The
Governorate
A governorate is an administrative division of a state. It is headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states or provinces, the term ''governorate'' is often used in translation from ...
of the
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata (, "river of silver"), also called the River Plate or La Plata River in English, is the estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River at Punta Gorda. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean and fo ...
(1549−1776) ( es, Gobernación del Río de la Plata, links=no, ) was one of the
governorates of the Spanish Empire. It was created in 1549 by Spain in the area around the
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata (, "river of silver"), also called the River Plate or La Plata River in English, is the estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River at Punta Gorda. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean and fo ...
.
It was at first simply a renaming of the
New Andalusia Governorate and included all of the land between 470 and 670
leagues south of the mouth of the
Río Santiago along the Pacific coast. After 1617,
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to ...
was separated under a separate administration (
Asunción
Asunción (, , , Guarani: Paraguay) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay.
The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of ...
had been the capital of the governorate since
Juan de Ayolas
Juan de Ayolas (died c. 1537) was a conquistador born in Briviesca who explored the watershed of the Río de la Plata for the Spanish Crown. He accompanied Pedro de Mendoza on his 1534 expedition to colonize the region between the Río de la Pla ...
.)
After the founding of the
Viceroyalty of Peru
The Viceroyalty of Peru ( es, Virreinato del Perú, links=no) was a Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in South America, governed fro ...
in 1542, the governorate was since its birth under its authority until the formation of the independent
Viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata
A viceroyalty was an entity headed by a viceroy. It dates back to the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the sixteenth century.
France
* Viceroyalty of New France
Portuguese Empire
In the scope of the Portuguese Empire, the term "Viceroyalty ...
in 1776. Similarly, it was under the jurisdiction of the
Royal Audience of Charcas
The Real Audiencia of Charcas ( es, Audiencia y Cancillería Real de La Plata de los Charcas) was a Spanish '' audiencia'' with its seat in what is today Bolivia. It was established in 1559 in Ciudad de la Plata de Nuevo Toledo (later Charcas, to ...
until the formation of the independent
Royal Audience of Buenos Aires from 1661 to 1671 and after 1783.
Governors of New Andalusia
*''
Adelantado''
Governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
,
Captain General
Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.
History
The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Command ...
, and
Chief Justicee Pedro de Mendoza
Pedro de Mendoza () (c. 1499 – June 23, 1537) was a Spanish ''conquistador'', soldier and explorer, and the first ''adelantado'' of New Andalusia.
Setting sail
Pedro de Mendoza was born in Guadix, Grenada, part of a large noble family that ...
(1534–1537). First founding of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South Am ...
; Ft.
Corpus Christi founded by
Juan de Ayolas
Juan de Ayolas (died c. 1537) was a conquistador born in Briviesca who explored the watershed of the Río de la Plata for the Spanish Crown. He accompanied Pedro de Mendoza on his 1534 expedition to colonize the region between the Río de la Pla ...
. Retires and dies mad en route home.
*Governor
Juan de Ayolas
Juan de Ayolas (died c. 1537) was a conquistador born in Briviesca who explored the watershed of the Río de la Plata for the Spanish Crown. He accompanied Pedro de Mendoza on his 1534 expedition to colonize the region between the Río de la Pla ...
(1537–1539). In Paraguay.
Asunción
Asunción (, , , Guarani: Paraguay) is the capital and the largest city of Paraguay.
The city stands on the eastern bank of the Paraguay River, almost at the confluence of this river with the Pilcomayo River. The Paraguay River and the Bay of ...
founded by
Juan de Salazar de Espinoza. Killed by natives.
*
Lt. Governor Francisco Ruíz Galán
Francisco is the Spanish and Portuguese form of the masculine given name ''Franciscus''.
Nicknames
In Spanish, people with the name Francisco are sometimes nicknamed " Paco". San Francisco de Asís was known as ''Pater Comunitatis'' (father of ...
(1537–1541). At Buenos Aires, prior to its abandonment.
*Governor
Domingo Martínez de Irala (1539–1541). Elected by the colonists.
*''Adelantado'' Governor
Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (1541–1544). Victorious campaign against
Guarani in 1542. Arrested and returned to Spain for trial.
Governors of the Río de la Plata
*Governor
Domingo Martínez de Irala (1544–1556). Encouraged his men to marry and keep concubines from local women. Two ''adelantados'' are unable to arrive from Spain and de Irala confirmed in his post by the king 1552. Died peacefully.
*Governor
Gonzalo de Mendoza (1556–1558).
Ciudad Real de Guayrá founded by
Ruy Díaz de Malgarejo in 1557. Died peacefully.
*Governor
Francisco Ortiz de Vergara (1558–1569). Elected by the colonists. Foundations fail at San Francisco, Sancti Spiritus, and
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra (; "Holy Cross of the Mountain Range"), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz department.
Situated on the Pirai River in the eastern Tropical Lowlands of Bolivia ...
. Arrested and returned to Spain for trial.
*Lt. Governor
Felipe de Cáceres (1569–1572). Appointed by
Royal Audience. Arrested and returned to Spain for trial.
*''Adelantado'' Governor
Juan Ortiz de Zárate (1572–1576). Sailed to Spain to confirm his election. Foundation of
Tucuman.
*Lt. Governor
Diego Ortiz de Zárate (1576–1578). Juan Ortiz leaves administration to his daughter Juana, but others ''de facto'' governors.
*Lt. Governor
Juan de Garay
Juan de Garay (1528–1583) was a Spanish conquistador.
Garay's birthplace is disputed. Some say it was in the city of Junta de Villalba de Losa in Castile, while others argue he was born in the area of Orduña (Basque Country). There's n ...
(1578–1583).
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South Am ...
refounded 1580.
*Lt. Governor
Alonso de Vera y Aragón (1583–1587). And ''de facto'' governor at Asunción until 1592.
*''Adelantado'' Governor
Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón (1587–1592).
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a panel of judges. A judge hears all the witnesses and any other evidence presented by the barristers or solicitors of the case, assesses the credibility ...
of the Royal Audience, married to Juana Ortiz de Zárate. Last appointed ''adelantado''.
Governors of the Río de la Plata and Paraguay
*Governor
Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (September 10, 1561 – 1634), commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first person born in the Americas to become a governor of a European colony in the New World,
...
("Hernandarias") (1592–1594).
*Governor
Fernando de Zárate (1594–1595).
*Governor
Juan Ramírez de Velasco (1596–1597).
*Governor
Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (September 10, 1561 – 1634), commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first person born in the Americas to become a governor of a European colony in the New World,
...
(1597–1599). Second time.
*Governor
Diego Rodríguez de Valdés y de la Banda (1599–1600).
*Governor
Francés de Beaumont (1600–1602). Appointment formalized 1601.
*Governor
Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (September 10, 1561 – 1634), commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first person born in the Americas to become a governor of a European colony in the New World,
...
(1602–1609). Third time. First
Jesuit Reduction
Reductions ( es, reducciones, also called ; , pl. ) were settlements created by Spanish rulers and Roman Catholic missionaries in Spanish America and the Spanish East Indies (the Philippines). In Portuguese-speaking Latin America, such redu ...
established. Slave trade restricted.
*Governor
Diego Martín de Negrón (1609–1613).
*Governor
Mateo Leal de Ayala (1613–1615).
*Governor
Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (September 10, 1561 – 1634), commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first person born in the Americas to become a governor of a European colony in the New World,
...
(1615–1617). Fourth time.
Guayrá
Guayrá (initially called Gobernación del Guayrá) was a historical region of the Spanish Empire, located in the Governorate of Paraguay, within the colonial Viceroyalty of Peru. The region is located in present-day Paraguay and Paraná.
Ther ...
(
Paraguay
Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to ...
) separated into a separate governorate in 1617.
Governors of Río de la Plata
*Governor
Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (September 10, 1561 – 1634), commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first person born in the Americas to become a governor of a European colony in the New World,
...
(1617–1618).
*Governor
Diego de Góngora (1618–1623). Found guilty ''post mortem'' of corruption, allowing trade in slaves and contraband to flourish.
*Governor
Alonso Pérez de Salazar (1623–1624).
*Governor
Francisco de Céspedes (1624–1631). Continued efforts to pacify the
Charrua.
*Governor
Pedro Esteban Dávila (1631–1637).
Concepción del Bermejo
Concepción del Bermejo is a village and municipality in Chaco Province in northern Argentina
Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Arge ...
destroyed by natives.
*Governor
Mendo de la Cueva y Benavidez (1637–1640). Defense of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South Am ...
improved. Expedition against the
Calchaquí The Calchaquí or Kalchakí were a tribe of South American Indians of the Diaguita group, now extinct, who formerly occupied northern Argentina. Stone and other remains prove them to have reached a high degree of civilization. Under the leadership ...
s.
Fort Santa Teresa erected.
*Governor
Ventura Mojica (or Mujica) (1640–1641).
*Governor
Andrés de Sandoval (1641).
*Governor
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera (Sevilla, Spain, 1528 – Lima, 17 August 1574) was a Spanish conquistador, early colonial governor over much of what today is northwestern Argentina, and founder of the city of Córdoba.
Life and times
Cabrera was b ...
(1641–1645). Ban of
Portuguese attempted in governorate.
*Governor
Jacinto Lariz (1645–1653). Arrested.
*Governor
Pedro Baigorrí Ruiz (1653–1660). Three French ships successfully repelled from Buenos Aires.
Calchaquí The Calchaquí or Kalchakí were a tribe of South American Indians of the Diaguita group, now extinct, who formerly occupied northern Argentina. Stone and other remains prove them to have reached a high degree of civilization. Under the leadership ...
s repelled from
Santa Fe.
*Governor
Alonso Mercado y Villacorta (1660–1663). Request to be able to send two trade ships annually denied.
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People ...
ships permitted to dock in Buenos Aires.
*Governor
Juan Martínez de Salazar (1663–1674). Continued requests for free commerce. The
Royal Audience of Buenos Aires briefly independent of the court at
Charcas.
*Governor
Andrés de Robles (1674–1678).
*Governor
José de Garro
Marcos José de Garro Senei de Artola, nicknamed "El Santo" ("The Saint"), (1623–1702) was a Spanish military man who served in many positions in the colonial administration of the Spanish Empire. He served as governor of Tucumán from 1675–16 ...
(1678–1682). Portuguese expelled from
Colonia de Sacramento in 1680.
*Governor
José Antonio de Herrera y Sotomayor (1682–1691).
Tucuman relocated.
*Governor
Agustín de Robles (1691–1698).
*Governor
Manuel de Prado y Maldonado (1698–1704). Visit from
Danish
Danish may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the country of Denmark
People
* A national or citizen of Denmark, also called a "Dane," see Demographics of Denmark
* Culture of Denmark
* Danish people or Danes, people with a Danish ance ...
squadron in Buenos Aires.
*Governor
Alonso Juan de Valdés e Inclán (1704–1708).
Colonia de Sacramento retaken.
*Governor
Manuel de Velasco y Tejada (1708–1712). Purchased office for 3000
peso
The peso is the monetary unit of several countries in the Americas, and the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries the peso uses the same sign, "$", as many currencies named "dollar" ...
s. Arrested.
*Governor
Juan José de Muliloa (1712).
*Governor
Alonso de Arce y Soria (1712–1714). Buys the position for 18,000 pesos. Dies five months later.
*Governor
José Bermúdez de Castro (1714–1715).
*Governor
Baltasar García Ros (1715–1717). Colonia del Sacramento returned to the Portuguese. Campaigns against the
Charrua,
Yaro, and
Bohanes.
*Governor
Bruno Mauricio de Zabala (1717–1734). Portuguese removed from
Montevideo
Montevideo () is the capital and largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2011 census, the city proper has a population of 1,319,108 (about one-third of the country's total population) in an area of . Montevideo is situated on the southern coa ...
.
*Governor
Miguel de Salcedo y Sierraalta (1734–1742). Expulsion of foreigners from Buenos Aires ordered. Failed attempt to retake Colonia del Sacramento.
*Governor
Domingo Ortíz de Rozas (1742–1745). Refortified Montevideo.
*Governor
José de Andonaegui (1745–1756). First mail delivery opened with
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
and
Potosí
Potosí, known as Villa Imperial de Potosí in the colonial period, is the capital city and a municipality of the Department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the highest cities in the world at a nominal . For centuries, it was the location o ...
.
*Governor
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos Cortés y Calderón, also spelled Ceballos (29 June 1715 – 26 December 1778), was a Spanish military Governor of Buenos Aires between 1757 and 1766, and the first Viceroy of the Río de la Plata in 1776.
Biograph ...
(or Ceballos) (1756–1766). Colonia del Sacramento retaken.
*Governor
Francisco de Paula Bucarelli y Ursúa (1766–1770). English expelled from the
Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands (; es, Islas Malvinas, link=no ) is an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean on the Patagonian Shelf. The principal islands are about east of South America's southern Patagonian coast and about from Cape Dubou ...
. Mail inaugurated between
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and ...
and the Río de la Plata.
*Governor
Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo
Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo (1719 in Mérida, Yucatán – 1799 in Madrid, Spain) was a Spanish colonial politician born in New Spain, and Viceroy of the Río de la Plata.
Biography
Son of a prominent peninsular politician, he studied i ...
(1770–1776). After which, the governorate is replaced by the
Viceroyalty
A viceroyalty was an entity headed by a viceroy. It dates back to the Spanish conquest of the Americas in the sixteenth century.
France
*Viceroyalty of New France
Portuguese Empire
In the scope of the Portuguese Empire, the term " Viceroyalty ...
and
Intendancy of Buenos Aires in the
Bourbon reforms.
See also
*
History of Argentina
The history of Argentina can be divided into four main parts: the pre-Columbian time or early history (up to the sixteenth century), the colonial period (1536–1809), the period of nation-building (1810–1880), and the history of modern Argenti ...
*
History of Paraguay
*
History of Uruguay
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Governorate of the Rio de la Plata
Rio de la Plata
Rio or Río is the Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, and Maltese word for "river". When spoken on its own, the word often means Rio de Janeiro, a major city in Brazil.
Rio or Río may also refer to:
Geography Brazil
* Rio de Janeiro
* Rio do Sul, a ...
*
Spanish colonization of the Americas
.
Former political divisions related to Argentina
1549 establishments in the Viceroyalty of Peru
1776 disestablishments in the Viceroyalty of Peru
1776 disestablishments in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
States and territories established in 1549
States and territories disestablished in 1776
16th century in the Viceroyalty of Peru
17th century in the Viceroyalty of Peru
18th century in the Viceroyalty of Peru
18th century in Argentina