Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, 5th Count of Coruña facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, 5th Count of Coruña
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| 5th Viceroy of New Spain | |
| In office October 4, 1580 – June 29, 1583 |
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| Preceded by | Martín Enríquez de Almanza |
| Succeeded by | Luis de Villanueva y Zapata (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1518 Guadalajara, Habsburg Spain |
| Died | June 29, 1583 Mexico City, New Spain |
| Relatives | |
Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, 5th Count of Coruña (Spanish: Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, quinto conde de Coruña) was an important leader in New Spain. He served as the fifth viceroy of New Spain from October 4, 1580, until his death on June 29, 1583. Born around 1518 in Guadalajara, Spain, he came from a noble Spanish family. He was related to famous figures like Íñigo López de Mendoza. He was also a cousin of Antonio de Mendoza, who was the very first viceroy of New Spain.
Contents
Early Life and Interests
Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza was a very educated man. He was known for his writing skills. People praised his novel called El pastor de Filida. He also had some military experience. He joined his father in the war to conquer Tunis. Beyond war, he was a strong supporter of learning. He helped the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares in Spain.
Becoming Viceroy of New Spain
On March 26, 1580, King Philip II chose Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza to be the new viceroy. He was replacing Martín Enríquez de Almanza, who was moving to become the viceroy of Peru.
Suárez de Mendoza arrived in Mexico City on October 4, 1580. His arrival was a very grand event. People had never seen such a fancy welcome before. He quickly became popular because he was friendly. He also paid close attention to his duties.
Key Actions as Viceroy
Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza was an honest leader. He cared deeply about stopping corruption. At the time, many government officials were dishonest. They would sell their services and decisions. This was a huge problem in New Spain.
Suárez de Mendoza tried hard to stop these unfair practices. He had some success, but it was difficult. Some of his actions needed approval from the Audiencia. This was a powerful court and governing body. To help fight the corruption, he asked King Philip II to send an inspector.
This important job went to Pedro Moya de Contreras. Moya de Contreras was already the first inquisitor general in New Spain. He was also the archbishop of Mexico City. He later became viceroy himself after Suárez de Mendoza passed away.
Another important thing Suárez de Mendoza did was create the Tribunal del Comercio. This was a special court for business matters. It was also known as the Consulado. Its job was to manage trade. It also supervised the two big trade fairs. These fairs were held in Acapulco and Veracruz.
Death and What Happened Next
Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza was already quite old when he became viceroy. He served for less than three years. He died in Mexico City on June 29, 1583. His body was first placed in the Church of San Francisco. Later, it was moved to Spain. He was buried in his family's tomb there.
After his death, the Audiencia took over the government. This was a temporary arrangement. The Audiencia included Dr. Robles, Lic. Sánchez Paredes, and Don Pedro Farfán. This time was difficult and uncertain for New Spain. About 16 months later, in 1584, a new viceroy arrived. This was Archbishop Moya de Contreras.
See also
In Spanish: Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza para niños
- Luis de Villanueva y Zapata
