Pancho Villa was and remains the folk hero of Mexico.

Villa started as a notorious bandit riding around the Mexican countryside, but in 1910, revolution broke out, and he joined the rebels. He led numerous victories in northern Mexico, and swiftly became a leading figure of the cause. He was a veteran of countless battles, even evading U.S. capture several times. He earned adoration from the common people for redistributing land and wealth, while also gaining infamy for violent raids. His eventual assassination is still mourned today by those in Mexico who idolized him.

See “The Centaur of the North” riding through his glory days.