Diego López Pacheco Cabrera y Bobadilla, marqués de Villena
Encyclopedia
Don
Diego Roque López Pacheco Cabrera y Bobadilla, 7th Duke of Escalona, 7th Marquis of Villena and 7th Count of Xiquena (16 August 1599, La Mancha
, Spain
– 27 February 1653, Pamplona
, Spain) was a Spanish nobleman and, from August 28, 1640 to June 10, 1642, viceroy of New Spain
.
, and his mother Serafina de Portugal Bragança, daughter of John I, 6th Duke of Braganza.
He was educated at the University of Salamanca
, where he became rector. He made a name for himself as a man of letters and a man of arms. He served in the Tercios (Spanish infantry), where he rose to the rank of colonel.
. He arrived in Veracruz
on June 24 of that year, together with Juan de Palafox y Mendoza
, bishop of Puebla. The bishop had been commissioned visitador general to begin proceedings against the two previous viceroys, Rodrigo Pacheco, 3rd Marquis of Cerralvo and Lope Díez de Armendáriz, marqués de Cadereyta
.
López Pacheco was delayed some months in the port by the festivities celebrating his arrival. He made his solemn entry into Mexico City
on August 28. He soon found himself popular, in spite of the introduction of tax stamps and remitting of more tribute to Spain.
While still in Veracruz, he was informed of the pressing need to reinforce the Armada de Barlovento, which guarded the coast and shipping from corsairs. He immediately took up this project, renovating six warships, ordering the construction of others, and obtaining several more from Cartagena
and Havana
. He ordered the casting of cannons and the production of munitions, gunpowder and rigging.
In 1641 Luis Cetin de Canas, governor of Sinaloa
solicited and obtained the viceroy's approval to send an expedition to colonize the Californias with Jesuit missionaries. This was not successful. Also during López Pacheco's term, a change occurred in the parish churches of the colony; a majority of them were now held by secular clergy rather than the regular friars.
, and the Duke of Braganza
, a first cousin of the viceroy, was crowned King John IV. This naturally led to questions about the viceroy's loyalty. To allay the suspicions, López Pacheco ordered that all Portuguese residents in New Spain register with the government, for control of their movements, possessions and activities. However, he remained under suspicion.
The visitador general, Bishop Palafox y Mendoza, who was already involved in proceedings against earlier viceroys, broke with the current viceroy in 1642, accusing him again of being in league with Portugal. This was probably on orders from the Crown — at least Bishop Palafox claimed to have the orders, although he did not show them. The bishop arrived secretly in the capital, and in the middle of the night of June 9/10, he met with the Audiencia and laid out his suspicions. He then ordered that the viceregal palace be surrounded by guards. The following morning Viceroy López Pacheco was informed that the bishop had been named archbishop and viceroy.
López Pacheco was moved to the convent of Churubusco as a prisoner, and a few days later he was moved out of the capital to San Martín Texmelucan. His possessions were confiscated and sold at public auction.
A few months later he returned to Spain, where after a short trial he was found innocent of the accusations against him. The king restored part of the money he had lost through confiscation and offered to restore the viceregency, but López Pacheco was not willing to return to Mexico. The king instead made him governor of Sicily
, and later (1649) viceroy of Navarre
.
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Diego Roque López Pacheco Cabrera y Bobadilla, 7th Duke of Escalona, 7th Marquis of Villena and 7th Count of Xiquena (16 August 1599, La Mancha
La Mancha
La Mancha is a natural and historical region or greater comarca located on an arid, fertile, elevated plateau of central Spain, south of Madrid, stretching between the Montes de Toledo and the western spurs of the Serrania de Cuenca. It is bounded on the south by the Sierra Morena and on the north...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
– 27 February 1653, Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
, Spain) was a Spanish nobleman and, from August 28, 1640 to June 10, 1642, viceroy of New Spain
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
.
Early life
López Pacheco was born into one of the most aristocratic families of Iberia. His father was Juan Fernandez Pacheco, 5th Duke of EscalonaJuan Fernandez Pacheco, 5th Duke of Escalona
Don Juan Fernández Pacheco, , 5th Duke of Escalona, 5th Marquis of Villena and 5th Count of Xiquena was a Spanish nobleman and, between 1607 and 1610, viceroy of Sicily....
, and his mother Serafina de Portugal Bragança, daughter of John I, 6th Duke of Braganza.
He was educated at the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
, where he became rector. He made a name for himself as a man of letters and a man of arms. He served in the Tercios (Spanish infantry), where he rose to the rank of colonel.
Viceroy of New Spain
On January 22, 1640, López Pacheco was named viceroy, under King Philip IV of SpainPhilip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
. He arrived in Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
on June 24 of that year, together with Juan de Palafox y Mendoza
Juan de Palafox y Mendoza
Blessed Juan de Palafox y Mendoza was a Spanish archbishop in the Roman Catholic Church. He also held political office in the New World. From June 10, 1642 to November 23, 1642 he was viceroy of New Spain.-Early life:...
, bishop of Puebla. The bishop had been commissioned visitador general to begin proceedings against the two previous viceroys, Rodrigo Pacheco, 3rd Marquis of Cerralvo and Lope Díez de Armendáriz, marqués de Cadereyta
Lope Díez de Armendáriz, marqués de Cadereyta
Don Lope Díez de Aux de Armendáriz, Marquis of Cadereyta was a Spanish nobleman and the first Criollo to be viceroy of New Spain...
.
López Pacheco was delayed some months in the port by the festivities celebrating his arrival. He made his solemn entry into Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
on August 28. He soon found himself popular, in spite of the introduction of tax stamps and remitting of more tribute to Spain.
While still in Veracruz, he was informed of the pressing need to reinforce the Armada de Barlovento, which guarded the coast and shipping from corsairs. He immediately took up this project, renovating six warships, ordering the construction of others, and obtaining several more from Cartagena
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
and Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. He ordered the casting of cannons and the production of munitions, gunpowder and rigging.
In 1641 Luis Cetin de Canas, governor of Sinaloa
Sinaloa
Sinaloa officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sinaloa is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 18 municipalities and its capital city is Culiacán Rosales....
solicited and obtained the viceroy's approval to send an expedition to colonize the Californias with Jesuit missionaries. This was not successful. Also during López Pacheco's term, a change occurred in the parish churches of the colony; a majority of them were now held by secular clergy rather than the regular friars.
Revolution in Portugal
The following year (1642) an insurrection broke out in PortugalPortugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, and the Duke of Braganza
Duke of Braganza
The title Duke of Braganza in the House of Braganza is one of the most important titles in the peerage of Portugal. Since the House of Braganza acceded to the throne of Portugal in 1640, the male heir of the Portuguese Crown was known as the Duke of Braganza and Prince of Brazil until 1822, or...
, a first cousin of the viceroy, was crowned King John IV. This naturally led to questions about the viceroy's loyalty. To allay the suspicions, López Pacheco ordered that all Portuguese residents in New Spain register with the government, for control of their movements, possessions and activities. However, he remained under suspicion.
The visitador general, Bishop Palafox y Mendoza, who was already involved in proceedings against earlier viceroys, broke with the current viceroy in 1642, accusing him again of being in league with Portugal. This was probably on orders from the Crown — at least Bishop Palafox claimed to have the orders, although he did not show them. The bishop arrived secretly in the capital, and in the middle of the night of June 9/10, he met with the Audiencia and laid out his suspicions. He then ordered that the viceregal palace be surrounded by guards. The following morning Viceroy López Pacheco was informed that the bishop had been named archbishop and viceroy.
López Pacheco was moved to the convent of Churubusco as a prisoner, and a few days later he was moved out of the capital to San Martín Texmelucan. His possessions were confiscated and sold at public auction.
A few months later he returned to Spain, where after a short trial he was found innocent of the accusations against him. The king restored part of the money he had lost through confiscation and offered to restore the viceregency, but López Pacheco was not willing to return to Mexico. The king instead made him governor of Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, and later (1649) viceroy of Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
.