---
node: na_zapata
type: person
slug: emiliano_zapata
title: "Emiliano Zapata"
lead: "Emiliano Zapata (1879–1919) was a leading figure of the Mexican Revolution and the great champion of land reform. His cry of land and liberty made him an enduring symbol of peasant struggle."
published: 2026-07-13
updated: 2026-07-13
---

## Who they were

A village leader in the southern state of Morelos, Zapata took up arms in 1910 to reclaim land taken from peasant communities. He led the Liberation Army of the South throughout the revolution.

## What they did

He issued the Plan of Ayala demanding the return of land to the people and put its ideals into practice in the areas he controlled. He fought successive national governments that failed to deliver reform.

## Legacy

Zapata was lured into an ambush and assassinated in 1919, but his cause outlived him. His image and the demand for land and liberty remain powerful symbols in Mexico today.