 Nov - 1855 Antonio Rodríguez
(commandant)
1855 - 1856 Juan de Dios Arzamendi
+ Miguel López
1856 - 1857 José María Marquez
Prefect
Feb 1863 - 14 Sep 1866 Luciano Prieto
1866 Imperial Teposcolula Department created from part
of Oaxaca state, but not organised
Sub-prefect
1866 Antonio Herrera
(did not take office)
03 Mar 1865 - 1867 Tlaxcala Imperial Department
Prefects
1863 - 1865 José Ignacio Ormaechea y Arnaiz
1865 Guillermo Valle
(did not take office)
22 Apr 1865 - Mar 1866 José Bibiano Beltrán
30 Mar 1866 - 01 Jan 1867 Bruno Aguilar
01 Dec 1853 Distrito de Tuxpan (Tuxpan district), within Veracruz
05 Feb 1857 Re-incorporated into Veracruz
03 Mar 1865 - 1867 Imperial Tuxpan Department
Political Chiefs
1853 José María Sánchez
1853 - 05 Feb 1857 Anastasio María Llorente
Prefects
1865 - 1866 P.L. Samer
Jan 1866 - 17 Sep 1867 Gregorio del Callejo
1865 - 1867 Imperial Veracruz Department
Prefects
1864 - 1866 Domingo Bureau Vazquez (1st Time) 1834-1903
22 Mar - 1866 Joaquín Castillo y Cos
Mar - Oct 1866 Francisco Ruiz de Esparza
Nov 1866 - Jul 1867 Domingo Bureau Vazquez (2nd Time)
Imperial Commissioners
Oct 1865 - Apr 1866 Nicanor Herrera
11 Apr 1866 - 1867 Luís Robles Pezuela
1865 Imperial Fresnillo Department
1867 Re-incorporated into Zacatecas
Prefects
1865 - 20 Sep 1866 Mariano Rodríguez
20 Sep 1866 - 1867 Carlos Sada
08 Dec 1863 French occupation of Guanajuato state
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Guanajuato Department
Prefects
13 Dec - 18 Dec 1863 Canuto Villaseñor
18 Dec 1863 - 22 Sep 1864 José María Yáñez y Carrillo 1804-1880
22 Sep 1864 - 05 Apr 1865 Manuel Chico y Alegre
05 Apr - 30 Jun 1865 Juan Ortíz Careaga
01 Jul 1865 - 26 Dec 1866 Pascual González Montes
03 Mar 1865 Imperial Matehuala Department
1866 Re-incorporated into San Luis Potosí
Prefect
May 1865 - Sep 1866 Zeferino Flores
03 Mar 1865 - 1866 Imperial Potosí Department
Prefects
28 Dec 1863 - 12 Jan 1864 José Castillo
12 Jan 1864 - 20 Mar 1866 Darío de los Reyes (1st Time)
20 Mar - 17 Aug 1866 Francisco J. Bermudez
(interim)
17 Aug - 26 Dec 1866 Darío de los Reyes (2nd Time)
03 Mar 1865 - 15 May 1867 Imperial Querétaro Department
19 Jun 1867 Querétaro, the last loyal department to
Emperor Maximilian falls to republican forces
Prefects
26 Nov 1863 - 10 Nov 1864 Desidero de Samaniego 1825-1871
10 Nov 1864 - 03 Oct 1866 Manuel Gutiérrez Salcedo y Gómez 1818-1839
03 Oct - Oct 1866 José Antonio Septién Villaseñor (1st Time) 1815-1875
Oct - Dec 1866 José María Herrera y Lozada
Dec 1866 - 20 Feb 1867 José Antonio Septién Villaseñor (2nd Time)
20 Feb - 14 May 1867 Manuel Domínguez
03 Mar 1865 - 1866 Imperial Tamaulipas Department
Prefects
11 Mar 1864 - 1865 Apolinar Márquez
1865 - 1866 José de Emparan
06 Feb - 07 Aug 1866 Toribio de la Torre 1811-1866