Bernardino de Cárdenas facts for kids

Bernardino de Cárdenas (born around 1579, died 1668) was a religious leader from the Franciscan order. He became a bishop in places like Asunción and later Santa Cruz de la Sierra. He even served as the Governor of Paraguay for a short time in 1649. Cárdenas is known for trying to remove the Jesuits (another religious group) from Paraguay. However, this didn't last, and he lost his position after a battle against armies led by the Jesuits.

Early Life of Bernardino de Cárdenas

Bernardino was born as Cristóbal de Cárdenas in La Paz, which was then called Upper Peru (today's Bolivia). He studied religion at a Jesuit school in Lima. When he joined the Franciscan order, he changed his name to Bernardino.

Cárdenas worked at a religious house in Chuquisaca from 1614 to 1620. He also served as a missionary among the Quechua people from 1621 to 1627. During this time, he traveled a lot through what is now Peru and Bolivia.

His work impressed important officials, and he was chosen to be the Bishop of Paraguay in 1638. It took until 1641 for him to travel to Córdoba to officially become a bishop. There was a small problem: the Bishop of Córdoba was a Jesuit, and some believed only the Pope could make someone a bishop. Despite this, Cárdenas was made a bishop and then left for Asunción.

Conflict with Governor Hinestrosa

Cárdenas arrived in Asunción the same year as the new governor, Gregorio de Hinestrosa. Both men were strong-willed, and a power struggle quickly began between them. This conflict soon included the Jesuit Fathers, who managed nearby missions.

At first, Cárdenas spoke highly of the Jesuits. But the Jesuits eventually sided with Governor Hinestrosa. This made Cárdenas criticize the Jesuits. He claimed they were teaching wrong ideas to the local people. In September 1644, he even threatened to kick them out of the area.

Many settlers in Paraguay liked Cárdenas's stance. They often disliked the Jesuit missions because they were seen as business rivals. Governor Hinestrosa then used armies of local people from the Jesuit missions to take control. He forced the local church to remove Cárdenas as bishop, saying his appointment was not valid. Cárdenas was then sent away from Paraguay in November 1644.

Cárdenas went to Corrientes, where he continued to argue against Hinestrosa through letters and public messages. His fellow Franciscans supported him. However, the Jesuits gained the support of the Viceroy of Peru, Pedro de Toledo. The viceroy ordered Cárdenas to explain his actions to a court. Cárdenas refused, saying he was too old and sick, and stayed in Corrientes.

In 1647, Cárdenas met the new Governor of Paraguay, Diego de Escobar y Osorio. He convinced the new governor to let him return to Paraguay. Cárdenas and Osorio traveled to Asunción, and Cárdenas was made bishop again. The situation in Paraguay remained tense but stable for two years.

Cárdenas as Governor of Paraguay

On February 22, 1649, Governor Osorio died. An old rule from 1537 allowed Paraguay to elect its own governor if the current one died. On March 4, a crowd of about 250 people in Asunción elected Bishop Cárdenas as governor. Cárdenas reportedly said, "the voice of the people is the voice of God."

Just two days later, on March 6, Cárdenas ordered the Jesuits to leave the area. The local council and most of the people agreed. As soon as the order was announced, a crowd broke into the Jesuit school in Asunción. They forced the friars out and stole valuable items from the building.

Most of the Spanish Empire reacted negatively to Cárdenas's actions. The new Viceroy of Peru, the Count of Salvatierra, ordered Cárdenas to return the Jesuits. He also declared that Sebastián de León y Zárate, who had been Hinestrosa's assistant, should be the temporary Governor of Paraguay.

León y Zárate, who was at the Jesuit missions, returned to Asunción but was not allowed into the city. He went back to the missions and gathered an army of 700 local people. Cárdenas, in response, gathered several hundred Paraguayan soldiers. The two sides fought a short battle on October 5, 1649. The Paraguayans lost completely. Twenty-two settlers died, and many more were hurt.

Cárdenas was captured by León y Zárate. The people of Asunción felt humiliated by an army of local people occupying their city. Cárdenas was eventually sent away from Paraguay to Upper Peru.

Luckily for Cárdenas, the Jesuits were losing favor in the royal courts of Spain. This was partly because the Jesuits had supported Portugal's independence from Spain. Cárdenas was criticized for accepting the election based on the old rule and for expelling the Jesuits without royal permission. However, he received no further punishment.

He was made Bishop of Asunción again in 1660. But he claimed he was too old and sick to travel back to Paraguay. Instead, he was made Bishop of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Upper Peru. Cárdenas died in Arani on October 20, 1668.

See also

In Spanish: Bernardino de Cárdenas para niños