Joaquín de Montserrat, 1st Marquess of Cruillas facts for kids
Joaquín de Montserrat, 1st Marquess of Cruillas (born June 26, 1700 – died November 21, 1771), was a Spanish viceroy who governed New Spain (which is now Mexico) from October 6, 1760, to August 24, 1766.
Contents
Starting as Viceroy
Joaquín de Montserrat became the viceroy of New Spain in early 1760. He officially took power on September 19, 1760, in a place called Otumba. His grand entrance into Mexico City happened on October 6, 1760.
One of his first and most important jobs was to create a proper army for the colony. When he traveled through Puebla, he saw a group of soldiers made up of people of African and mixed heritage. Their weapons were not very good, so the new viceroy asked Spain to send new rifles for them.
In 1761, a terrible smallpox disease spread, mostly affecting the Native American people. About 14,600 people died in Mexico City, and up to 80,000 in Puebla. The government spent almost all its money trying to help. Viceroy Montserrat saved money, collected unpaid taxes, and stopped people from hoarding food and goods.
On November 20, 1761, the Maya people, led by Jacinto Canek, started a rebellion in Yucatán. Canek was caught, and on December 14, 1761, he was tortured and executed in the main square of Valladolid.
Other problems during Montserrat's time included a big flood in Guanajuato in April 1762, which stopped the silver mines from working. Another disease, a "fever," caused many deaths in 1763.
He also had to send soldiers to Sonora because the Pima and Seri people had rebelled. They were upset about how Spanish colonists treated them. The rebels had killed soldiers at two forts and even the governor before hiding in the mountains. They were eventually defeated.
War with England
In January 1762, Spain went to war with England again. This was part of a bigger conflict called the Seven Years' War. Havana, a major city in Cuba, was captured by the English on August 13, 1762. Veracruz, an important port in New Spain, was also in danger of being attacked.
Montserrat made the defenses at Veracruz stronger and made sure they had enough supplies. He gathered more soldiers and made sure they were trained to fight well. To protect valuable goods, he created two companies of soldiers made up of people of African and mixed heritage. People called them "Los Morenos," meaning "the dark-skinned ones." Merchants in Veracruz formed another company and paid for their soldiers' salaries, weapons, and gear. Other groups of soldiers were formed in different areas, including Valladolid, León, Puebla, and Oaxaca. Horseback soldiers and local militias were also created in the big cities.
The Seven Years' War ended with a peace treaty signed in Paris on February 10, 1763. Spain gained Louisiana and got Havana and Manila back. However, Spain gave Florida to England and also gave England the right to settle and cut timber in Belize.
In 1764, Montserrat organized the postal service, sent help to Cuba, and continued working on Mexico City's drainage system.
Building a Stronger Army
Viceroy Montserrat is known for creating the first real professional army in New Spain. The soldiers were people of mixed heritage, and those of African heritage. However, only white people could be high-ranking officers. Native Americans were not allowed to join the army.
When Montserrat arrived, the army officers were volunteers from wealthy families, but they weren't trained soldiers. So, the viceroy asked Spain to send military teachers. On November 1, 1765, Lieutenant General Juan de Villalba arrived in Veracruz with five other generals and many other officers and soldiers. These were the teachers for the new colonial army.
On September 30, 1765, José María Morelos, who later became a hero of Mexican independence, was born in Valladolid, Michoacán.
Last Years as Viceroy
King Charles III of Spain started to lose trust in Montserrat because he thought less money was being collected for the royal treasury. The King sent José de Gálvez as an "inspector" with full power to change how the government worked and to introduce new economic ideas. Gálvez arrived on August 2, 1765.
In 1766, Montserrat made agreements with the miners in Guanajuato who had rebelled. He also created new forts in the northern parts of the colony. After this, he was unhappy because he had lost much of his power to the inspector. He resigned from his position and went back to Spain.
See also
- Joaquín de Montserrat for kids (in Spanish)
