Luis Sánchez de Tagle, 1st Marquis of Altamira facts for kids

Luis Sánchez de Tagle (1642 - 1710) was a very rich and powerful Spanish nobleman. He lived in New Spain (which is now Mexico) in the 1600s. He became one of the most important people there.

Quick facts for kids The Most Illustrious The Marquess of Altamira
Luis Sánchez de Tagle, Marquis of Altamira
Born	1642
Died	1710
Spouse(s)	Damiana de Dávila y Rojas
Children	Luisa Sánchez de Tagle
Parent(s)	Anselmo Sánchez de Tagle Juliana de la Rasa Barreda

Early Life and Moving to New Spain

Luis Sánchez de Tagle was born in 1642 in a town called Santillana in Spain. His father was Anselmo Sánchez de Tagle. Luis belonged to the House of Tagle, which was a very important noble family in Spain. Their family history goes back to the 500s!

When Luis was very young, he left Spain. He moved to New Spain, which is the old name for Mexico. There, he became very powerful and successful.

Becoming a Rich and Powerful Leader

By the end of the 1600s, Luis Sánchez de Tagle was the richest and most successful person in New Spain. He owned many businesses. He was also a major financier, meaning he lent money to others. He bought silver from mines and invested in large farms called haciendas.

His family was also powerful in other Spanish colonies. They had influence in places like Peru, Guatemala, and Chile. They even had connections in the Philippines, where Manila was a huge trading center for the Spanish Empire.

Lending Money to the King

Luis Sánchez de Tagle was so wealthy that he could lend a lot of money to the King of Spain. Between 1683 and 1698, he lent the Spanish Crown 850,000 silver pesos. A peso was a type of money used back then.

Later, from 1700 to 1703, he lent another 500,000 gold pesos. This money went to King Philip V, who was Spain's new king. King Philip V was the first king from the House of Bourbon family.

Because Luis was so loyal and helpful, King Philip V gave him a special title. He became the 1st Marquis of Altamira. This showed how much the new king trusted him.

Protecting Spanish Trade

The Marquis of Altamira worked with two other important noblemen. They were the Marquis of Santa Sabina and the Marquis of Santa Fe. Together, they formed a group that protected the interests of Spanish merchants. These merchants traded goods with New Spain.

The House of Tagle also had strong ties to the Philippines. A part of their family moved there. They made sure the family kept its influence in the colony. They also built a strong relationship with Fausto Cruzat, who was the Governor General of the Philippines starting in 1688.

This connection led to a special engagement. Cruzat's daughter, Ignacia, was set to marry Don Domingo Ruiz de Tagle. Domingo was Luis's nephew and the Marquis of Sierra Nevada. Domingo moved to the Philippines in 1708. He became the General of the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade, which was a very important shipping route.

Conflict with the Duke of Alburquerque

On November 27, 1702, a new viceroy was sent to New Spain. His name was Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 10th Duke of Alburquerque. A viceroy was like a governor who ruled on behalf of the king.

Some merchants who were rivals of Luis Sánchez de Tagle teamed up with the Duke. The Duke took bribes and even started his own illegal businesses. Soon, the Duke of Alburquerque and the Marquis of Altamira had a big disagreement.

In 1703, the Duke accused Luis's nephew, Domingo, of breaking trade rules. These rules were for the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade. The Duke also tried to stop Domingo's marriage to Ignacia Cruzat. He supported a new judge named Jose Joaquin de Uribe, who was one of his favorites.

On February 6, 1703, the Duke of Alburquerque had Domingo arrested and put in prison.

A Duchess's Friendship

Even though the two families were fighting, the Duke's wife, Juana de la Cerda, was friends with Luis's daughter, Luisa Sánchez de Tagle. This friendship made the Duchess disagree with her husband's actions during the conflict.

On June 1, 1703, the Duke of Alburquerque ordered more arrests. He had Luis, his nephew, and his son-in-law, Pedro, arrested. The Duke said they were trying to stop Domingo's trial. Most of the judges, called the audiencia, wanted to investigate more. But the Duke ignored them and ordered the arrests.

Besides being arrested and imprisoned, they were each fined 10,000 pesos. All their properties were taken away, and they were ordered to leave Mexico.

The King Steps In

The fight between these two important Spanish families reached the King in Madrid. Archbishop Juan Ortega y Montañés, who was a former viceroy and a friend of Luis, complained to King Philip V.

In 1704, a representative for the House of Tagle defended the family in front of the Spanish Court. During the trial, the Marquis of Altamira also claimed that the Duke of Alburquerque had changed official records. He said the Duke made it look like everyone supported imprisoning the Tagle family.

On June 19, 1704, Luis, Pedro, and the rest of the family were set free. They won the case! The Duke of Alburquerque and his allies had to pay them money for all the damage. This included 110,000 pesos that the Duke had taken from the Marquis of Altamira. All their confiscated properties were returned to them.

Family Life

Luis Sánchez de Tagle married Damiana de Dávila y Rojas. They had one daughter named Luisa Sánchez de Tagle. Luisa later married her first cousin, Pedro Sánchez de Tagle.

After Luis passed away, his nephew and son-in-law, Don Pedro Sánchez de Tagle, 2nd Marquis of Altamira, became the next Marquis.

Luis Sánchez de Tagle is also an ancestor of many important people. These include Doña Rosa Juliana Sánchez de Tagle, Marquesa of Torre Tagle and Ana Maria, Empress of Mexico. He is also related to Hugo O'Donnell, 7th Duke of Tetuan.

See also

In Spanish: Luis Sáenz de Tagle para niños