Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro, 10th Count of Lemos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Excellent Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro
19th Viceroy of Peru
In office November 21, 1667 – December 6, 1672
Monarch	Charles II
Preceded by	Bernardo de Iturriaza
Succeeded by	Bernardo de Iturriaza
Personal details
Born	c. 1632 Monforte de Lemos, Galicia
Died	December 6, 1672(1672-12-06) (aged 39–40) Lima, Peru
Spouse	Ana Francisca de Borja y Doria

Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro was a Spanish nobleman who held an important job called Viceroy of Peru. He was also known as the 10th Count of Lemos. He served as Viceroy from 1667 until he passed away in 1672.

Early Life and Family

Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro was born around 1632 in Monforte de Lemos, a town in what is now province of Lugo, Spain. His father was Francisco Fernández de Castro, the 9th Count of Lemos. His mother was Antonia Téllez-Giron y Enriquez de Ribera.

In 1664, he married Ana Francisca de Borja in Madrid. She was the daughter of the 8th Duke of Gandia. Ana Francisca was a wealthy widow when they married.

Pedro Antonio was trained for the army. He was a favorite of King Charles II of Spain. Because of this, the King chose him to be the Viceroy of Peru in 1666.

Becoming Viceroy of Peru

The Count and Countess of Lemos arrived in Peru on November 9, 1667. They landed at the port of Callao. The Spanish people living in the colony welcomed them with a grand celebration.

Pedro Antonio officially started his job as Viceroy on November 21, 1667, in the city of Lima. As Viceroy, he was the King's main representative in the colony. He was in charge of governing the vast territory of Peru.

The Salcedo Rebellion

Before Pedro Antonio arrived, there was a big problem in Peru. In 1665, two rich mine owners, José and Gaspar Salcedo, started a rebellion. They were brothers from the Puno region.

The Salcedo brothers had found very rich silver mines in 1657. This made them incredibly wealthy. They were seen as favoring certain groups of workers over others. This led to fights between different groups of miners.

The government tried to stop José Salcedo, but his forces were too strong. They even reached a truce, which meant Salcedo became very powerful in the mining town.

Viceroy's Action

When Viceroy Fernández de Castro arrived, this rebellion was a huge issue. He decided he needed to handle it himself. He left his wife, Ana Francisca, in charge of Lima.

On June 7, 1668, he traveled to the area where the rebellion was happening. He quickly put an end to the uprising. He set up a special court to judge the rebels.

The court decided that José Salcedo and 41 other people should be put to death. These sentences were carried out. Gaspar Salcedo was sent away for six years and had to pay a large fine.

The Viceroy also ordered everyone living in San Luis de Alva to move. This was the town that had grown around the mines. About 10,000 people had to move a short distance to the town of Puno. He made Puno the new capital of the province. After that, he ordered San Luis de Alva to be burned down.

Aftermath of the Rebellion

The rebels' families appealed the sentences to Spain. The King in Spain later changed the decisions. Gaspar Salcedo was set free, and the fines were returned.

Years later, in 1703, King Philip V even gave a special title, "marqués de Villarica," to José Salcedo's son.

After dealing with the rebellion, the Viceroy visited other areas like Chucuito and Cusco Region. He returned to Lima on November 12, 1668, and continued his duties.

Ana Francisca: A Female Governor

During the Viceroy's long trip to handle the rebellion, his wife, Ana Francisca de Borja y Doria, was left in charge. She was officially appointed as gobernadora, which means female governor.

This was a very important event. The royal rules for the Viceroy's job said that if he was away, his wife would take over. Ana Francisca was not just a placeholder. She had real power. She made decisions and issued orders for the colony while her husband was gone.

The main court in Lima, called the Audiencia, recognized her authority. This was the first time in America that a woman held full power as a viceroy.

Other Events During His Rule

In early 1670, news reached Lima that a famous English privateer named Henry Morgan had attacked and robbed Panama. A privateer was like a pirate, but they had permission from their government to attack enemy ships and towns.

Viceroy Fernández de Castro sent a large group of 18 ships and nearly 3,000 soldiers. However, they arrived in Panama too late. Morgan had already left the city. Later in 1670, there were rumors of other foreign attacks. The Viceroy ordered all Pacific ports to be ready for defense.

During his time as Viceroy, there was also a disagreement about the Lord of Miracles. This was a religious image that some authorities did not like. They tried to remove it several times, but they were not successful. Eventually, the Viceroy changed his mind. He allowed the first official mass for the image to take place on September 14, 1671.

Death

Viceroy Fernández de Castro passed away in Lima on December 6, 1672. He died after a short illness while still in office.

His body was first buried in the Nuestra Señora de los Desamparados Church. When that church was taken down in 1938, his body was sent back to his hometown in Spain. However, his heart was sent to the Saint Peter Church in Lima, where it remains today.

Sources

• Gran Enciclopedia de España, (1992), 22 vols. ISBN: 84-87544-01-0, 11,052 pages, vol 8, pages 3976–3977.

See also

In Spanish: Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro para niños