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Was Zorro based on a real figure

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==== Joaquin Murrieta Carrillo====
Joaquin Murrieta Carrillo is a legendary figure from the history of California. He is regarded as a folk-hero and the Robin Hood of the Old West. Joaquin Murrieta was born in Sonora, Mexico. He was a vaquero or a cowboy , and like so many more from around the world he journeyed traveled to California during the gold rush of 1849 with his brother and his young wifeand brother. Joaquin Murrieta was by all accounts a hard-working family man .<ref> Alexander, Marc. "ZORRO: Behind The Mask." Américas 59, no. 1 (2007): 45</ref>. He became a prospector , but appears to have fallen he ran afoul with a group of some White white miners. Joaquin Murrieta’s wife was also attacked, and this led to her deathmurdered by these men. Joaquin somehow survived , and he went on to become a card dealer in a saloon. He was His brother joined by his brother him, and the two prospered.  One day some white settlers accused him of stealing a horse or a mule. This led to Then settlers horsewhipped him being horsewhipped and the murder of murdered his brother. Joaquin swore revenge and one by one he killed those who had murdered killed his brother and wife. There is no agreed version of the story, but it seems that he then formed a gang of Mexican bandits who preyed on miners and others in California. This gang became known as the ‘Five Joaquins’ gang , and they terrorized a large area of the territory and are believed to have killed up to 40 people in a period of only two years.  In 1853 the California state legislature put a bounty on the head of Joaquin. In 1853 a troop of California State rangers ambushed him and his gang .<ref> Alexander, p. 113</ref>. The bandit was killed, and the rangers claimed and received the reward. However, a later legend arose that Joaquin had escaped alive from the ambush.  There are certain similarities between Zorro and Joaquin Murrieta Carrillo. Both They were motivated by a burning sense of injustice and a desire to fight injustice and corruption. However, the bandit began to prey upon the on innocent Californians after he had avenged those killed the men who had wronged attacked him so grievously. Unlike Joaquin, while Zorro was always shown to be scrupulously fair and a protector of ordinary people. Moreover, he was active during the early history of American California, while Zorro is always shown as the sworn enemy of the corrupt colonial Spanish authorities.<ref> Alexander, p. 113</ref>.
====Salomon Pico====
Salomon Pico (1821-1860) came from a wealthy Californio family, that is he came from a long-established Hispanic family in the territory. He was a cousin of the last Mexican governor of California. Pico fought in the Mexican American War (1821-1860) and after the American victory he returned to his native California. He lived quietly for some time, but the Gold Rush of 1849, led to his land being overrun by white prospectors and it appears that this led to the death of his wife<ref>Starr, Kevin. California: A history. Vol. 23 (London, Random House Digital, Inc., 2007), p. 132</ref>. Pico swore revenge against the prospectors’, and he formed a gang of outlaws. They preyed upon lone travelers’ and soon became feared and reviled by the local Anglo community. Pico was seen as a protector of the Hispanic community and many sheltered him and his gang. In 1851, he and some of his gang were captured by vigilantes. He luckily escaped with his life and made his way to Mexico. Here he once again turned to banditry but was later captured and executed. There are undoubted similarities between Pico and Zorro, including their popularity with the common people.

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