Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo
Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo , 5th Count of Monterrey (Spanish: Conde de Monterrey ) (* around 1560 (according to other sources: 1540) in Monterrey, Ourense Province , Spain ; † February 10, 1606 in Lima , Peru ) was a Spanish Officer who served as Viceroy of New Spain from 1595 to 1603 and 10th Viceroy of Peru from 1604 to 1606 .
Origin and career in Europe
He comes from a wealthy Spanish aristocratic family. In 1578 he joined the court of King Philip. II. In the service of the Spanish crown. With a militia that he paid out of his own pocket, he took part in the campaign in Portugal and defended La Coruña against the attack by the English under Francis Drake .
Viceroy of New Spain
In May 1595 Philip II appointed him Viceroy of New Spain. He reached the port of Veracruz in September and reached Mexico City in November 1595 . There he sent an expedition led by Sebastián Vizcaíno , who explored the waters in California . In honor of the viceroy, he named Monterey Bay . However, none of the ports examined appeared advantageous for colonization from Mexico. Zuñiga ordered another expedition under Lope de Ulloa y Lemos in search of the legendary seven gold cities (Spanish: siete ciudades de Oro ). In 1600 he moved the city of Veracruz from its original, very unhealthy location to a new location that still exists today.
The viceroy opposed the use of the native Indians in forced labor in the mines and goods of the Spaniards.
Viceroy of Peru
After the death of Philip II in 1598, Philip III followed him . on the throne. He moved Zuñiga to Peru with a document from May 1603 to take over the viceroyalty there. With the usual delays in sending messages and traveling, he took up his post in Lima in December 1604.
Its main task in 1605 was to set up a fleet for exploring the South Seas, which set sail in December 1605 under Pedro Fernández de Quirós . Zuñiga died in office in Lima in February 1606.
Web links
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Luis de Velasco y Castilla |
Viceroy of New Spain 1595–1603 |
Juan Manuel de Mendoza y Luna |
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Luis de Velasco y Castilla |
Viceroy of Peru 1604–1606 |
Diego Núñez de Avendaño |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Zúñiga y Acevedo, Gaspar de |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | 5. Conde de Monterrey |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Viceroy of New Spain and Peru |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1540 or 1560 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Monterrey, Ourense Province , Spain |
| DATE OF DEATH | February 10, 1606 |
| Place of death | Lima , Peru |