At some point Montoya was the mayor of
Taos. In 1837 he was part of the New Mexican
Río Arriba Rebellion which briefly made first
José María González and then Montoya governor of New Mexico. Both González, a
Taos Pueblo Indian, and Montoya, a
Hispano of Spanish descent, led the
Junta Popular, the most ethnically inclusive government in the history of New Mexico. In September of that year he led an army of 3000 rebels to within a league and a half of
Santa Fe, where he arranged a truce with Gen. Manuel Armijo. He secured his personal immunity by turning over the planners of the rebellion, who were jailed in Santa Fe and later executed by Armijo's forces. Montoya was allowed to return to his home. In January 1847 Montoya participated in the insurrection against United States rule in New Mexico, begun by those who did not accept the
Mexican governor's surrender. Historian David Lavender said that Montoya "style[d] himself as the
Santa Anna of the North." Montoya was captured during the 1847 revolt. After the U.S. had re-established control, a military court charged him with and convicted him of treason. The judges sentenced him and 14 other men to death for their roles in the revolt. Montoya and the others were
hanged in the
Taos Plaza on February 7, 1847. ==Personal life==