Alonso de Figueroa y Córdoba facts for kids

Alonso de Figueroa y Cordova (born around 1589 in Spain, died 1652) was a Spanish soldier. During the time of Philip IV of Spain, he briefly served as the Captain General and Royal Governor of Chile. He was also the president of the Royal Court of Chile. His time as governor lasted for 13 months, from April 1649 to May 1650. He was the grandfather of a Chilean historian named Pedro de Cordoba y Figueroa.

Early Life

Figueroa was born in Cordoba, Spain. He became a soldier in Lisbon, Portugal. In 1605, when he was about 16 years old, he arrived in Chile. He joined a group of a thousand soldiers led by General Antonio de Mosquera. These soldiers came from the Iberian Peninsula to help with the Arauco War in Chile.

Over the next few years, Alonso de Figueroa moved up in the army. This army was fighting on the border with the Mapuche people. He became an alferez (a junior officer) and then a captain of both infantry (foot soldiers) and cavalry (soldiers on horseback). Later, he became a general commissioner of cavalry. By 1625, he reached the high rank of Maestro de Campo, which was a top military leader. He also served as Corregidor (a local administrator) of Concepcion. This was during the time when Laso de la Vega was governor. Just before he died, Governor Martín de Mujica y Buitrón trusted Figueroa a lot. He appointed him to the important job of Governor of Valdivia.

Governorship

Alonso de Figueroa's appointment as Governor of Chile was one of the last decisions made by the viceroy of Peru, Pedro Alvarez de Toledo y Leiva. The viceroy sent a list of three possible names for the governor position to Chile. Figueroa was the only one on the list who was still alive. He officially became governor in Concepcion in May 1649.

He planned to start a new military campaign against the Mapuche people. He also asked Peru for more resources to help with this. However, in Lima, the new viceroy, García Sarmiento de Sotomayor, decided not to confirm Figueroa in his role. This happened in July 1649. This decision made Figueroa less enthusiastic about his big plans.

But fighting continued, which soon forced him to move his troops. On December 24, a fort near Valdivia was attacked by local native groups. They were guided by a Spanish army deserter. The attack was successful for the Mapuche. Almost all the soldiers in the fort died, and those who survived were taken prisoner. The fort's wooden fence was also set on fire. Further south, a Jesuit priest named Agustín Villaza was kidnapped.

Figueroa then moved troops to the areas around Valdivia and Boroa. He also landed a strong force in Carelmapu. This force was led by Ignacio de la Carrera Iturgoyen, who had just been named Governor of Chiloé. His orders were to go onto the mainland and fight the tribes near Osorno.

This was the situation in Chile on May 4, 1650. On that day, a ship arrived in Concepcion carrying the new governor, Francisco Antonio de Acuña Cabrera y Bayona. This marked the end of Figueroa's time as governor. Alonso de Figueroa y Córdoba was later named president of the Royal Court of Santa Fe de Bogota in 1652. However, he had already passed away when the news of this appointment reached him.

Sources

• José Toribio Medina, Diccionario biográfico colonial de Chile, Impr. Elziviriana, Santiago, 1906, Pj. 210–211.
• Guillermo Coz y Méndez, Historia de Concepción, Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes, Alicante, 2002

See also

In Spanish: Alonso de Figueroa y Córdoba para niños