Andrés Díaz Venero de Leiva facts for kids

Andrés Díaz Venero de Leiva (1495 – 1578) was an important leader in the history of what is now Colombia. He was the very first president of the New Kingdom of Granada, a Spanish colony. He started this important job in 1564.

Early Life and Career

Andrés Díaz Venero de Leiva was born in 1495 in a place called El Castillo. This town was close to the port of Laredo in Spain, by the Cantabrian Sea. He came from a noble family.

He studied at the Colegio de Santa Cruz in Valladolid, Spain. Here, he worked as a "major convictor." This meant he was a layperson (not a priest) living in the college. Later, in 1548, he became a professor at the same college.

In 1554, he was chosen for a big job in Spain. He became a prosecutor and judge for the Accounting Council of Castile. This council handled important financial matters for the Spanish Crown.

Becoming President

In 1563, Venero de Leiva left Spain and traveled to the Americas. He arrived in Bogotá (which was then called Santa Fe) in February 1564.

Soon after arriving, he was given a very important role. He was appointed the first president of the Royal Audiencia of the New Kingdom of Granada. He served in this position from 1564 to 1574.

His Time as President

President Andrés Díaz Venero de Leiva's time in office was a big moment for the New Kingdom of Granada. He brought a new way of governing. His main goal was to make sure the Spanish Crown's power and interests were strong in the colony.

Improving Justice

One of his first actions was to improve the justice system. He wanted to make the Royal Court work better. He encouraged judges to work together and stop their arguments.

He also asked for clear records of all legal decisions and costs. This helped to fix problems with old, messy records. He made sure the court worked faster to handle cases. This helped people who were afraid to seek justice.

Helping Indigenous People

Venero de Leiva cared about the indigenous people. They were often treated unfairly by the "encomenderos" (Spanish settlers who controlled native labor). He reminded everyone about the rules for treating indigenous people well. He also set punishments for illegally selling their lands.

He sent judges to visit different areas to check on the indigenous communities. They looked at how indigenous people were connected to the encomenderos. They also checked and changed tax rates.

He stopped some unfair practices where indigenous people had to work for encomenderos without pay. He banned them from being used for herding, house work, or collecting fuel. He also tried to change how they worked in farming, but this was difficult due to pressure from the encomenderos.

When it came to mining, he knew that gold was very important for the economy. He decided to regulate the work of indigenous people in the mines. He said this work should be voluntary. Workers should get paid six grains of gold per day, plus food and tools. The workday was set at seven hours. After work, they had to be taught Christian lessons.

Building Churches and Schools

Venero de Leiva also worked to improve religious life. He noticed that many indigenous people still followed their old gods. There were also not enough priests. So, he asked for 40 more religious people from the San Francisco and Santo Domingo orders to come to the colony.

With the help of Archbishop Fray Juan de los Barrios, over 40 churches were built. They also started missions and schools that taught grammar, arts, and theology.

Trade and Economy

The president also took steps to improve trade. He helped merchants who were owed money by encomenderos. He allowed merchants to take the encomenderos' belongings if they didn't pay.

In 1566, he made sure that the Spanish Crown had control over trade. This was different from some cities that wanted to control trade in their own ports.

Personal Life and Death

Andrés Díaz Venero de Leiva was married to Mary Ondegardo and Zarate. They had nine children together.

He returned to Spain in late 1574. There, he was appointed to the Council of the Indies, an important group that advised the king on American affairs. He passed away in Madrid on July 1, 1578.

See Also

In Spanish: Andrés Díaz Venero de Leyva para niños