Civil Wars

There was a long period of civil strife between Liberals and Conservatives. León was the center of the Liberals, Granada of the Conservatives. At one time the Liberals requested the help of William Walker, a filibuster (adventurer) from Tennessee. He made himself president of Nicaragua in 1856, but was driven out in 1857 when all the Central American republics combined against him. Walker returned in 1860, only to be captured and shot in Honduras.

Managua was made the capital in the 1850's as a compromise between the two rivals, Granada and León. In 1860 the British government gave up its claim to a protectorate over the Mosquito Coast.