The land of contemporary Guatemala was originally the centre of the Maya civilisation, which spanned Mesoamerica.
The Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado captured the majority of the region in the first half of the 16th century, establishing the Viceroyalty of New Spain.
In the first decade of the nineteenth century, Spain was weakened by its engagement in the Peninsular War in Europe, and local juntas were formed when local Spaniards rose against the authority of King Joseph, Napoleon's brother, who was installed as ruler of Spain by the French in 1808.
This desire for self-rule lasted when King Ferdinand ascended to the Spanish throne, and the Province of Guatemala declared Central America's independence on September 15, 1821.
Following independence, and despite objections from El Salvador, the areas were part of the Mexican Empire until 1823, when they submitted to form the Federal Republic of Central America.
