Morelos Captured and Executed — Independence Reduced to Guerrilla War

Morelos was captured near Tezmalaca, tried by the Inquisition, stripped of priestly orders, and shot on December 22, 1815. His execution effectively ended the organized phase of the independence war. The movement fragmented into guerrilla bands led by figures like Vicente Guerrero and Guadalupe Victoria who continued fighting for six more years. The Spanish Constitution of 1812 (reimposed after 1820 liberal revolt in Spain) created new political dynamics that ultimately enabled independence.