Martín Cortés, 2nd Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca facts for kids

Don Martín Cortés y Zúñiga, 2nd Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca (born 1532, died 1589) was an important figure in New Spain (what is now Mexico). He was the son and chosen heir of the famous Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. His mother was Doña Juana de Zúñiga.

Martín shared his name with an older half-brother, whose mother was Doña Marina. Don Martín became involved in a secret plan with other powerful Spanish settlers called encomenderos. He was investigated and put on trial, but he was not given the death penalty.

Early Life and Family

Martín Cortés was born in Cuernavaca, a city in what is now the state of Morelos, Mexico. He had an older half-brother, also named Martín Cortés (1523-1568). This older Martín was the son of Hernán Cortés and Doña Marina (also known as La Malinche). People sometimes called him "El Mestizo" because he was of mixed Spanish and Indigenous heritage.

Because his half-brother Martín was born outside of marriage, he did not have the noble title of don. Don Martín, however, held this title as the legitimate son. Don Martín also had three sisters: Doña María, Doña Catalina, and Doña Juana Cortés y Zúñiga.

Some historians describe Don Martín as being very proud. He believed his noble birthright meant he deserved special treatment.

Friendship with Prince Philip

In 1540, Don Martín and his brother, Don Luis, traveled to Spain with their father. There, they served King Charles I of Spain and later his son, Philip II of Spain. As a young man, Don Martín became good friends with Prince Philip. They even fought together in a war against the rebellious Low Countries.

When Prince Philip became King Philip II, their friendship helped Don Martín. The King made sure that all the lands and Native American groups given to Hernán Cortés were passed on to his son. This made Don Martín very wealthy and powerful.

Life in Spain

While living in Spain, Don Martín married his cousin, Doña Ana Ramírez de Arellano. She was the daughter of the Count of Aguilar. Don Martín stayed close with many important and educated people of his time. He even supported the writer Francisco López de Gómara to write a book about his father, Hernán Cortés.

Return to New Spain

In 1563, Don Martín returned to New Spain. He came back with his brother Don Luis and his half-brother Martín "El Mestizo." They were met with large, excited welcoming parties, especially from the encomenderos. Even the viceroy, Don Luis de Velasco, came to greet him.

At this time, Don Martín was the richest person in New Spain. He owned many encomiendas (grants of Native American labor and tribute) across the land. He also held the title of Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca, which meant he controlled a huge estate.

Challenges to Authority

Don Martín had picked up a "bad habit" in Europe: toasting. This was seen as rude by some important people in New Spain. But a bigger problem was his desire to be the most important person in New Spain, even more important than the viceroy, who was the king's representative.

For example, when a royal inspector named Jerónimo de Valderrama visited, Don Martín made sure he was greeted first. He also convinced Valderrama to stay with him instead of the viceroy. This might seem small, but it was a clear sign that Don Martín was challenging the viceroy's power.

The Encomenderos' Secret Plan

Don Martín became a leader among some encomenderos. They wanted to stop the king from taking away their encomiendas. These were special grants that gave them control over Native American labor and tribute. The king had passed new laws in 1542, called the New Laws, to limit these grants. The encomenderos felt they deserved to keep their rewards because their fathers had helped conquer the land for Spain.

The king, however, did not want a powerful group of nobles in New Spain who could challenge his authority. The New Laws were a way to slowly end the encomienda system and reduce the power of these conqueror families.

A Plan for Independence

When the viceroy Don Luís de Velasco died in 1564, the Mexico City Council named Don Martín as Captain General. There were even talks about New Spain becoming independent from Spain.

In 1565, two sons of another important conqueror suggested a more serious plan. They offered to start a rebellion and crown Don Martín as king of New Spain. A person who observed these events, Juan Suárez de Peralta, said that Don Martín didn't fully agree with the plotters but also didn't stop them. Don Martín's hesitation caused the plan to be delayed and then dropped.

However, on July 16, 1566, the secret plan was revealed. The leaders were arrested, including Don Martín, his brothers, and a rich man named Alonso de Ávila. The two main plotters were sentenced to death and beheaded.

Don Martín's Trial

During his trial, Don Martín was accused of treason and trying to start a rebellion against the king. Records from the trial show he was accused of planning to overthrow the high court (called the audencia) and have its judges killed. He was also accused of wanting to become king of New Spain.

Many powerful people testified against him. However, several religious leaders and ordinary citizens, like musicians, a surgeon, and even a free Black woman named Margarida Pérez, spoke in his defense.

The king sent a judge named Alonso de Muñoz to deal with the situation. Muñoz was very strict. He arrested and tortured many Spanish settlers, and some were even beheaded. However, Muñoz was later called back to Spain and put in prison himself. When the new viceroy, Don Gastón de Peralta, arrived in November 1567, the Cortés brothers were saved from the death penalty. This failed plot marked the end of the encomenderos' power as a group.

Exile in Spain

Don Martín was spared from being beheaded. In April 1567, he was allowed to travel to Spain to present his case to the King, who had been his friend. Before leaving New Spain, he had to promise loyalty to the crown and appear before the king in Spain within 50 days.

Don Martín was briefly under house arrest. After promising not to return to New Spain, he was released. He continued to live a very luxurious life in Madrid, supported by his great wealth. He briefly lost control of his inherited estate but got it back in 1574.

Don Martín died in Madrid, Spain, on August 13, 1589. This was the 68th anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. His children and grandchildren who inherited his title never lived in Mexico. They stayed in Spain and later in Italy.

Later Years and Estates

Because he was exiled in Spain, Don Martín had to rely on skilled managers to run his huge estates in the Marquessate of the Valley of Oaxaca. The job of administrator (or "governor") was given to the person who offered the most money for a nine-year period. This guaranteed Don Martín an income. In return, the governor had great power over almost everything on the estate, including its finances and legal matters.

Like other large landholdings in New Spain, the Marquessate was managed as one big business, even though its individual farms were spread out across central and southern Mexico. They were run to make a profit. The administrators handled all matters related to the estate. There is even an old document, called a codex, at Tulane University that describes a lawsuit against him over a piece of land.

See also

In Spanish: Martín Cortés Zúñiga para niños