Diego de Montemayor facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Juan Diego de Montemayor
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| Governor of Nuevo Reino de León | |
| In office 1588–1610 |
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| Preceded by | Luis de Carabajal y Cueva |
| Succeeded by | Diego de Montemayor "el Mozo" |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1530 Málaga, Granada, Crown of Castile |
| Died | 1610 (aged 79–80) Monterrey, New Kingdom of León, Viceroyalty of New Spain (now Nuevo León, Mexico) |
| Spouses | Inés Rodríguez María de Esquivel Juana Porcallo y de la Cerda |
| Children | Diego de Montemayor "el Mozo" Estefanía de Montemayor Inés Rodríguez de Montemayor |
Diego de Montemayor (born around 1530 – died 1611) was an important Spanish explorer and leader. He served as the governor of a region in New Spain called Nuevo Reino de León. He is most famous for founding the city of Monterrey in what is now Mexico.
Who Was Diego de Montemayor?
We don't know exactly when or where Diego de Montemayor was born. Historians have different ideas about his birth year and where his parents lived. Some believe he was born in 1530. Records show a "Diego de Montemayor" sailed from Sevilla, Spain, to New Spain (which is now Mexico). This person was from Málaga and was the son of Juan de Montemayor and Mayor Hernández. He was also married to Inés Rodríguez.
Founding the City of Monterrey
Montemayor is well-known for officially starting the city of Monterrey. This happened on September 20, 1596. Monterrey is now the capital city of the Mexican state of Nuevo León.
The city was given a long, official name: Ciudad Metropolitana de Nuestra Señora de Monterrey. This name, which means "Metropolitan City of Our Lady of Monterrey," was partly chosen to please the Viceroy (a high-ranking official) at the time, Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey.
Montemayor's founding was actually the third attempt to create a settlement in that area. The first two attempts had different names: Santa Lucia and San Luis Rey de Francia. These earlier efforts were led by Alberto del Canto and Luis de Carabajal y Cueva.
To help Monterrey grow, Montemayor brought 40 people with him from Saltillo. This group included nine married couples, three single men, 14 boys, four girls, and one Indigenous person named Domingo Manuel.
Life as a Governor
Diego de Montemayor became the governor of Nuevo León in 1588. He held this important position until 1610. He took over after the province was brought back under control.
He was likely married three times. His first wife was probably Inés Rodríguez, who traveled with him from Spain in 1548. Later, he married María de Esquivel, and then Juana Porcallo de la Cerda. Montemayor had three children, one with each of his wives: Inés, Diego, and Estefanía.
His daughter, Estefanía, later married Alberto del Canto. They had three children together, but they separated in 1596. Estefanía then moved back to Monterrey to live with her father, and her children took the last name Montemayor.
Montemayor passed away around 1611 in Monterrey. It is believed he was buried where the Convento de San Francisco used to be, in the city of Monterrey.
See also
In Spanish: Diego de Montemayor para niños
