Antonio de Mendoza facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Antonio de Mendoza
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| 1st Viceroy of New Spain | |
| In office 14 November 1535 – 25 November 1550 |
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| Monarch | Charles I of Spain |
| Succeeded by | Luís de Velasco |
| 2nd Viceroy of Peru | |
| In office 23 September 1551 – 21 July 1552 |
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| Monarch | Charles I of Spain |
| Preceded by | Pedro de la Gasca |
| Succeeded by | Melchor Bravo de Saravia |
| Personal details | |
| Pronunciation | /mɛnˈdoʊzə/, Spanish: [anˈtonjo ðe menˈdosa] |
| Born |
Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco
c. 1495 Alcalá la Real, Jaén, Spain |
| Died | 21 July 1552 (aged 56–57) Lima, Viceroyalty of Peru |
Antonio de Mendoza (born around 1495 – died 21 July 1552) was an important Spanish leader. He was the first viceroy of New Spain (which is now Mexico). He served in this role from 1535 to 1550. Later, he became the third viceroy of Peru in 1551, serving until his death in 1552.
Mendoza was born in Alcalá la Real, a town in Spain. His father was the Count of Tendilla. Antonio de Mendoza was married to María Ana de Trujillo de Mendoza.
Contents
Viceroy of New Spain: A New Leader for a New Land
Antonio de Mendoza became the Viceroy of New Spain in 1535. He governed for 15 years, which was longer than any other viceroy after him. A viceroy was like a "vice-king," representing the Spanish king in the new lands.
When Mendoza arrived, the land had just been conquered by Spain. There were many challenges. The native people were restless, and the Spanish conquerors often argued among themselves. Mendoza's main job was to rule for the king without upsetting Hernán Cortés. Cortés had led the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire and expected to be the main ruler. However, King Charles V and his advisors thought Cortés was too independent. So, they sent Mendoza to establish royal authority.
Mendoza was a noble, and his family was very loyal to the Spanish crown. This made him a good choice for such an important job. He also made sure to form alliances with powerful Spanish settlers by arranging marriages. This helped to build a strong society in New Spain.
Building New Institutions
Mendoza worked with Bishop Juan de Zumárraga to create important schools. In 1536, they founded the Colegio de Santa Cruz in Tlatelolco. Here, the sons of Aztec nobles learned subjects like Latin, rhetoric, philosophy, and music.
In 1552, they also established the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico. This university was based on the famous University of Salamanca in Spain. It trained young men for the Catholic Church. These were the first and second universities in the mainland of the Americas.
Mendoza also started the minting of silver and copper coins in 1536. These coins were called macuquinas. In 1539, he brought the first printing press to the New World. The printer was Juan Pablos. The first book printed in Mexico was La Escala Espiritual de San Juan Clímaco. On 18 May 1541, Mendoza also founded the city of Valladolid, which is now called Morelia.
Handling New Laws and Rebellions
The Spanish king issued new rules called the New Laws. These laws limited the power of the encomenderos, who were Spanish conquerors given control over native labor. The new laws meant that these grants could not be passed down forever.
In Peru, trying to enforce these laws led to a rebellion and even the killing of the viceroy there. Mendoza was very careful in New Spain. He used a policy called obedezco pero no cumplo ("I obey but do not comply"). This meant he respected the king's authority, but he chose not to fully enforce the parts of the laws that would cause too much trouble. This helped keep New Spain stable and peaceful.
In 1542, a large uprising of native people called the Mixtón Rebellion happened in northwestern Mexico. It was a serious threat. Mendoza himself had to lead soldiers to stop the rebellion. The uprising was put down, and those who rebelled faced harsh punishments. In 1548, he also stopped an uprising by the Zapotec people.
Exploring New Lands
As viceroy, Mendoza sent out several important expeditions:
- In 1540–42, he sent Francisco Vásquez de Coronado to explore and settle lands in northern New Spain.
- In 1542–43, he sent Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo to explore the western coast of what is now Alta California.
- In 1542–43, he sent Ruy López de Villalobos to the Philippines.
Mendoza also ordered the creation of an important Aztec manuscript, which was later named the Codex Mendoza after him.
During his time as viceroy, Mendoza made the king's power stronger across New Spain. He also limited the power of the first conquistadors. Many of the rules and ideas he put in place lasted throughout the entire colonial period. He encouraged building hospitals and schools. He also helped improve farming, ranching, and mining. His leadership brought much stability and peace to New Spain.
His successor as viceroy of New Spain was Don Luís de Velasco. It is said that Mendoza's advice to him was: "Do little and do that slowly."
Viceroy of Peru: A Short Term
On 4 July 1549, King Charles V named Mendoza the viceroy of Peru. He traveled from Mexico, across Panama, and then by boat to Peru. He started his new job on 25 November 1550. However, he soon became very ill and died in 1552. He is buried in the Cathedral of Lima, next to Francisco Pizarro, the Spanish conqueror of Peru.
Cape Mendocino in California was named in his honor in 1565. Later, Mendocino County, the town of Mendocino, and Mendocino National Forest were also named after him.
See also
In Spanish: Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco para niños
