José Fernando Ramírez

[2] Ramírez was born in Parral, Chihuahua but grew up in Durango, where he served as a prominent liberal politician.

After graduating with a degree in law from San Luis Gonzaga he was elected several times to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate.

After the fall of the Empire and execution of Maximilian, he went into exile in Europe, since Mexico was no longer considered safe for someone who had served in the imperial government.

Ramírez's scholarship focused on prehispanic and sixteenth-century Mexican history and excelled as a biographer.

Among his works are one on Toribio de Benavente Motolinia and several translations of Aztec codices such as Mapa Quinatzin and Codex Aubin.