Ruy Diaz Melgarejo facts for kids

Ruy Diaz Melgarejo (born in Salteras in 1519 – died in Santa Fe in 1602) was an important figure in South America's history. He was a miner, a military leader, and a politician. Melgarejo helped the Spanish Crown set up its power in the Río de la Plata region. His life was full of adventures, including wars, challenges, and family issues. He was well-liked by the Spanish rulers and was in charge of the Guayrá province for about 30 years.

Early Adventures and Challenges

Melgarejo began his journey on November 1, 1540. He left Italy as part of an expedition led by Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. This group was heading to the Río de la Plata area.

He stayed with de Vaca until 1544. At that time, de Vaca was removed from his leadership role. Melgarejo protested this decision, which led to him being put in jail.

In the late 1540s, Melgarejo helped his relative, Diego de Abreu, become the Governor of Asunción. This meant removing Fernando Mendoza, who had been appointed by de Vaca's helper. De Abreu was recognized as governor. However, Melgarejo and de Abreu soon had to run away from Asunción.

They hid for seven years. After this time, de Abreu was killed, and Melgarejo was put in jail again.

Melgarejo managed to escape from jail. But he was captured by Tupi Indians. He escaped from them by forming a relationship with a woman from the tribe. They both left the tribe and traveled to San Vicente. There, they got married. Later, Melgarejo found his wife with another person. After this discovery, Melgarejo left the area quickly. In 1555, Melgarejo returned to Asunción. He was welcomed by the current governor, who was his brother, Martinez de Irala.

Building New Settlements

Melgarejo was very active in creating new towns along the Paraná River. In May 1570, Melgarejo founded a town called Villarrica. The name means "rich town." He chose this name because he believed there were silver mines nearby.

Later, his brother, Martinez de Irala, sent him to explore and settle the Guayrá region. Melgarejo led a trip to Ontiveros, which was the capital of the region at the time. Another one of Irala's officers had founded this city three years earlier. However, Melgarejo thought the spot was not good for living. So, he left it. Instead, he created a new settlement called Ciudad Real. This new town was on higher ground, across the Paraná River from the old Ontiveros site.

In 1570, Alanzo Riguelme was supposed to replace Melgarejo as governor. But before Riguelme could start, his permission was taken away, and he was arrested. Melgarejo was told to take Riguelme and Felipe de Caceres back to Spain. They started their journey in 1573.

Early in the trip, bad weather forced them to stop at the port of San Vicente in Brazil. There, Melgarejo was asked to help the Governor fight against local native groups. He was very successful in these battles. This made him more popular with the government. Because of his success, he got more chances to lead trips to explore and settle the inside of Paraguay. His achievements as a naval commander and a leader of settlement groups earned him the nickname "the Invincible Captain."

See also

In Spanish: Ruy Díaz Melgarejo para niños