Baltasar de la Cueva, Count of Castellar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Don Baltasar de la Cueva Count of Castellar Marquis of Malagón
Viceroy of Peru
In office August 15, 1674 – July 7, 1678
Monarch	Charles II
Preceded by	Bernardo de Iturriaza
Succeeded by	Melchor Liñán y Cisneros
Personal details
Born	1626 Madrid
Died	April 2, 1686

Baltasar de la Cueva y Enríquez de Cabrera (born in Madrid in 1626 – died April 2, 1686) was an important Spanish official. He held the title of Count of Castellar and Marquis of Malagón. From August 15, 1674, to July 7, 1678, he served as the Viceroy of Peru. A viceroy was like a governor who ruled a large area, called a viceroyalty, on behalf of the King of Spain.

Baltasar de la Cueva was the younger son of a powerful family, the Dukes of Alburquerque. His brother, Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, also became a viceroy, but in New Spain (which is now Mexico). Baltasar married Teresa María Arias de Saavedra, who was the Countess of Castellar.

Being Viceroy: Baltasar de la Cueva's Time in Peru

When Baltasar de la Cueva arrived in Peru on August 11, 1674, he was welcomed with big celebrations. There were even bullfights in the port of Callao and later in Lima.

New Rules for Holidays

On November 15, 1674, Viceroy Cueva told the Spanish King that there were too many holidays in Peru. He said that with all the regular and religious holidays, almost half the year was a day off! This made it hard for people to work. So, on May 14, 1676, the King agreed to reduce the number of holidays.

During his time as viceroy, the laws that governed the Spanish colonies, called the "Laws of the Indies," were put together into one collection.

Protecting the Pacific Coast

Viceroy Cueva also worked to keep the Pacific coast of Peru safe. He was worried about English and Dutch ships trying to enter Spanish territory. There were rumors that the English had set up secret bases in the fjords and channels of Patagonia, far to the south.

Exploring Patagonia's Coast

To check these rumors, Viceroy Cueva sent an expedition in 1674. Bartolomé Gallardo led this trip from Chiloé, going as far south as the Gulf of Penas. A local guide named Cristóbal Talcapillán helped them.

In 1675, Cueva sent an even bigger expedition led by Antonio de Vea. This group explored western Patagonia from 1675 to 1676. They found out that the rumors about English bases were not true. It turned out that Cristóbal Talcapillán had made up stories to please the Spanish. While the expedition was away, over 8,000 men in Peru were ready to defend the coast if needed. People also gave a lot of money to help pay for the defense.

Sixteen men from the expedition disappeared in February 1676 near the Evangelistas Islets. Viceroy Cueva ordered officials in Chile and Buenos Aires to look for them, but no one ever found out what happened. It's thought their boat was lost in a big storm. Cristóbal Talcapillán, the guide who lied, was punished for his deception.

The Story of Pedro Bohórquez

During Viceroy Cueva's time, a strange event happened involving a man named Pedro Bohórquez. He was a farmer from Quito (or Spain, some say). Stories were going around that the local people had hidden huge amounts of treasure in caves and lakes long ago.

The "Inca Prince" Deception

Pedro Bohórquez used these rumors to trick people. He claimed he was Inca Hualpa, a descendant of the ancient Inca ruler Atahualpa, and a prince of the Andes. He spoke the local language, Quechua, perfectly. The local tribes in San Miguel de Tucumán (in what is now Argentina) believed him and accepted him as their prince.

Bohórquez told the governor of Río de la Plata, Alonso Mercado y Villacorta, that he knew where the hidden treasures were. But he said he could only get the information if the governor recognized him as the "Prince of the Land." The governor fell for the trick! He even allowed the local people to declare Bohórquez their prince and went to meet him.

The Uprising and Its End

When Viceroy Cueva heard about this trick, he ordered Bohórquez to be arrested. Bohórquez then went back to his followers in the Andes. He told them the Spanish had betrayed him and encouraged them to fight. The Calchaquí people took up arms, but they were defeated. Many survivors were forced to work for the Spanish. Other tribes were moved from their homes to faraway places. For example, the Quilmes tribe was moved to Buenos Aires, where a town still has their name today. Bohórquez was eventually caught and faced serious consequences for his actions.

Some stories even say that Bohórquez had tricked Viceroy Cueva earlier. He made the viceroy believe he had found a "fabulous country" with "gold palaces." The viceroy was fooled and gave him 36 soldiers, but Bohórquez then disappeared.

Leaving Office

Viceroy Cueva had some disagreements with the powerful merchants in Peru. Because of these conflicts, he was removed from his position. On July 7, 1678, Archbishop Melchor Liñán y Cisneros took over as the new viceroy. Baltasar de la Cueva passed away in 1686.

A Visitor from Afar

During Viceroy Cueva's time, a special visitor arrived in Peru. His name was Ilyas ibn Hanna al-Mawsili (Elias, son of John of Mosul). He was a Chaldean Christian from the Middle East. He left Spain on February 13, 1675, and was likely the first Assyrian person to visit the Americas. His goal was to collect money to fix an Assyrian church in Baghdad and help his community. Ilyas traveled widely in Peru and became friends with Viceroy Cueva in Lima.