Prehispanic history The
Olmec group who lived in
Chalcatzingo (southeast of Cuautla) founded settlements in Cuautla, Tepalcingo, Jonacatepec (Las Pilas), Olintepec, Atlihuayan, Huaxtepec, Gualupita de Cuernavaca, Tlayacapan, etc. (Piña Chan y Plancarte). Five years after the conquest of
Cuahunahuác (Cuernavaca) in (1379 CE),
Moctezuma Ilhuicamina conquered Huaxtepec (
Oaxtepec), Yautepec, Tlayacapan and other towns of Morelos and Guerrero. With Huaxtepec, which was the prehispanic and colonial capital of the peoples of the
Plan de Amilpas, its 25-human settlements including
Cuauhtlán, had to pay a tribute of 400 cotton blankets, 400 two-color valances, 400 bedspreads, 800 thin cotton blankets, 400 pairs of shorts (
patees), 200 women's shirts, and 1,200 veils (
mantillas) every 80 days. In addition, they were required to contribute labor.
Spanish conquest and colonial period The
Plan de Amilpas including Cuautla was conquered by Captain
Gonzalo de Sandoval on March 14, 1521. In 1543
New Spain was organized into four provinces: Michoacán, México, Coatzacoalcos, and Las Mixtecas; the present territory of Morelos was part of the Mexico province. Construction of the church of
Santo Domingo also began in the middle of the 16th century, but there is little information on it. Morelos and his army were able to break out on May 2, 1812. Cuautla was designated a
Heroic City (
Heroica Ciudad de Morelos) on April 4, 1829, while Felipe B. Montero was
Presidente Municipal (mayor). The railroad station was opened on June 18, 1881, next to the
Convento de San Diego.
Revolution & 20th century As a young man,
Emiliano Zapata was concerned about land seizures in Anenecuilco, his hometown. In May
1911 he answered
Francisco I. Madero's call to arms against President
Porfirio Díaz. After minor battles in
Chietla,
Izúcar,
Metepec Atlixco, Yautepec, and Jonacatepec, he arrived at Cuautla on May 11, 1911. With 4,000 or 5,000 troops he surrounded the city, and the week-long
Battle of Cuautla (1911) began. The battle was a major turning point in the
Mexican Revolution, as Porfirio Díaz said the battle convinced him to sign the
Treaty of Ciudad Juárez and resign. The city hall was burned during the Battle of Cuautla in 1911; the bell
Nuestra Señora de Dolores was transferred from the Church of Guadalupita on February 19, 2017 when the city hall was restored. Jesus Corona Damian of
Juntos Haremos Historia (Together we will make history coalition) was elected Presidente Municipal (mayor) in the election of July 1, 2018.
Tetelcingo was scheduled to become an autonomous municipality on January 1, 2019, but Cuautla authorities objected. As of May 4, 2020, there were 505 infections and 59 deaths in the state of Morelos and 62 confirmed infections from the
COVID-19 pandemic in Cuautla. Schools and many businesses were closed from mid March until June 1. On June 2, Cuautla reported 224 confirmed cases and 34 deaths from the virus; the reopening of the state was pushed back until at least June 13. Cuautla reported an increase of 137 new cases from January 12 to 14, 2021, making 1,602 cases in all, second highest in the state. On March 8 Cuautla became the third municipality in Morelos to vaccinate senior citizens (60+). Irving Eduardo Solano Vera ("El Profe"), said to be the leader of the
Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was arrested in Colonia Santa Rosa on February 18, 2021.
Notable people ;Siege of Cuautla •
Leonardo Bravo (1764-1812) was in charge of the 2nd sector (Santiago) of the city. Bravo broke out of the city on March 10, 1812, but was later captured and executed. His brothers Miguel and Victor, and his son, Nicolas also fought. •
Nicolás Bravo (1776–1854), president of Mexico three times between 1839 and 1846. •
Félix María Calleja del Rey y de la Gándara (1753-1828): Royalist general during the siege. •
Hermenegildo Galeana (1762-1814): Galeana was in charge of the 1st sector (San Diego) of the city during the siege. •
Mariano Matamoros y Guridi (1770-1814) was in charge of the 3rd sector (Buenavista). •
Narciso Mendoza (1800-1888): Born in Cuautla, Mendoza belonged to the children's company
Compañía de Emulantes (Company of Emulators) organized by
Juan Nepomuceno Almonte. Mendoza stopped a royalist offensive by firing a cannon and is known as
El Niño Artillero (The Gunner Boy). •
José María Teclo Morelos Pérez y Pavón (1765-1815): Hero of the Siege of Cuautla (February 19 – May 2, 1812); the state is named for him. •
Jair Pereira Rodríguez (b. 1986 in Cuautla) is a Mexican football defender who plays for Liga MX
C.D. Guadalajara.
Municipal presidents • Teofanes Jiménez, 1911–1912; Cuautla celebrated the 100th anniversary of the siege. • Othón Menchaca, 1949-1950 • Antonio Pliego Noyola, 1950 • Manuel Llera Plascencia, 1951–1952; Narciso Mendoza Theater opens • Amado Torres Guerrero, 1953-1954 • Leobardo Alanís, 1954 • J. Guadalupe Reynoso, 1955–1957; foundation of "Regional Fine Arts Institute" • Antonio Nava Zavala, 1958-1960 • Fernando Estrada Sánchez, 1961-1963 • Rodolfo Abúndez Fandiño, 1964-1967 • Antonio Pliego Noyola, 1968–1971; "Fine Arts Institute" moved to ex-convent Santo Domingo • Angel Torres Escalante, 1971–1973;
narrow-gauge Nacionales de Mexico ends service on October 11, 1973 • Ignacio Guerra Tejeda, 1973-1976 • Raymundo Llera Peña, 1976–1979; historical bell
Nuestra Señora de Dolores transferred to city hall • Rodolfo Abundez Fandiño, 1979 • Alfonso Cerqueda Martínez, 1981-1985 • Luis Miguel Andreu Acosta, 1985 • Martín Garduño Amaga, 1985-1987 • Martín Crisóforo Martínez Nájera, 1987-1988 • José Guadalupe Vique Marín, 1988 • Adolfo Avila Piñarrieta, 1988-1991 • Javier Malpica Marines, 1991–1993; creation of Ecological Protection Zone
Los Sabinos, Santa Rosa y San Cristóbal • Tadeo Espinosa Díaz, 1993-1997 (
PRI); environmental education begins in schools • Francisco Rodríguez Montero, 1997-2000 (
PRD) • Neftalí Tajonar Zalazar, 2000-2003 (PRI) • Arturo Damian Cruz Mendoza, 2003-2006 (PRD) • Sergio Rodrigo Valdespin Pérez, 2006-2009 (
PAN) • Luis Felipe Xavier Guemes Ríos, 2009-2012 (PRI); Cuautla receives recognition as ″Historical capital of Morelos″ • Jesús González Otero, 2013-2015 (PRD-
PT-
MC) • Raul Tadeo Nava, 2016-2018 (PAN) • Jesús Corona Damián, 2019–present (
Together we will make history) ==Culture==