José de Zúñiga y la Cerda facts for kids

José de Zúñiga y la Cerda (born 1654, died 1725) was an important Spanish nobleman and military leader. He served as a field marshal, which is a very high rank in the army. He was also a governor in two different places: Spanish Florida from 1699 to 1706, and Cartagena de Indias (which is now in Colombia) from 1706 to 1710.

Before becoming a governor, Zúñiga spent 27 years serving in the Spanish Netherlands. He rose through the ranks to become a field marshal. He also helped defend the town of Melilla when it was attacked by the Moors.

José de Zúñiga's Political Career

Governor of Spanish Florida

King Carlos II of Spain chose José de Zúñiga to be the Governor and Captain General of Spanish Florida. This happened on January 30, 1699. He officially took his oath and received his instructions in Seville, Spain, on May 20, 1699. He was allowed to bring four enslaved people with him. He then sailed to New Spain (a Spanish territory in the Americas) on May 23, 1699.

Zúñiga was the governor of Florida from 1699 until 1706. In 1701, he sent a special investigator, Juan de Ayala y Escobar, to check on the peace agreements between native tribes in the Apalachee area.

Defending St. Augustine from Attack

During his time as governor, Zúñiga made the fort and town defenses of St. Augustine much stronger. St. Augustine was the capital of Spanish Florida. In 1702, English troops led by Colonel James Moore attacked St. Augustine. This event is known as the Siege of St. Augustine.

The English troops did not have strong enough cannons to capture the main fort. However, they burned down the town outside the fort. Governor Zúñiga ordered the remaining Spanish missions in the Apalachee and Timucua areas to move closer together. This was to make them easier to defend.

The English and their Native American allies left when more Spanish ships arrived. These ships brought new soldiers and militia troops from Havana. Zúñiga's time as governor of Florida ended on April 9, 1706.

Governor of Cartagena de Indias

After his time in Florida, Zúñiga was appointed governor of Cartagena de Indias. This city is located in what is now Colombia. He became governor in 1706 and served until 1710.

He later returned to Spain. He was on the only ship from Admiral Antonio de Ulloa's fleet that survived a big storm in the Bahamas. José de Zúñiga y la Cerda passed away in 1725.

See also

In Spanish: José de Zúñiga y la Cerda para niños