Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera
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| Governor-General of the Philippines | |
| In office June 25, 1635 – August 11, 1644 |
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| Monarch | Philip IV of Spain |
| Governor | (Viceroy of New Spain) Rodrigo Pacheco, 3rd Marquess of Cerralvo Lope Díez de Armendáriz, 1st Marquess of Cadreita Diego López Pacheco, 7th Duke of Escalona Juan de Palafox y Mendoza García Sarmiento de Sotomayor, 2nd Count of Salvatierra |
| Preceded by | Juan Cerezo de Salamanca |
| Succeeded by | Diego Fajardo Chacón |
| Personal details | |
| Died | August 12, 1660 |
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera was an important Spanish soldier and leader. He was born in Bergüenda, Spain, on March 25, 1587, and passed away in Tenerife, Canary Islands, on August 12, 1660.
He held several key positions during his life. From 1632 to 1634, he was the governor of Panama. He then served as the Governor-General of the Philippines from June 25, 1635, to August 11, 1644. Later, from 1659 until his death in 1660, he was the governor of the Canary Islands. He is remembered as one of the most skilled Spanish military leaders in the Philippines.
Contents
Early Life and Military Career
Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera was born in Bergüenda, a town in the mountains of Burgos, Spain. His parents were Pedro Hurtado de Corcuera y Montoya and María Gaviria.
He was a knight of the military Order of Alcántara. This meant he belonged to a special group of noble soldiers. He spent many years serving in the army in Flanders, a region in Europe. There, he was a key Spanish military leader during the siege of Breda. He also served on the Council of War, which helped make important military decisions.
Later, he became a master-of-camp at the port of Callao, Peru. He was also a captain general of cavalry in that colony. From 1632 to 1634, he was the governor of Panama. At that time, Panama was part of the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru.
Becoming Governor of the Philippines
Hurtado de Corcuera arrived in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, on June 25, 1635. He became the governor and captain general of the Philippines. He also became the president of the Audiencia of Manila. The Audiencia was a high court and council.
He sailed from Acapulco, New Spain (modern-day Mexico). He brought many new soldiers from Peru to help strengthen the Spanish forces. He took over from Juan Cerezo de Salamanca. Cerezo had been serving as governor temporarily since 1633.
Conflict with Archbishop Guerrero
Soon after Hurtado de Corcuera arrived in Manila, a disagreement started between him and Hernando Guerrero, the Archbishop of Manila. The city council, called the cabildo, had just confirmed Guerrero as archbishop.
The conflict became serious because of a criminal named Francisco de Nava. Nava had committed a crime and sought protection in an Augustinian church in Manila. Churches sometimes offered "sanctuary," meaning criminals could not be arrested inside.
Governor Hurtado believed that Nava should be arrested. He ordered soldiers to surround the church. Even though the soldiers were afraid to enter the church, Corcuera rode his horse right to the church entrance. He then led a group of guards inside to arrest Nava. Nava was quickly tried and sentenced to death.
The archbishop's officials asked the governor to release Nava and return him to the church. However, the governor refused. Nava was executed on September 6, 1635. The execution happened on a gallows built right in front of the church where Nava had sought sanctuary.
The archbishop then ordered an "interdict." This meant that religious services were stopped. This showed the serious disagreement between the church and the government. The Jesuits supported the governor, while other religious groups supported the archbishop.
A temporary agreement was made in January 1636, but it did not last. In May 1636, the governor ordered the archbishop to be sent away to Marivales Island. However, within a month, the archbishop was allowed to return.
Managing the Colony
In his report to the king in June 1636, Corcuera mentioned that the treasury was still in a bad state. He had found ways to save money, like reducing the value of pay warrants. He also suggested that future governors should be chosen in Spain, not in New Spain.
He worked to improve the military. He reorganized the armed forces and included several companies of Pampango "Indians." He believed these local people would make good soldiers and be less expensive than Spanish soldiers. He also reorganized the pay for civil and military workers to save money for the colony.
Fighting the Moros
For many years, Moro raiders had attacked the Spanish and their allies. These raiders were based in Mindanao. A royal order in 1636 told the governor to bring peace to Mindanao.
On March 13, 1637, Hurtado de Corcuera led an attack. He had about 800 soldiers from Peru. They fought against the forces of Sultan Qudarat. Corcuera's forces won, capturing many cannons and defeating many fighters. Sultan Qudarat himself barely escaped. People at the time praised the governor for his bravery.
This victory inspired a famous play called the Moro-Moro. This play tells the story of the Spanish defeating the Moros. It has become an important part of Filipino festivals. Governor Hurtado was seen as a hero after this victory.
However, Sultan Qudarat did not give up. He gathered his people and encouraged them to fight against the Spanish. The Lake Moros soon recaptured the fort the Spanish had left behind. By 1637, Qudarat had gained influence over almost all of Mindanao.
On January 4, 1638, Governor Hurtado led another force. This time, he had 500 soldiers from Peru and 1,000 local allies. They sailed in 80 vessels to invade Sulu. Jolo, the capital of Sulu, was defended by about 4,000 fighters. After three months of intense fighting, neither side could claim a clear victory. They agreed to a truce.
Other Important Events
Chinese Rebellion (1639-1640)
A second Chinese rebellion happened from November 1639 to March 1640. This conflict started when Corcuera forced 3,000 Chinese laborers to farm rice in difficult conditions. By the end of the rebellion, many Chinese had been killed. The remaining rebels were taken prisoner and often forced to work for the Spanish.
Loss of Formosa
Hurtado de Corcuera had suggested that the Spanish abandon their fort on Spanish Formosa (Taiwan). He thought it was too expensive and not very useful. This became a reality on August 24, 1642, when the Dutch captured the fort. The Dutch had failed to capture it in 1641. They only succeeded the next year because Hurtado had moved most of the Spanish troops back to Manila, leaving the fort with few defenders.
After His Time in Office
During his time as governor, Hurtado de Corcuera made some enemies, especially among the clergy (church leaders). When his successor, Diego Fajardo Chacón, arrived in 1644, Corcuera's enemies took him to court. He was given a large fine and sent to prison.
He spent five years in prison before the king ordered his release. In 1651, he was offered the position of governor of Panama again, but he did not accept it.
However, he did accept the job of governor and captain general of the Canary Islands in 1659. He served there until he passed away the following year.
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Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera
See also
In Spanish: Sebastián Hurtado de Corcuera para niños
