Juan de Tolosa facts for kids

Juan de Tolosa was a Spanish explorer and soldier born around 1515 in Tolosa, Spain. He was known for his impressive beard, which earned him the nickname "Barbalonga." He traveled to New Spain, which is now Mexico, and played a big part in its history.

Juan de Tolosa is famous for finding huge amounts of silver in Mexico. This discovery led to the founding of one of the most important mining cities in the Americas.

Discovering Silver in Zacatecas

Juan de Tolosa arrived in the Americas at some point, and he was a soldier in the Mixtón War from 1540 to 1542. After the war, he started looking for silver. He led several trips with other Spanish soldiers and workers.

Finding the Richest Silver Mines

In 1546, local people in an area now called Tlaltenango de Sánchez Román showed him rocks that contained silver. Following these clues, on September 8, 1546, Juan de Tolosa reached the Cerro de la Bufa mountain in Zacatecas. Here, he found incredibly rich silver deposits.

He gathered a group of miners and returned to the site. The silver mines he found turned out to be the richest in all of Mexico.

Founding the City of Zacatecas

On January 20, 1548, Juan de Tolosa, along with Diego de Ibarra, Cristóbal de Oñate, and Baltazar de Bañuelos Temiño, officially founded the city of Zacatecas. This city became very important and was later known as the "Civilized North." Today, UNESCO recognizes Zacatecas as a World Heritage Site because of its historical value.

Other Discoveries

Juan de Tolosa also claimed to have found more rich silver deposits in 1556. These were located in places like San Martin, Sombrerete, and Avino, which are about 115 miles northwest of Zacatecas. He explored these areas for six months, paying for the expeditions himself.

He also made an important discovery of salt deposits at Salinas de Santa Maria. These salt mines were very useful for preserving food and other purposes.

Later Life and Family

Juan de Tolosa was a great explorer, but he wasn't as good at business as some other miners. He owned fewer mines and processing plants than others.

Financial Struggles

By 1594, his children and other people said that he had died without much money. They claimed he spent all the wealth he made from Zacatecas on his expeditions to find new mines. His children asked the Spanish crown for help, explaining that they were left "without means and in need" because of their father's contributions.

Marriage and Children

In 1550, Juan de Tolosa married Leonor Cortés Moctezuma. She was the daughter of Hernán Cortés, a famous conquistador, and Isabel Moctezuma, an Aztec princess.

Juan and Leonor had a son named Juan de Tolosa Cortés Moctezuma. They also had two daughters:

• Isabel de Tolosa Cortés de Moctezuma, who married Juan de Oñate Salazar.
• Leonor de Tolosa Cortés Moctezuma, who married Cristobal de Zaldivar Mendoza.

Some other daughters, whose names are not known, were said to be living in a monastery in Seville, Spain, in 1604.

Death

The exact date of Juan de Tolosa's death is not known. However, both he and his wife, Leonor, had passed away before the year 1594.

See also

In Spanish: Juan de Tolosa para niños