The Governorate 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 After the territorial division of South America between Spain and Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas (1494) the colonial administration of the continent was divided into Governorates. Caribbean and Tierra Firme * Governorate of Santo Doming ...

. It was created in 1549 by Spain in the area around the

. 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 th ...

was separated under a separate administration ( Asunción had been the capital of the governorate since Juan de Ayolas.) 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 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 ''Adelantado'' (, , ; meaning "advanced") was a title held by Spanish nobles in service of their respective kings during the Middle Ages. It was later used as a military title held by some Spanish ''conquistadores'' of the 15th, 16th and 17th cen ...

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 ...

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 Comma ...

, 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 ...

; Ft. Corpus Christi founded by Juan de Ayolas. Retires and dies mad en route home. *Governor Juan de Ayolas (1537–1539). In Paraguay. Asunción founded by Juan de Salazar de Espinoza. Killed by natives. * Lt. Governor Francisco Ruíz Galán (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 Francisco Ortiz de Vergara (Seville, 1524 – Ciudad Zaratina, 2 December 1574) was a Spanish conquistador and colonizer. He succeeded Gonzalo de Mendoza as governor of Rio de la Plata. He was elected, rather than appointed by the king or hi ...

(1558–1569). Elected by the colonists. Foundations fail at San Francisco, Sancti Spiritus, and Santa Cruz de la Sierra. 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 Juan Ortiz de Zárate (c. 1521 Orduña, Biscay ( Spain) – 1575 Asunción, ( Paraguay). was a Spanish Basque explorer and conquistador. He journeyed to the Americas as a teenager, where he took part in the conquest of Peru under Diego de Alm ...

(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).

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 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

(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

(1602–1609). Third time. First Jesuit Reduction established. Slave trade restricted. *Governor Diego Martín de Negrón (1609–1613). *Governor Mateo Leal de Ayala (1613–1615). *Governor

(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. There ...

(

) separated into a separate governorate in 1617.

Governors of Río de la Plata

*Governor

(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 destroyed by natives. *Governor Mendo de la Cueva y Benavidez (1637–1640). Defense of

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 (1641–1645). Ban of

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

attempted in governorate. *Governor Jacinto Lariz (1645–1653). Arrested. *Governor Pedro Baigorrí Ruiz (1653–1660). Three French ships successfully repelled from Buenos Aires.

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 E ...

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 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 pesos. 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. *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. *Governor Pedro Antonio de Cevallos (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 Dubouze ...

. Mail inaugurated between A Coruña 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 " Viceroyalt ...

and Intendancy of Buenos Aires in the Bourbon reforms.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Governorate of the Rio de la Plata Rio de la Plata * 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

Governors of New Andalusia

Governors of the Río de la Plata

Governors of the Río de la Plata and Paraguay

Governors of Río de la Plata

See also

References