Joaquin Murrieta was a notorious person during the Gold Rush of the 1850s in the state of California. Depending on which side you were on, he could be considered as a hero or as a bandit. But just to give you an idea, he was called the Mexican Robin Hood.

Being an interesting man means that you should have a collection of knowledge on interesting topics. The life and legend of Joaquin Murrieta is one to remember. We believe that a lot can be learned from the heroes and villains of our past and this subject is no different. If there is one tremendous lesson to be learned from Joaquin Murrieta, it should be that you are the company you keep. Surround yourself with geniuses and you will become a genius. Surround yourself with the wrong crowd, and you may blend in over time.

The Trivial History of Joaquin Murrieta

Very little is known about the early years of the life of Joaquin Murrieta. Historians have placed his time of birth somewhere around 1829. So many tales have been added to his legend that it is hard to tell myth from truth anymore. The general consensus, however, appears to agree that his early life was far from easy.

Some church records say that South Mexico is his birth place. The same records say that he was born to a couple by the names of Joaquin and Rosalia Murrieta. His wife later on was Rosa Feliz of Vayoreca, and they moved to California later with their family for the Gold Rush.

There are two versions of what started during the Gold Rush period:

• Myth—Joaquin Murrieta went to California in 1849, whereupon he and his family suffered from severe racism from other gold rushers. They were supposedly attacked by American miners who beat Joaquin, and raped his wife before killing her. This is clearly fiction, as this story comes from the dime novel that had been penned several years later by John Rollin Ridge. It inspired the story of Zorro later on.
• Truth—or at least the most likely truth. Joaquin Murrieta had led a band of gold hunting outlaws to California, some of them being his own family members.

The most popular legend of Joaquin Murrieta is that he was a peaceful man who was falsely accused of stealing, along with his brother who was hung for the crime. It ends with Joaquin swearing revenge on his wrongdoers. A similar situation occurred in the beginning of the first Zorro movie, which obviously relates the influence used in the making of the Zorro movie.

Death of a Legend: Joaquin Murrieta

Joaquin Murrieta’s family’s first brush with the law happened in 1849 when Claudio, Rosa’s brother, was arrested for stealing someone else’s gold. Claudio was clearly guilty, yet he managed to escape from jail and start a new life. He was one of the most vicious outlaws in California by 1850.

Joaquin joined the gang in 1851, and started learning the trade of murdering. They held no compunction about who they robbed, something Claudio was rather proud of. Eventually, though, the pressure of the law bearing down on them became too much and Joaquin left for Los Angeles.

Later that year, a survivor from a robbery escaped to tell of Claudio’s misdeeds. The survivor had been a member of the Californio family, which had been one of the most prominent families in that part of the country at the time. Claudio lost the support of his gang and was killed at the eventual shoot off. Joaquin Murrieta became the next leader; thus, the idea of a Mexican Robin Hood hero was lost.

Interesting Facts About Joaquin Murrieta

• Herbert Howe Bancroft was the one who legitimized the legend of Joaquin being a Mexican Robin Hood.
• He is, more often than not, recognized as a cold blooded killer of any race, rather than a hero of legend, such as Robin Hood or Zorro. He was hardly a hero, except for his own cause.
• The date of his exact death is unknown, as some believe he was still alive in the 1860s.