Francisco “Pancho” Villa, was born José Doroteo Arango Arámbula on June 5th, 1878, in Durango, Mexico. By the early 20th century Villa had become a member of a band of bandits, and in 1902, after he was arrested for theft and assault he was forcibly inducted into the Federal Army as punishment. He deserted, and in 1903 began to be known as Francisco “Pancho” Villa.

In 1910 he was convinced to cease his illegal pursuits by Abraham González, then a representative for presidential candidate Francisco Madero. When Madero called for revolutionary action after President Porfirio Díaz arrested him and staged fraudulent elections, Villa joined his cause and began capturing territory and fighting Federal Army soldiers. In 1911, Díaz resigned after a series of defeats, including the first Battle of Ciudad Juárez, won by Villa and Pascual Orozco, and Madero took power.

In 1912, Orozco began a new rebellion after Madero failed to follow on his revolutionary promises, but Villa remained loyal to Madero and returned to military service to fight against Orozco with General Victoriano Huerta. Huerta initially welcomed Villa, but soon accused Villa of theft and ordered his execution. Appeals to Madero’s brothers saved Villa’s life, but he remained imprisoned until he escaped on Christmas Day 1912. In Februrary of 1913, Madero was murdered as part of a coup d'état, and Victoriano Huerta became president.

Villa then joined others opposed to Huerta, including Venustiano Carranza, Pablo González and Álvaro Obregón in a movement collectively called the Ejército Constitucionalista de México (Constitutionalist Army of Mexico). From 1913-1914, Villa gained international fame through coverage of his military successes, which were filmed by Hollywood filmmakers and studied by the United States Army. He was also well known for his fund raising methods, which included robbing trains, printing his own currency, and appropriating land and money from hacienda owners. In 1913 Villa was elected as provisional governor of the state of Chihuahua, and he created a large army known as the Division del Norte, which was the most powerful military unit in Mexico.

In 1914, in addition to numerous other battles, his forces fought in what is known as the Toma de Zacatecas, the single bloodiest battle in the Revolution and what ultimately led to Huerta fleeing the country in 1914. Venustiano Carranza soon assumed the presidency, and fearing he would impose a dictatorship Villa joined military general Emiliano Zapata against Carranza. Villa’s forces fought numerous battles but after suffering a series of defeats against General Álvaro Obregón, he was forced to retreat. In 1916 Villa ordered a raid on Columbus, New Mexico, where his men seized U.S. military supplies and burned the town. This led the American President Woodrow Wilson to send 5000 U.S. troops into Mexico on a man hunt for Villa, which ultimately proved unsuccessful. Villa continued to lead guerilla forces in Chihuahua, until Carranza was assassinated in 1920. Villa used this opportunity to seek amnesty from interim president Adolfo de la Huerta, and in exchange for his to end hostilities Villa was given a hacienda in Chihuahua for his family and loyal guerrilla troops.

On July 20, 1923, Villa was visiting the city of Parral to run some errands, when his car was attacked by seven rifleman who fired more than 40 shots into the car. Villa died instantly, thought to be the victim of a conspiracy to keep him from reentering the political scene. He was survived by multiple wives and children, as he married several women without ever seeking a divorce or annulment. Villa remains a legendary figure in popular culture, seen as a modern day Robin Hood and depicted in films and literature throughout the 20th and 21st centuries.