Juan de Ulibarrí facts for kids

Juan de Ulibarrí (1670-1716) was a Spanish soldier and explorer. He lived in New Mexico during a time when Spain controlled much of the area. In 1706, he led an important journey to a place called El Cuartelejo. This area was on the Great Plains in what is now western Kansas and eastern Colorado.

Ulibarrí's trip was special because he kept a detailed diary. This diary helps us understand Spanish exploration of the Great Plains. It also shows how the Spanish interacted with Apache and Pueblo Native American groups. The main goal of his expedition was to find about 60 people from Picuris Pueblo. These people had left Spanish rule in New Mexico and started new communities on the Great Plains. Today, the Cuartelejo Ruins in Kansas are a reminder of these Pueblo people who lived on the plains.

Early Life and Adventures

Juan de Ulibarrí was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. He was baptized on March 8, 1670. His parents were Jose Enriquez de los Reyes and Maria Hernandez Ynojos.

Juan and his brother Antonio came to New Mexico in 1692. They arrived with Diego de Vargas to help Spain take back control of the province. This happened after the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, when Pueblo people rebelled against Spanish rule.

Ulibarrí married Francisca Mezquia and later Juana Hurtado de Salas. He passed away in October 1716 in Mexico City.

While in New Mexico, Ulibarrí also took part in journeys to deal with the Navajo. You can even see his name carved on the cliffs at El Morro. He carved it there in 1701 and 1709.

Founding of Albuquerque

In February 1706, the governor of New Mexico, Francisco Cuervo y Valdés, asked Ulibarrí to explore a specific area. This area was known as the "great forest of Doña Luisa." The governor wanted to know if it was a good place for a new town.

Ulibarrí reported that the forest, or "bosque," was an excellent spot. Because of his report, the governor allowed settlers to move there. This new town was named Alburquerque, which we now know as Albuquerque.

The Cuartelejo Region

El Cuartelejo means "the far quarter." It wasn't just one place, but a whole region. It was located north of the Arkansas River in what is now eastern Colorado and western Kansas. This area was home to semi-nomadic Apache groups. Archaeologists call them the Dismal River culture.

During the 1600s, Pueblo people often left their towns in the Rio Grande valley of New Mexico. They went to El Cuartelejo to escape Spanish control. They found safety among the Apache. One of the first times Pueblo people fled to El Cuartelejo might have been in 1640. This was after people from Taos killed a Spanish priest. The Spanish then sent expeditions to try and bring the Pueblo people back.

In 1696, Governor Diego de Vargas and Ulibarrí, who was a Sergeant Major, helped calm down the people of Taos and Picuris pueblos. Some Picuris people then fled to El Cuartelejo.

By 1706, Spanish leaders in New Mexico received a message. Several dozen Picuris and other Pueblo people in El Cuartelejo said the Apache were treating them badly. They asked to return to New Mexico and requested military help to get back safely. Also, a new group, the Comanche, had arrived on the Great Plains. They were aggressive, making travel much more dangerous. Because of this, the governor chose Ulibarrí to lead the rescue mission.

Ulibarrí might not have been the very first Spaniard to visit El Cuartelejo. However, his detailed records are the only ones that survived.

The Expedition to El Cuartelejo

Ulibarrí started his journey from Santa Fe on July 13, 1706. He led a group of 28 soldiers, 12 local fighters (militiamen), and about 100 Pueblo Native Americans. The Pueblo commander was Jose Naranjo. He was born in 1662 and was the grandson of an African slave and an Indian woman.

Also with Ulibarrí was Jean L'Archevêque, a Frenchman. He was one of the few survivors of a French colony in Texas led by La Salle. Having a Frenchman on the team showed that the Spanish thought they might meet other French people on the plains. Spain was very worried about France trying to claim lands that Spain believed were theirs.

Ulibarrí's group first went to Taos. They stayed there for a few days because they feared an attack by Utes and Comanches. On July 20, they left Taos and headed east. They crossed the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and went down into the areas of the Canadian and Cimarron rivers.

Along these two rivers, Ulibarrí met several friendly Apache groups, likely Jicarilla. Ulibarrí wrote that the Apache welcomed his visit. He gave them gifts. Many of these Apache had started farming. They were growing crops like maize (corn), beans, and pumpkins.

On July 26, Ulibarrí turned north. He crossed the Mesa de Maya into southeastern Colorado. He found his way to Two Butte Creek and followed it to where it met the Arkansas River, near Holly, Colorado. After crossing the Arkansas, Jose Naranjo, who knew the area well, warned Ulibarrí. He said the path ahead was dry and flat.

The expedition tried to follow piles of grass left by the Apache as guides. But they got lost. Finally, on August 3, they found a spring and a settlement in El Cuartelejo. The Apache there had put up a cross on a hillside to welcome the Spanish. Ulibarrí, following Spanish tradition, held a religious ceremony. He also claimed all the lands of El Cuartelejo for Spain.

Ulibarrí helped five Pueblo people return from the Apache. He gave the Apache a dozen horses in exchange. He also sent smaller groups to two other El Cuartelejo settlements to gather more people who wanted to return. One of these settlements was very far, over 100 miles away. We don't know the exact locations of these settlements today. However, one might be the El Cuartelejo site in Scott County, Kansas.

The Apache and Pueblo people told Ulibarrí that they had met French people on the eastern edge of the Great Plains. They even said they had recently killed a Frenchman and his wife. As proof, they gave Ulibarrí the Frenchman's rifle.

After gathering about 60 Pueblo people, Ulibarrí and his group returned to New Mexico. They likely followed a similar route. The Pueblo people were returned to Picuris Pueblo. Ulibarrí arrived back in Santa Fe on September 2.

What Happened Next

Ulibarrí's journey and other actions by the Spanish helped create better relationships. This was true for most of the Apache on the Great Plains and the Pueblo people in New Mexico. A big reason for this was a new danger: raids by the Comanche and Ute tribes. These raids threatened both Spanish and Native American settlements.

Ulibarrí's expedition also made the Spanish even more worried about France trying to take over parts of the Great Plains. This fear later led to the Villasur expedition. That trip ended badly, and two of Ulibarrí's companions, Jose Naranjo and Juan d'Archebeque, died during it.

Juan de Ulibarrí later traveled to Mexico City. He passed away there in 1716, possibly on October 28.