Juan de Quevedo facts for kids

Juan de Quevedo (born around 1450 in Vejorís, Spain – died December 24, 1519) was an important Spanish Franciscan priest. He became the very first Bishop of Santa María de La Antigua del Darién in what is now Panama. He served in this role from 1513 to 1519.

Life and Early Career

Juan de Quevedo was born in a place called Vejorís, located in Cantabria, Spain. He decided to become a priest and joined a religious group known as the Order of Friars Minor, also called the Franciscans.

In 1513, Pope Leo X chose him to be the Bishop of Santa María de La Antigua del Darién. This was a new diocese, or church area, in the Americas. King Ferdinand of Spain had asked the Pope to appoint him.

On January 29, 1514, Juan de Quevedo officially became a bishop. This special ceremony was led by Diego de Deza, who was the Archbishop of Seville at the time.

Journey to the New World

Bishop Quevedo traveled to the Americas in 1514. He sailed with a large group of ships led by Pedro Arias Dávila, who was a governor. Another important person on this journey was Hernando de Luque.

Soon after arriving, Bishop Quevedo and Governor Arias Dávila began to disagree. Bishop Quevedo was very upset about the harsh ways the governor and his officers treated people. This included the Native Americans and even other Spanish explorers.

For example, he strongly protested the execution of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. Balboa was famous for being the first European to see the Pacific Ocean from the American side.

Defending Native Americans

Some people, like Bartolomé de Las Casas, made accusations against Bishop Quevedo. They claimed he had not done enough to help the Native Americans or had become too wealthy. However, it's not clear if these claims were true.

In 1518, Bishop Quevedo returned to Spain. He presented two important documents to King Charles. One document spoke out against Governor Arias Dávila's actions. The other suggested that the power of governors in the New World should be limited. This was to better protect the native people.

When Bartolomé de Las Casas saw these documents, he offered to support them. This was even though he and Quevedo had some disagreements. Sadly, Bishop Quevedo became ill and passed away in Barcelona.

His Views on Indigenous Peoples

Even though Bishop Quevedo was a strong supporter of Native American rights, his ideas were still shaped by the time he lived in. He believed that Native Americans could only learn and improve if they lived in special villages or missions. He thought they needed constant supervision to thrive.

See also

In Spanish: Juan de Quevedo Villegas para niños