Francisco Laso de la Vega facts for kids

Francisco Laso de la Vega. This picture was made after he died.

Francisco Laso de la Vega y Alvarado (born 1568, died 1640) was a Spanish soldier. He served as the Royal Governor of Chile from December 1629 to May 1639. During his time as governor, he fought in many battles against the Mapuche people in a conflict known as the Arauco War.

Francisco was born in a place called Secadura, which is in Cantabria, Spain. His parents were Garci Laso de la Vega and María de Alvarado. His family was part of the important Cantabrian House of Lasso de la Vega.

Early Military Career

Francisco began his military career in the Royal Navy, serving for five years starting in 1606. After that, he spent 16 years in Flanders, a region in Europe. There, he took part in many military actions during the Dutch Revolt. He was a brave soldier and was promoted to captain of infantry. He was especially recognized for his actions in important sieges, like those at Bergen op Zoom, Bersel, and Breda.

In 1623, Francisco joined the Order of Santiago, which was a Spanish military and religious order. In 1625, he returned to Spain as a captain of cavalry. He also worked as a judge in Badajoz. He was getting ready to become the governor of Jerez de la Frontera when he was chosen for an even bigger role: Governor of Chile.

Governor of Chile

Francisco Laso de la Vega served as the Governor of Chile for ten years, from 1629 to 1639. His time as governor was very successful, especially in the ongoing Arauco War against the Mapuche. He led his forces to a big victory in the Battle of La Albarrada.

He also helped to rebuild the city of Angol in 1637. Families from the Fort of Santa Lucía de Yumbel moved there to help restart the city.

Later Life and Death

Towards the end of his time as governor, Francisco became ill. He suffered from edema, a condition where the body swells. He decided to return to Peru, but he had to stop in Santiago for six months because of his illness. He died soon after he finally arrived in Lima in 1640.

Sources

• José Toribio Medina, Diccionario biográfico colonial de Chile, Impr. Elziviriana, Santiago, 1906, Pg. 450.

See also

In Spanish: Francisco Laso de la Vega para niños