Francisco Cajigal de la Vega (sometimes spelled ''Francisco Caxigal de la Vega'') (February 6, 1691,
Ribamontán al Monte,
Cantabria
Cantabria (, also , , Cantabrian: ) is an autonomous community in northern Spain with Santander as its capital city. It is called a ''comunidad histórica'', a historic community, in its current Statute of Autonomy. It is bordered on the east ...
– 1777) was a Spanish military officer, governor of
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
from 1747 to 1760, and interim
viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning " ...
of
New Spain, from April 28, 1760 to October 5, 1760, succeeded by Viceroy
Joaquín de Montserrat, marqués de Cruillas.
Cajigal was lieutenant general in the royal army and a knight of the
Order of Santiago
The Order of Santiago (; es, Orden de Santiago ), is a religious and military order founded in the 12th century. It owes its name to the Patron Saint of Spain, "Santiago" (St. James the Greater). Its initial objective was to protect the pilgri ...
. He was appointed as governor of Cuba in 1747.
He was governor of Cuba in 1760 at the time of the death of the previous viceroy,
Agustín de Ahumada. The
Audiencia possessed sealed orders to be opened on the death of Ahumada, and these named Cajigal to fill the position on an interim basis. He sailed from
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. for
Veracruz
Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
on March 28, 1760. He remained in Veracruz a few days awaiting the arrival of the vehicle intended to take him to
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital city, capital and primate city, largest city of Mexico, and the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North Amer ...
. He made his solemn entry into Mexico City on April 28, 1760 and took up the government.
He worked to reform the accounting at the treasury. He removed the sales tax on products of iron and steel to stimulate construction and the mining of that metal. To augment revenue, he sold the monopoly on the production of playing cards and farmed out the collection of customs duties at Veracruz for five years. Other measures spurred the economy of
La Florida and Panzacola (
Pensacola
Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ci ...
).
He increased the regular army of New Spain to 2,921 men. He named his son, Juan Manuel, commander of the cavalry company of the viceregal guards.
On the ascension of
Charles III
Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. He was the longest-serving heir apparent and Prince of Wales and, at age 73, became the oldest person t ...
to the Spanish throne, a general amnesty was declared. In New Spain, at least, it did not free many prisoners because there were many exceptions.
This viceroy was not considered very honorable. He insisted on a very high salary (at the rate of 40,000 pesos per year) and huge expenses for his return journey from Mexico to Havana (6,000 pesos).
He turned over the government of the colony to his successor,
Joaquín de Montserrat, marqués de Cruillas on October 5, 1760 and returned to Havana, where he took up his old position.
References
* García Puron, Manuel, ''México y sus gobernantes'', v. 1. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984.
* Orozco Linares, Fernando, ''Gobernantes de México''. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, .
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cajigal de la Vega, Francisco
1691 births
1777 deaths
People from Trasmiera
Military personnel from Cantabria
Politicians from Cantabria
Viceroys of New Spain
Governors of Cuba
Spanish generals
Spanish colonial governors and administrators
Spanish colonial period of Cuba
Spanish West Indies
18th-century Cuban people