Luis de Velasco y Ruiz de Alarcón (1511 – July 31, 1564) was the second
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 Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...
of
New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( ; Nahuatl: ''Yankwik Kaxtillan Birreiyotl''), originally the Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain. It was one of several ...
during the
Spanish colonization of the Americas
The Spanish colonization of the Americas began in 1493 on the Caribbean island of Hispaniola (now Haiti and the Dominican Republic) after the initial 1492 voyage of Genoa, Genoese mariner Christopher Columbus under license from Queen Isabella ...
in the mid-sixteenth century.
Biography
Velasco was born in the town of
Carrión de los Condes, in the province of
Palencia
Palencia () is a city of Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populated municipality of the province of Palencia.
Located in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula, in the northern half of ...
, in 1511. The son of a wealthy nobleman, Velasco received formal education at a young age. By 1547, he had become viceroy and leader of Spain's armed forces in the
Kingdom of Navarre
The Kingdom of Navarre ( ), originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, occupied lands on both sides of the western Pyrenees, with its northernmost areas originally reaching the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay), between present-day Spain and France.
The me ...
.
Impressed with Velasco's achievements and loyalty to the Spanish crown, Emperor
Charles V Charles V may refer to:
Kings and Emperors
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
Others
* Charles V, Duke ...
(King Charles I of Spain) sent him to New Spain, in 1550, to deal with problems in the Spanish colonies, among them slavery and the
encomienda
The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish Labour (human activity), labour system that rewarded Conquistador, conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. In theory, the conquerors provided the labourers with benefits, including mil ...
system. He was accompanied by his son,
Luis de Velasco, marqués de Salinas, himself a future viceroy of New Spain. Velasco replaced the previous viceroy,
Antonio de Mendoza
Antonio de Mendoza (1495 – 21 July 1552) was a Spanish colonial administrator who was the first viceroy of New Spain, serving from 14 November 1535 to 25 November 1550, and the second viceroy of Peru, from 23 September 1551, until his d ...
.
Mendoza had been given his choice of the Viceroyalty of Mexico or of Peru, with Velasco to fill the other office. Velasco arrived at
San Juan de Ulúa
San Juan de Ulúa, now known as Castle of San Juan de Ulúa, is a large complex of fortresses, prisons and one former palace on an island of the same name in the Gulf of Mexico overlooking the seaport of Veracruz, Mexico. Juan de Grijalva' ...
, New Spain on August 23, 1550. He spent the month of September in
Puebla
Puebla, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Puebla, is one of the 31 states that, along with Mexico City, comprise the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 217 municipalities and its capital is Puebla City. Part of east-centr ...
, while Mendoza was making his choice. Finally the two men decided to meet in
Cholula, and there Mendoza chose Peru. On November 25, 1550, Velasco made his official entry into
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
, thus becoming Viceroy of New Spain. He served until his death there on July 31, 1564.
Velasco helped the natives defend themselves against the abuses of gold-mining slave owners, and released 15,000 Indian slaves.
On January 25, 1553, Velasco inaugurated the
Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico
The Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico () was a university founded on 21 September 1551 by Royal Decree signed by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles I of Spain, in Valladolid, Spain. It is generally considered the first university fou ...
. He commissioned the founding of the towns of San Miguel el Grande (now
San Miguel de Allende
San Miguel de Allende () is the principal city in the Municipalities of Mexico, municipality of San Miguel de Allende (municipality), San Miguel de Allende, located in the far eastern part of Guanajuato, Mexico. A part of the Bajío region, the t ...
),
Durango
Durango, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Durango, is one of the 31 states which make up the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico, situated in the northwest portion of the country. With a population of 1,832,650 ...
(1563),
San Felipe de Ixtlahuaca, and
Nombre de Dios. He also instituted public services such as hospitals and law enforcement for the natives.
In 1558, Mexico experienced its first large flood of the Spanish era, and afterwards an epidemic. The Viceroy did everything in his power to aid the many victims.
Up to 1560, Velasco governed with unlimited authority. Although he had committed no abuses, in that year the
Audiencia and other powerful Spaniards attempted to influence the emperor to limit the authority of the Viceroy by requiring prior authorization of his actions by the Audiencia.
In his final years, Velasco focused his efforts on establishing settlements in Florida, exploring the Pacific Ocean and searching for more riches for the Empire. In 1559, Velasco sent a fleet of 13 ships under the command of
Tristán de Luna y Arellano
Tristán de Luna y Arellano (1510 – September 16, 1573) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador of the 16th century.Herbert Ingram Priestley, Tristan de Luna: Conquistador of the Old South: A Study of Spanish Imperial Strategy (1936). http://pa ...
to establish settlements on the eastern coast of Florida. The expedition failed when the settlements were struck by hunger and quarrels with hostile native warriors. The Spaniards were forced to abandon them.
In early 1564, Velasco commissioned
Miguel López de Legazpi
Miguel López de Legazpi (12 June 1502 – 20 August 1572), also known as ''Adelantado, El Adelantado'' and ''El Viejo'' (The Elder), was a Spanish conquistador who financed and led an expedition to conquer the Philippines, Philippine islan ...
and
Andrés de Urdaneta
Andres or Andrés may refer to:
* Andres, Illinois, an unincorporated community in Will County, Illinois, US
* Andres, Pas-de-Calais, a commune in Pas-de-Calais, France
*Andres (name)
Andres or Andrés is a male given name. It can also be a ...
to lead an expedition across the Pacific to the Spice Islands, where
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan ( – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer best known for having planned and led the 1519–22 Spanish expedition to the East Indies. During this expedition, he also discovered the Strait of Magellan, allowing his fl ...
and
Ruy López de Villalobos
Ruy López de Villalobos (; – 23 April 1546) was a Spanish explorer who led a failed attempt to colonize the Philippines in 1544, attempting to assert Spanish control there under the terms of the treaties of Tordesillas and Zaragoza. U ...
had landed in 1521 and 1543. Velasco died in 1564. At his death, it was found that instead of enriching himself in office, he had gone into debt out of his concern for the poor and the Indians. He was succeeded by
Francisco Ceinos as interim viceroy in 1564, and by
Gastón de Peralta, marqués de Falces as permanent viceroy in 1566.
References
* "Velasco, Luis de," ''Enciclopedia de México'', v. 14. Mexico City, 1988.
* García Puron, Manuel, ''México y sus gobernantes''. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984.
* Orozco Linares, Fernando, ''Gobernantes de México''. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, .
{{DEFAULTSORT:Velasco, Luis de
Viceroys of New Spain
Viceroys of Navarre
1511 births
1564 deaths
People from Carrión de los Condes
16th-century Mexican people
16th-century Spanish people