Alonso de Benavides, OFM ( pt, Afonso de Benavides) (c.1578-1635) was a Portuguese

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

missionary active in

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Tiguex , OfficialLang = None , Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ke ...

, in the early part of the seventeenth century. His use of the term '' Navaho'' is said to be the first printed reference.

Life

He was born on

São Miguel Island São Miguel Island (; Portuguese for "Saint Michael"), nicknamed "The Green Island" (''Ilha Verde''), is the largest and most populous island in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The island covers and has around 140,000 inhabitants, wi ...

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...

. He came to New Spain in 1598, and professed in the Franciscan convent of Mexico in 1603. After acting as master of novices at the convent of Puebla, he became

Custos {{Wiktionary, custos ''Custos'' is the Latin word for guard. Titles * Custos rotulorum ("keeper of the rolls"), a civic post in parts of the United Kingdom and in Jamaica * Custos (Franciscans), a religious superior or official in the Fran ...

of the Missions of New Mexico, 1626-9. He founded a mission in 1627 at what is now

Santa Clara Pueblo, New Mexico Santa Clara Pueblo (in Tewa: Khaʼpʼoe Ówîngeh ɑ̀ʔp’òː ʔówîŋgè ″Singing Water Village″, also known as ″Village of Wild Roses″ is a census-designated place (CDP) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, United States and a federall ...

. With the support of the King of Spain, and helped by Fray Esteban de Peréa, he secured a reinforcement of missionaries there. He travelled to Spain in 1630 and there was in communication with María de Ágreda He acted as confessor to

Francisco de Melo Dom Francisco de Melo (1597 – 18 December 1651) was a Portuguese nobleman who served as a Spanish general during the Thirty Years' War. Biography Francisco was born in Estremoz, Portugal. From 1632 to 1636 he had been Spanish ambassador to th ...

, 1633-5. Back in Spain in 1635, he was appointed auxiliary Archbishop of Goa; he died on the eastward sea journey.

Works

In order to raise interest in New Mexico he wrote and published two booklets, exaggerated in regard to the number of Indians, but otherwise of value for the ethnography and ethnology of New Mexico. His account of the numbers of people and villages may have been influenced by data taken from

Antonio de Espejo Antonio de Espejo (1540–1585) was a Spanish explorer who led an expedition into New Mexico and Arizona in 1582–83.pg 189 - The expedition created interest in establishing a Spanish colony among the Pueblo Indians of the Rio Grande valley ...

.http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/pueblo/tewaindianhist.htm, on the

Tewa The Tewa are a linguistic group of Pueblo Native Americans who speak the Tewa language and share the Pueblo culture. Their homelands are on or near the Rio Grande in New Mexico north of Santa Fe. They comprise the following communities: * ...

. He published "Relación de los grandes Tesoros espirituales y temporales descubiertos con el auxilio de Dios en el Nuevo Mexico", in 1630, and is best known through the "Memorial que Fray Juan de Santander de la orden de San Francisco &c. presenta á la Majestad Católica del Rey" (Madrid, 1630 translated into various languages and republished).

Sources

*''Memorial'' (Madrid, 1630 ); *Pinelo, ''Epitome'' (Madrid, 1738), II; * Beristain, ''Biblioteca, etc. Mexico'', 1816), II; * Vetancourt, ''Teatro mexican'' (Mexico, 1698); especially ''Cronica de la Provincia del Santo Evangelio de Mexico''; bandelier, Final Report, etc., I and II.

References

;Attribution *

External links

''Handbook of Texas Online''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benavides, Alonso De 1570s births 1635 deaths Portuguese Friars Minor Portuguese Roman Catholic missionaries People from São Miguel Island 16th-century Portuguese people 17th-century Portuguese people Franciscan missionaries Roman Catholic missionaries in New Spain Roman Catholic missionaries in the United States es:Alonso de Benavides#top