Martín de Mayorga facts for kids
Martín de Mayorga Ferrer (born September 12, 1721, in Barcelona, Spain – died 1783, in Spain) was an important Spanish military officer. He served as the governor of Guatemala from 1773 to 1779. Later, he became the temporary viceroy of New Spain, which was a large Spanish colony in North America, from 1779 to 1783.
Contents
Martín de Mayorga's Career
Martín de Mayorga Ferrer was a high-ranking officer, a field marshal, in the Spanish royal army. He was also a knight of the military Order of Alcántara. He was serving as the governor of Guatemala when a huge natural disaster happened.
The 1773 Guatemala Earthquake
On July 29, 1773, a terrible earthquake hit Guatemala. Mayorga was in charge during this difficult time. He worked to help the people and deal with the damage.
Becoming Viceroy of New Spain
While Mayorga was still in Guatemala, the viceroy of New Spain, Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa, passed away in Mexico City. The Audiencia of Mexico, a high court, opened secret instructions for what to do if the viceroy died. These instructions said that the captain general of Guatemala should take over.
At that time, the person expected to be the captain general was Matías de Gálvez y Gallardo. However, he hadn't arrived yet. So, the Audiencia of Mexico chose Martín de Mayorga, who was still the acting captain general, to be the new viceroy of New Spain.
Mayorga arrived in Mexico City on August 23, 1779, and started his new job.
Important Actions as Viceroy
One of Mayorga's first big tasks was to prepare for war. Spain and France had recently declared war on England.
- He made the defenses stronger in places like Havana and Veracruz.
- He sent a group of soldiers led by Bernardo de Gálvez to Florida to help the American colonists who were fighting for their freedom from England.
- There were also battles with the English in Belize.
In 1779, a serious smallpox sickness spread across the colony, causing many people to get sick and die. Viceroy Mayorga spent a lot of money to help those who were ill. He even offered to resign his position, but his resignation was not accepted at that time.
In January 1780, some local communities in Izúcar, Puebla, started a rebellion because they were being treated unfairly. Soldiers were sent to stop the rebellion.
Mayorga also worked to make Mexico City a better place. He had many streets paved with stones. He also cleaned the waterways and aqueducts, which helped prevent more sickness from spreading.
In 1780, he asked the governor of Puebla to gather important historical documents about New Spain. This project helped save many old papers that might have been lost forever.
Resignation and Later Life
In 1783, Viceroy Mayorga offered his resignation again, and this time it was accepted. He handed over the government to his replacement, Matías de Gálvez, on April 28, 1783. Mayorga then left for Spain. He died shortly after arriving in Cádiz.
Mayorga's Descendants
Today, Mayorga's family members can be found in Spain, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
- Armando Mayorga (Spain)
- Claudio Ernesto Mayorga (Nicaragua)
See also
In Spanish: Martín de Mayorga para niños
