; d. ca. 1564, 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...

) was an aristocrat, and leader of several councils that governed New Spain while Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...

 was traveling to Honduras

Honduras

Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...

, in 1525-26.

Early life

Gonzalo was the first Christian child born in Granada after the conquest against the Moors (1492). Consequently, he was granted titles, special privileges, and at an early age, appointed royal page to the Catholic Monarchs at court in Granada. He fought in the Castilian War of the Communities

Castilian War of the Communities

The Revolt of the Comuneros was an uprising by citizens of Castile against the rule of Charles V and his administration between 1520 and 1521. At its height, the rebels controlled the heart of Castile, ruling the cities of Valladolid, Tordesillas, and Toledo.The revolt occurred in the wake of...

, opposing the rebels against Emperor Charles V

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...

. For this, Charles rewarded him with the position of factor (tax collector), and Captain General (see below) of New Spain from 29 December 1524, until 29 January 1526. Prior to the appointment of a Viceroy in New Spain, Gonzalo had worked, alongside Pedro Almindez Chirino, Alonso de Estrada (who preceded him, and succeeded him—they were on bad terms), and others, and endured power struggles and controversy. Gonzalo's father, Doctor Guadalupe de Salazar, a converso

Converso

A converso and its feminine form conversa was a Jew or Muslim—or a descendant of Jews or Muslims—who converted to Catholicism in Spain or Portugal, particularly during the 14th and 15th centuries. Mass conversions once took place under significant government pressure...

, was royal physician

Physician

A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...

, to the Catholic monarchs, and one of 16 "regidores" (administrators) of Granada during the struggle to oust the Moors. Gonzalo, his wife Catalina, and her brother Antonio De La Cadena Maluenda (treasurer of New Spain), left Spain in 1524, and arrived in Mexico City in 1525. A powerful member of the ruling class in the New World, Gonzalo, became an encomendero (holder of an encomienda

Encomienda

The encomienda was a system that was employed mainly by the Spanish crown during the colonization of the Americas to regulate Native American labor....

) of Tajimaroa (Michoacán

Michoacán

Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...

), and held lands, and titles elsewhere. His daughter Catalina de Salazar de la Cadena first married Ruy de Mendoza, of the famous Mendoza clan, and subsequently wed Cristobal de Onate. Their son, Juan de Onate, established San Juan de Los Caballeros near present-day Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1598. Gonzalo's son Juan Velazquez de Salazar, inherited his estates. Gonzalo's had a brother named Juan Salazar Velazquez. Gonzalo Salazar's wife, Catarina (aka Catalina) de la Cadena Maluenda, was descended from Mossen Truchas de Calatayud* (*Reference: "El Libro Verde de Aragon"). The assumed the name Maluenda after the town where they lived. They were money lenders to kings, and prominent spice, and silk merchants in Europe for hundreds of years. Pedro de Maluenda was commissary for Hernan Cortez; witnessed the destruction of the Aztec nation, but died of a fever 6 months after the conquest. The Spanish colonial families were inter-related, of Christian, Sephardic (converso), or Jewish decent. Catalina and Antonio De La Cadena are descendants of Don Lorenzo Suarez de Figueroa 1345-1409, Master of the Order of Santiago (St. James), and his second wife Maria Catalina de Orozco. This line is linked to most of Spanish and European nobility today. New research cites Prince Carlos de Viana (Ferdinand the Catholic's half-brother) and Agnes De Cleves as parents of Catalina De La Cadena Mazuelo, born 1448 Penafiel, Valladolid, Spain. (See Family Tree Maker's Genealogy below). The Maluenda Palace, (aka Palace of the Count of Castifale), a mid-15th century home, is situated next to Burgos Cathederal. Lorenzo Suarez de Figueroa (a Mendoza, he used his maternal surname) was Count (later Duke) of Feria. The Figueroa Palace of Feria, now a parador, is in Zafra, Badajoz, Spain.

The title "Captain General" precedes the appointment of "Viceroy's" by the Spanish kings in the new world.

Temporary government in the absence of Cortés

In 1524 Governor and Captain General Cortés left Mexico City for Honduras. He put the government in charge of Alonso de Estrada

Alonso de Estrada

Alonso de Estrada was a colonial official in New Spain during the period of Hernán Cortés's government, and before the appointment of the first viceroy...

, royal treasurer of the colony appointed by Charles, Rodrigo de Albornoz

Rodrigo de Albornoz

Rodrigo de Albornoz was an auditor and colonial official in New Spain during the period of Hernán Cortés's government, and before the appointment of the first viceroy...

 and Licenciado Alonso de Zuazo

Alonso de Zuazo

Alonso de Zuazo was a Spanish lawyer and colonial judge and governor in New Spain and in Santo Domingo. He served in New Spain during the period of Hernán Cortés's government and before the appointment of the first viceroy...

, with Estrada at the head. The transfer of power occurred October 12, 1524.

When Cortés left 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...

 he was accompanied by Gonzalo de Salazar and Pedro Almíndez Chirino

Pedro Almíndez Chirino

Pedro Almíndez Chirino was a conquistador and member of several councils that governed New Spain while Hernán Cortés was traveling to Honduras, in 1525-26...

 as far as Coatzacoalcos

Coatzacoalcos

Coatzacoalcos is a major port city in the southern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, on the Coatzacoalcos River. Coatzacoalcos comes from an indigenous word meaning "Site of the Snake" or "Where the snake hides"...

. Salazar and Almíndez used this opportunity to convince the conqueror that they should be included in the government. Cortés sent them back with two decrees. The first decree directed that they join the already-formed government of Estrada, Albornoz and Zuazo as its fourth and fifth members, provided that the two groups could reconcile their differences. The second decree directed that Salazar and Almíndez replace Estrada and Albornoz.

Government of Salazar and Almíndez

When Salazar and Almíndez arrived back in the capital, they suppressed the first of these decrees, and made known only the second one, thus taking over the government. This took place on December 29, 1524. However, they made the mistake of admitting the deception to some friends. This resulted in a scandal, and on February 17, 1525, Estrada and Albornoz were admitted to the government, which now included all five men mentioned by Cortés. In order of importance, these were Salazar (tax collector), Almíndez (inspector), Estrada (treasurer), Albornoz (accountant) and Zuazo (justicia mayor).

The expanded governing council was the work of Zuazo, acting as an arbitrator based on the first decree received from Cortés. The two factions, however, were not really reconciled. Estrada and Albornoz objected to the arrangement. On April 20, 1525, Salazar and Almíndez proclaimed that no officials were to recognize the authority of Estrada and Albornoz, on pain of 100 lashes and confiscation of property. This proclamation was signed by Zuazo, Cervantes, de la Torre, Sotomayor, Rodrigo de Paz (a member of the ayuntamiento, or city government), and the clerk Pérez. Estrada and Albornoz left Mexico City to seek out Cortés and present their case to him.

Despotism

The council continued with three members (Zuazo was still a member) until April 20, 1525. In the middle of the night, Zuazo was arrested in his home and taken under guard to be sent back to Spain. He went as far as Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...

, where he spent the rest of his life, and died in 1527.

Zuazo was a respectable, educated man, a friend of Cortés, and apparently incorruptible. His arrest freed Salazar and Almíndez from all checks on their authority, and they began to govern despotically. They made it known that Cortés (untruthfully) had been killed by Indians. On August 19, 1525 they tried to confiscate his property. They arrested Rodrigo de Paz, whom Cortés had left as majordomo of his property. Paz was tortured to find out the location of Cortés's hidden treasure. He provided some locations, and then was hanged in the plaza.

Salazar sent out agents to extort treasures. When refugees were forced to leave a church, Father Valencia protested the violation of sanctuary by excommunicating Mexico City until the prisoners were restored.

Overthrow

In January 1526 a messenger (Martín de Orantes AKA Dorantes) announced the return of Cortés in Mexico City. Cortes issued a decree replacing Salazar and Almíndez in the governing triumvirate with, Francisco de las Casas

Francisco de las Casas

Francisco de las Casas y Saavedra was a Spanish Conquistador in Mexico and Honduras.Francisco de las Casas was born in Trujillo, Spain. By 1513 las Casas was already married to Maria de Aguilar, daughter of Geronimo de Aguilar, and they maintained a house in Trujillo, where she sold a block of...

, and Pedro de Alvarado

Pedro de Alvarado

Pedro de Alvarado y Contreras was a Spanish conquistador and governor of Guatemala. He participated in the conquest of Cuba, in Juan de Grijalva's exploration of the coasts of Yucatan and the Gulf of Mexico, and in the conquest of Mexico led by Hernan Cortes...

. In the absence, or incapacity of Las Casas and Alvarado, Estrada and Albornoz were named as replacements. Salazar and Almindez sought refuge in the Franciscan convent. Polorized, Salazar proponents assembled before Cortes arrived. They consisted of clergymen, friends, servants, family, and some followers, alongside those who wanted to reinstate Estrada. Orantes entered the city in secret and made contact with members of the opposition.

At daybreak on January 28, 1526 two hundred Spaniards rushed the convent. Armed supporters of Salazar, were intent on murdering Estrada, and were ready for a fight. Sadly, Salazar confronted the group alongside other noblemen, and relented. Cortes supporters had succeeded in getting the ayuntamiento to execute the orders of Cortes. The former opposition group left the convent and marched along the streets shouting "Viva Cortés". They then assembled to the left of the convent. Salazar was arrested and caged in public display in the Zocalo, that same day. Almindez was also arrrested in Tlaxcala and brought back to the city. With De Las Casas and Alvarado absent, Estrada and Albornoz governed from January 29, 1526 to June 24, of that same year, or just short of six months. Thereafter, Cortes returned briefly to his post on June 25, Salazar and Almindez did not. Salazar was freed after a few months, exiled to Spain, and banned from returning to New Spain.

Afterwards

Salazar and Almíndez escaped the fate of many of their enemies because of their royal connections. Salazar escaped execution due to his status. In June a new administration was formed.

Despite the court intrigue, and plots, Salazar returned to the Spanish court, was reappointed, and returned to New Spain in 1540. He completed his position as factor in New Spain without issue. Salazar behaved as if nothing had happened. Dubbed "el gordo" behind his back, he was overly courteous and courtly. A sinister persona, he left politics thereafter, and lived comfortably until his death probably in 1564.

External links

• Spanish Conquest 1492-1580 by Sanderson Beck