The following is a list of Viceroys of New Spain. In addition to

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 "k ...

s, the following lists the highest Spanish governors of the Viceroyalty of

New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...

, before the appointment of the first viceroy or when the office of viceroy was vacant. Most of these individuals exercised most or all of the functions of viceroy, usually on an interim basis.

Governor of the West Indies

This office covered the territories that were discovered by Christopher Columbus. : 1492–1499 –

Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus * lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo * es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón * pt, Cristóvão Colombo * ca, Cristòfor (or ) * la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...

, as governor and viceroy of the West Indies : 1499–1502 –

Francisco de Bobadilla Francisco Fernández de Bobadilla (c. 1448 – 1 July 1502) was an official under the Crown of Castile and a knight of the Order of Calatrava. He was also the brother of Beatriz de Bobadilla, marchioness (''marquesa'') of Moya and of Peñalosa, a ...

, as governor of the West Indies : 1502–1509 –

Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres Nicolas or Nicolás may refer to: People Given name * Nicolas (given name) Mononym * Nicolas (footballer, born 1999), Brazilian footballer * Nicolas (footballer, born 2000), Brazilian footballer Surname Nicolas * Dafydd Nicolas (c.1705–1774), ...

, as governor of the West Indies : 1509–1518 –

Diego Columbus Diego Columbus ( pt, Diogo Colombo; es, Diego Colón; it, Diego Colombo; 1479/1480 – February 23, 1526) was a navigator and explorer under the Kings of Castile and Aragón. He served as the 2nd Admiral of the Indies, 2nd Viceroy of the Indie ...

, as governor of the West Indies until 1511, thereafter as viceroy

Governor of New Spain

This office covered the territories that were claimed by Hernán Cortés. The office covered the territories that were under the control of the Governor of the Indies after 1524. : 13 August 1521 – 24 December 1521

Hernán Cortés Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (; ; 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish ''conquistador'' who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of w ...

: 24 December 1521 – 30 December 1521

Cristóbal de Tapia Cristóbal de Tapia was an inspector sent to New Spain in 1521 to investigate the conduct of the conquistador Hernán Cortés, and if he deemed it necessary, to arrest him and bring him to trial. Because his authority derived from the king and sup ...

: 30 December 1521 – 12 October 1524

, as governor and captain general from 15 October 1522 : 12 October 1524 – 29 December 1524

Alonso de Estrada Alonso de Estrada (, Ciudad Real, Castile – 16 February 1530, ) was a colonial official in New Spain during the period of Hernán Cortés' government, and before the appointment of the first viceroy. He was a member of the triumvirates that ...

Rodrigo de Albornoz Rodrigo de Albornoz was an auditor and colonial official in New Spain during the period of Hernán Cortés's government, and before the appointment of the first viceroy. He was a member of the triumvirates that governed the colony for several sh ...

Alonso de Zuazo Alonso de Zuazo (also spelled ''Suazo'') (1466 – March 1539) was a Spanish lawyer and colonial judge and governor in New Spain and in Santo Domingo. He served in New Spain during the period of Hernán Cortés's government and before the appo ...

: 29 December 1524 – 17 February 1525

Gonzalo de Salazar Gonzalo de Salazar (Granada, Castile – , New Spain) was an aristocrat, and leader of several councils that governed New Spain while Hernán Cortés was traveling to Honduras, in 1525−26. Early life Though born into a family which was o ...

Pedro Almíndez Chirino Pedro Almíndez Chirino (or ''Pedro Almíndez Chirinos'') was a conquistador born in Úbeda and member of several councils that governed New Spain while Hernán Cortés was traveling to Honduras, in 1525-26. Almíndez was an ally of Gonzalo ...

, Alonso de Zuazo : 17 February 1525 – 20 April 1525 Gonzalo de Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Chirino, Alonso de Estrada, Rodrigo de Albornoz, Alonso de Zuazo : 20 April 1525 – 23 May 1525 Gonzalo de Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Chirino, Alonso de Zuazo : 24 May 1525 – 28 January 1526 Gonzalo de Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Chirino : 29 January 1526 – 24 June 1526 Alonso de Estrada, Rodrigo de Albornoz : 25 June 1526 – 3 July 1526

: 4 July 1526 – 16 July 1526

Luis Ponce de León Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archaic ...

: 16 July 1526 – 1 March 1527

Marcos de Aguilar Marcos de Aguilar (died March 1, 1527) was briefly royal governor of New Spain (from July 16, 1526 to March 1, 1527). Marcos de Aguilar was born in Seville, Spain, and was a ''licenciado''. He served in various judicial capacities in Seville. Be ...

: 2 March 1527 – 22 August 1527

Gonzalo de Sandoval Gonzalo de Sandoval (1497, Medellín, Spain – late in 1528, Palos de la Frontera, Spain) was a Spanish conquistador in New Spain (Mexico)Diaz, B., 1963, The Conquest of New Spain, London: Penguin Books, and briefly co-governor of the colo ...

Luis de la Torre Luis de la Torre was one of the Spanish conquistadors who governed New Spain while Hernán Cortés was absent from the capital. History There was much infighting during this period (1524-28). Nine men were involved in the government, not includ ...

: 22 August 1527 – 8 December 1528 Alonso de Estrada, Luis de la Torre : 9 December 1528 – 21 December 1529

Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán (Spanish) or (Catalan) is a masculine given name of Latin origin (, , , and so on). Its Portuguese form is . Its patronymic is (). Already in the Middle Ages the name was being confused with the similar but distinct name Munio. The meaning of ...

Juan Ortiz de Matienzo Juan Ortiz de Matienzo was a Spanish colonial judge and an original member of the first Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo, in 1512. From December 9, 1528 until January 9, 1531, he was a member of the first Real Audiencia of Mexico, which took over ...

Diego Delgadillo Diego Delgadillo (b. Granada, Spain, d. 1533, Granada) was a judge of the first Real Audiencia of Mexico, which took control of the governance of New Spain from the conquistadors from December 9, 1528 to January 9, 1531. Delgadillo was a native o ...

(the first Audiencia) : 21 December 1529 – 9 January 1531 Juan Ortiz de Matienzo,

(the first Audiencia) : 10 January 1531 – 16 April 1535

Sebastián Ramírez de Fuenleal Sebastián Ramírez de Fuenleal (, Villaescusa de Haro, Cuenca, Spain – January 22, 1547, Valladolid, Spain) was bishop of Santo Domingo ''(in Latin)'' and president of the Real Audiencia of Santo Domingo from 1528 to 1531. He was also ...

Vasco de Quiroga Vasco de Quiroga (1470/78 – 14 March 1565) was the first bishop of Michoacán, Mexico, and one of the judges (''oidores'') in the second Real Audiencia of Mexico – the high court that governed New Spain – from January 10, 1531, to April 16, ...

Juan de Salmerón Juan de Salmerón was a Spanish colonial official New Spain, and an ''oidor'' (judge) of the second Real Audiencia of Mexico, which governed the colony from January 10, 1531 until April 16, 1534. On the latter date, the government was turned over ...

Alonso de Maldonado Alonso de Maldonado Diez de Ledesma (1480 Salamanca, Spain), was a Spanish lawyer and a member of the second Real Audiencia of Mexico, which governed New Spain from January 10, 1531 to April 16, 1535. He was also president of the first Real Aud ...

Francisco Ceinos Francisco Ceinos (also spelled ''Francisco Ceynos'') was one of five ''oidores'' (judges) of the second Real Audiencia of Mexico. This group governed the colonies of New Spain from January 10, 1515 to April 16, 1535. Ceinos was also president o ...

(the second Audiencia)

Viceroys of New Spain (1535–1821)

The first Viceroy of New Spain was appointed in 1535 to consolidate the offices of the Governor of the Indies and the Governor of New Spain into a single office.

External links

List of viceroys and other colonial rulers
at the Mexican government site
Cronología de los Gobernantes de México 1325–2000
(Powerpoint) * List of Spanish colonial officials before the viceroyalty {{DEFAULTSORT:Viceroys Of New Spain, List Of *01 * *New Spain New Spain, viceroys Heads of state of Mexico History of New Spain Mexico history-related lists 16th-century Mexican people 17th-century Mexican people 18th-century Mexican people 19th-century Mexican people Viceroy of New Spain Viceroy of New Spain 16th-century monarchs in North America 17th-century monarchs in North America 18th-century monarchs in North America 19th-century monarchs in North America 1492 establishments in the Spanish Empire 1524 disestablishments in the Spanish Empire 1521 establishments in New Spain 1821 disestablishments in New Spain

Governor of the West Indies

Governor of New Spain

Viceroys of New Spain (1535–1821)

See also

External links