Emiliano Zapata (1879–1919) rose from the rural village of Anenecuilco, Morelos to lead a powerful peasant movement during the Mexican Revolution. Frustrated by land seizures under the Porfirio Díaz era, Zapata organized guerrilla forces, issued the Plan of Ayala demanding land redistribution, and fought to return land to communities. His commitment to agrarian rights and his dramatic life and assassination made him a lasting symbol of popular struggle in Mexico and beyond.