Miguel Caldera facts for kids

Miguel Caldera (born 1548, died 1597) was a very important person in the history of Mexico. He helped settle the northern parts of Mexico right after the Spanish took over the Aztec Empire. He played a key role in bringing peace to a difficult region.

Miguel Caldera's Early Life

Miguel Caldera was born in 1548 in a place that is now the city of Zacatecas, Mexico. His father was a Spanish soldier named Pedro Caldera, and his mother was Maria, a woman from the Guachichil indigenous group. Young Miguel was raised by Franciscan monks in a monastery in Zacatecas.

A New Way to Peace

Caldera joined the Chichimeca War around 1571 or 1572 when he was about 24 years old. He started as a regular soldier and became a captain before 1580.

He saw how harsh and pointless the Spanish efforts were to control the Chichimecas by fighting them. Instead, he believed in using talking and giving gifts to make peace. His ideas worked well! Because of his success, he was made Chief Justice and District Mayor of the Tlaltenango and Jerez valleys. In this important job, he led the Spanish plan to bring peace to the areas of Zacatecas, northern Jalisco, and San Luis Potosí.

Caldera was very important in helping 400 Tlaxcaltec families move to the newly peaceful region in 1591. These families helped teach the local people about Christianity and made the peace stronger. The peace he helped create allowed more people to settle in the region. This settlement later helped the Spanish move into what would become the American Southwest much later.

Founding a City

In March 1592, Caldera sent a group of miners and soldiers to an area called Cerro San Pedro. They went to check out some new mines that had been found. When they saw how much potential the mines had, they named the place Potosí, after the famous mines in Peru.

As people started to settle near the mines, they realized there wasn't enough water. So, a new permanent settlement was created nearby. This town, first settled by Tlaxcaltec families, was named San Luis Potosí. Miguel Caldera is known as one of the founders of this important city.

Later Life and Family

Miguel Caldera became quite wealthy during his life. He owned parts of several new mines in the area he managed. He never married, but he had a daughter named Isabel. She married Juan de la Torre and had two sons, Marcos and Melchor.

Miguel Caldera also had a sister, Maria Cid Caldera. She was married to Hernán González, who worked closely with Caldera in managing the town of Colotlán. This town was one of the Tlaxcaltec frontier colonies that Caldera helped establish. Maria and Hernán's son, Pedro Cid Caldera, became Caldera's main heir when he passed away in 1597.

See also

In Spanish: Miguel Caldera para niños