"Most Americans regard Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna as a villain for his brutal assault on the Alamo in 1836. What many do not realize is that few individuals have caused their own nation greater pain. He lost a third of Mexico's territory in wars, sold almost another 30,000 square miles while pocketing most of the money, and repeatedly bankrupted the nation. His extravagance was legendary, as testified to by the burial of his amputated leg at the nation's great expense. He served as his country's president eleven different times over a span of thirty years and was constantly involved in devious political intrigue. Yet, in spite of his failings and notorious reputation today, the Mexican people of the nineteenth century often viewed Santa Anna as a hero and savior. Latin American military historian Robert L. Scheina analyzes this complex man and provides a solid overview of Mexico's political history against the fabric of social and cultural turmoil."--BOOK JACKET.