The
Governorate
A governorate or governate is an administrative division headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states or provinces, the term ''governorate'' is typically used to calque divisions ...
of the
Río de la Plata (1549−1776) (, ) was one of the
governorates of the Spanish Empire
After the 1494 territorial division of South America between Spain and Portugal in the Treaty of Tordesillas, the colonial administration of the continent was divided into Governorates.
Caribbean and Tierra Firme
* Captaincy General of Santo D ...
. It was created in 1549 by Spain in the area around the
Río de la Plata.
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, is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the Argentina–Paraguay border, south and southwest, Brazil to the Brazil–Paraguay border, east and northeast, and Boli ...
was separated under a separate administration (
Asunción
Asunción (, ) 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 Asunción in the north ...
had been the capital of the governorate since
Juan de Ayolas.)
After the founding of the
Viceroyalty of Peru
The Viceroyalty of Peru (), officially known as the Kingdom of Peru (), was a Monarchy of Spain, Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in ...
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 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 politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...
,
Captain General, and
Chief justice Pedro de Mendoza (1534–1537). First founding of
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
; Fort Corpus Christi founded by
Juan de Ayolas. Retires and dies mad en route home.
*Governor
Juan de Ayolas (1537–1539). Resided in Paraguay, where
Asunción
Asunción (, ) 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 Asunción in the north ...
was founded by
Juan de Salazar de Espinoza. Killed by natives.
*
Lt. Governor Francisco Ruíz Galán (1537–1541). Resided at Buenos Aires, prior to its abandonment.
*Governor
Domingo Martínez de Irala (1539–1541). Elected by the colonists, disputed the authority of Galán.
*''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 (; ), commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the largest city in Bolivia and the capital of the Santa Cruz Department (Bolivia), Santa Cruz department.
Situated on the Pirai River (Bolivia), Pirai River in the eastern Tropical ...
. 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.
*Lt. Governor
Martín Suárez de Toledo (1572-1574). Acting
*''Adelantado'' Governor
Juan Ortiz de Zárate (1574–1576). Sailed to Spain to confirm his election. Foundation of
Tucuman.
*Lt. Governor
Diego Ortiz de Zárate (1576–1578). Juan Ortiz left the administration to his daughter Juana, but others ''de facto'' governed.
*Lt. Governor
Juan de Garay (1578–1583).
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
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 wiktionary:preside, presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a judicial panel. In an adversarial system, the judge hears all the witnesses and any other Evidence (law), evidence presented by the barris ...
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 ("Hernandarias") (1592–1594).
*Governor
Fernando de Zárate (1594–1595).
*Governor
Juan Ramírez de Velasco (1596–1597).
*Governor
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (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 (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
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1615–1617). Fourth time.
Guayrá was separated into a separate
Governorate of Paraguay in 1617.
Governors of Río de la Plata
*Governor
Hernando Arias de Saavedra (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
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
improved. Expedition against the
Calchaquís. Fort Santa Teresa erected.
*Governor
Ventura Mojica (or Mujica) (1640–1641).
*Governor
Andrés de Sandoval (1641).
*Governor
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera y Garay (1641–1645). Expulsion 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.
Calchaquís repelled from
Santa Fe.
*Governor
Alonso Mercado y Villacorta (1660–1663). Request to be able to send two trade ships annually denied.
Dutch 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 (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). Repelled Portuguese attack against
Montevideo
Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
.
*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 western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
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 (; ), commonly referred to as The Falklands, 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 from Cape Dub ...
. Mail inaugurated between
A Coruña and the Río de la Plata.
*Governor
Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo (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 colonization of the Americas in the sixteenth century.
British Empire India
* British Raj, India was governed by the Governor-General of India, Governor-General and Vi ...
and
Intendancy of Buenos Aires in the
Bourbon reforms.
See also
*
History of Argentina
*
History of Paraguay
*
History of Uruguay
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