Cristóbal de Tapia facts for kids

Cristóbal de Tapia was a Spanish official. He was sent to New Spain (which is now Mexico) in 1521. His main job was to check on the famous Spanish conqueror, Hernán Cortés. Tapia even had the power to arrest Cortés and put him on trial.

Because the king gave Tapia this important power, his name sometimes appears on lists of early Spanish rulers in New Spain. However, he held this authority for only a very short time.

Cristóbal de Tapia's Story

Why Tapia Was Sent

In 1521, a powerful group in Spain called the Council of the Indies was in charge of Spain's lands overseas. The head of this council was Bishop Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca. He was not a fan of Cortés.

The Council decided that Cortés needed to be controlled. They passed new rules in the spring of 1521. These rules said that Pánfilo de Narváez, whom Cortés had captured, should be set free. They also decided to send an inspector to New Spain. This inspector would look into Cortés's actions. He would also make sure that justice was served for the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. Cortés had refused to follow Velázquez's orders.

At this time, the Spanish king, Charles V, was away in Germany. A temporary government, led by Adrian of Utrecht, was running Spain. Adrian signed the orders to send Tapia on April 11, 1521. Bishop Fonseca also signed them.

Tapia's Arrival and Mission

Cristóbal de Tapia was chosen for this difficult task. He was an inspector from Santo Domingo. He arrived in Veracruz, New Spain, with two ships in December 1521.

On December 24, 1521, Tapia showed his official papers to Cortés's officers. These officers included Cristóbal de Olid and Gonzalo de Sandoval. Tapia then started traveling towards Mexico City to meet Cortés in person.

However, he only made it as far as a place called Cempoal. There, Tapia met with Cortés's men. He soon realized that the conquerors would not accept his authority. They did not want him to interfere with Cortés.

Mission Ends Quickly

On December 30, 1521, Gonzalo de Sandoval convinced Tapia to give up his mission. Tapia agreed to return to Santo Domingo.

It seems Tapia was not very strong-willed. He was more interested in money than in carrying out his duty. Cortés knew this. He offered to buy Tapia's horses, slaves, and equipment for a very good price. Tapia, feeling defeated in his mission, decided to take the money. He sailed back to Cuba, rich with gold, but without having completed his important task.

See also

In Spanish: Cristóbal de Tapia para niños