Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva
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Luis de Carvajal
c. 1537 Mogadouro, Kingdom of Portugal
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| Died | 13 February 1591 |
| Other names | Luis de Carabajal |
| Known for | First governor of Nuevo Reino de León; prosecuted by the Mexican Inquisition |
| Office | 1st Governor of Nuevo Reino de León |
| Term | 1580–1588 |
| Successor | Diego de Montemayor |
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Luis de Carvajal (c. 1537 – 13 February 1591) was an important Spanish governor and explorer. He was the first Spanish person known to enter Texas from Mexico by crossing the lower Rio Grande. He became the governor of the Nuevo León region in what is now Mexico.
Born in Mogadouro, Portugal, around 1537, Luis de Carvajal grew up in the Kingdom of León in Spain. He served the Spanish King Philip II of Spain. Because of his service, the King named him Governor of Nuevo Reino de León. This was a large area in New Spain (modern-day Mexico).
Carvajal faced challenges because some parts of his territory were already settled by other Spaniards. These settlers did not agree with his new rules. They took him to court in New Spain. Even though the court decided in Carvajal's favor, the viceroy (a high-ranking official) ordered his arrest in 1588. Carvajal was accused of several things, including mistreating Native Americans. He was also accused of hiding that some of his family members secretly practiced Judaism. He was sentenced to exile but died in jail a year later.
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Early Life and Family Background
Luis de Carvajal was born around 1537 in Mogadouro, Portugal. His parents were Gaspar de Carvajal and Catalina de León. His family had a Jewish background and had converted to Catholicism. These converts were sometimes called conversos.
When he was eight, his family moved to Benavente in Spain. He lived in the home of the Count of Benavente. There, he learned the ways of a Spanish nobleman. Later, his uncle, Duarte de León, sent him to the Cape Verde islands. There, Carvajal learned important skills like navigation and accounting. In 1560, the King of Portugal made him a treasurer.
In 1564, Carvajal moved to Seville, Spain. He married Guiomar Nuñez. Her father was a merchant involved in trade. Carvajal joined the family business for a short time. However, he had bigger plans for his future.
First Adventures in New Spain
In 1567, Carvajal sailed to New Spain (which is now Mexico). He sailed on his own ship. When he arrived in Veracruz, he bought a cattle ranch near Tampico. He settled there and became the mayor the next year. In 1568, he captured 78 English sailors who were stranded on the coast.
In 1572, the viceroy, Martín Enríquez de Almanza, made Carvajal a captain. He was sent to build a road through the mountains. This journey led him to discover the lands that would later become Nuevo Reino de León. After this, Carvajal was sent to deal with Native American groups near the Rio Grande. He claimed to have helped people who were shipwrecked. During this mission, he crossed the lower Rio Grande into what is now Texas.
Because he was known as a skilled fighter, the viceroy gave him another task in 1575. He was to help bring peace to an area north of Mexico City. Native American tribes, known as the Chichimecas, had destroyed Catholic missions there. Carvajal built a fort and moved many Native Americans near it. This was a policy called "reductions." However, the peace did not last long. During this time, Carvajal also continued his business activities.
In 1578, Carvajal went to Spain. He wanted to get an important official position from the king. After long talks, on May 31, 1579, he succeeded. He was given a large territory to govern, which he named Nuevo Reino de León. This territory stretched from Tampico in the south to near present-day Dallas, Texas, in the north. It also extended a similar distance from east to west.
The king allowed Carvajal to bring 100 men from Spain to settle his new territory. Sixty of these men had to be married. The king also allowed some people who were "New Christians" (converts to Catholicism) to join. This included Carvajal's sister, Francisca de Carvajal, and her family. Sadly, they were later found to be secretly practicing Judaism and faced serious consequences from the Spanish Inquisition. Carvajal was told to help the Native Americans in his territory become civilized and Christian. However, he was forbidden from enslaving them.
Governing Nuevo Reino de León
In 1579, King Phillip II of Spain made Carvajal the governor and captain-general. His job was to explore, bring peace, and settle a new province. This new province was called the New Kingdom of León. It was located about 200 leagues (a long distance) inland from the port of Tampico.
Carvajal brought settlers from Spain and Portugal on his ship, La Urca de Panuco. They left Seville on June 10, 1580, and arrived in Tampico on August 24. In October, he went to Mexico City to show his official papers to the new viceroy.
As governor, Carvajal agreed to pay for the colonization of the territory himself. He would be repaid from the area's income. His territory was not clearly defined at first. It started at Tampico and went north. It included parts of modern-day Tamaulipas, Nuevo León, Coahuila, San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, Durango, Chihuahua, and Texas.
Towards the end of 1581, Carvajal began to settle his territory. He founded several villages, as the king required. On December 10, 1581, he founded Villa de la Cueva de León. In April 1582, he founded Ciudad de León, which is now Cerralvo. Around the same time, he ordered his captain, Gaspar Castaño de Sosa, to found Villa de San Luis. This city is now Monterrey, the capital of the Mexican state of Nuevo León. Castaño de Sosa is also known for trying to start a Spanish settlement in New Mexico.
As mentioned, other Spaniards in New Spain challenged Carvajal's land grant. They sued him in the highest court, the Audiencia de México. These lawsuits lasted over three years, and Carvajal won. However, his opponents did not give up. They accused Carvajal of enslaving peaceful Native Americans.
Arrest and Legal Challenges
In late 1588, Carvajal was arrested in Almadén (now Monclova). Authorities claimed he used this place as a base for capturing Native Americans. He was taken to Mexico City and put in prison.
Spanish officials said Carvajal had a group of "more than sixty soldiers." They claimed he made a lot of money by capturing and selling Native Americans. They raided areas along the Rio Grande, taking many people as captives. The government was trying to find a peaceful solution to the long and bloody Chichimeca War. Enslavement was a major complaint of the Native Americans. To achieve peace, the viceroys worked to stop those who were enslaving them.
New accusations were also made against Carvajal. These were based on claims that his family had a Jewish background. This went against the "Purity of Blood" laws needed to settle in New Spain. This was enough to have Carvajal moved to the jails of the Inquisition. The Inquisition was a powerful religious court. While many charges were brought against him, only the charge of hiding his sister's and her children's practice of Judaism remained. He was sentenced to six years of exile. This sentence was announced in a public ceremony on February 24, 1590, in Mexico City. However, he was sent back to the court's jail, where he died almost a year later, on February 13, 1591.
Other members of Carvajal's family also faced trials by the Inquisition. His nephew, also named Luis de Carvajal, openly practiced Judaism and was executed in 1596. His personal writings, which were thought to be lost, have been found and are now available online.
See also
In Spanish: Luis de Carvajal y de la Cueva para niños
