Hernando de Lerma
Encyclopedia
Hernando de Lerma was a conqueror, politician
, lawyer
and city founder from Seville
, Spain
.
On November 13, 1577, Lerma was named Governor of Tucumán, (in present Argentina
) by Spanish
King Philip II
. Described by historians as a man of violence, de Lerma had problems with several people from the area, including fellow countrymen. Among those he persecuted were the spokesman of a Catholic
bishop. He also disliked Francisco Salcedo, another Catholic man who built a church in Santiago del Estero
.
Many of de Lerma's opponents ended up in jail or being killed. Salcedo retired to another city and became convalescent, but he was returned to Tucumán by de Lerma's men after he found him. In Tucumán, Salcedo was tried and jailed. A large number of Salcedo's supporters were killed.
In April of 1582, de Lerma founded the city of Salta
, next to the Arenales River
. He foresaw Salta as an economic center, since the Spanish government had opened seaports in Santiago de Chile
, Callao
and Buenos Aires
. Salta's situation between the Viceroyalty of Peru
and the port at the Río de la Plata
river, according to de Lerma, would be an advantage for the city, as it connected the city directly with the aforementioned places, and de Lerma believed that Madrid
's government would re-route their shipments through Salta. He had the city named "Lerma City on Salta Valley". Hernando de Lerma befriended Indians who populated the area, believing their hands could be of help to him. He also attracted other Spaniards to the area.
After he established the city, however, de Lerma had to face many new rivals and problems. More conquerors arrived in Salta and tried to seize the city, causing multiple feuds. The city went through many periods of disease, and it had been erected in an area with frequent tremors.
In 1584, de Lerma was arrested and sentenced to jail in Salta. He appealed, and returned to Spain to take his case to the supreme court, but his appeal was rejected and he was sent to a Spanish jail. While it is known he died in jail, the year in which he died is not known.
Historian Paul Goussac said that "de Lerma's administration was nothing but a series of criminal attempts." Salta-born historian Armando Bazan describes de Lerma "as malign as a disease" in one of his books.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
, lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and city founder from Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, 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...
.
On November 13, 1577, Lerma was named Governor of Tucumán, (in present Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
) by Spanish
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...
King Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
. Described by historians as a man of violence, de Lerma had problems with several people from the area, including fellow countrymen. Among those he persecuted were the spokesman of a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
bishop. He also disliked Francisco Salcedo, another Catholic man who built a church in Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero
Santiago del Estero is the capital of Santiago del Estero Province in northern Argentina. It has a population of 244,733 inhabitants, making it the twelfth largest city in the country, with a surface area of 2,116 km². It lies on the Dulce River and on National Route 9, at a distance of...
.
Many of de Lerma's opponents ended up in jail or being killed. Salcedo retired to another city and became convalescent, but he was returned to Tucumán by de Lerma's men after he found him. In Tucumán, Salcedo was tried and jailed. A large number of Salcedo's supporters were killed.
In April of 1582, de Lerma founded the city of Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
, next to the Arenales River
Arenales River
The Arenales River is a river of Argentina. A tributary of the Salado River, the Arenales flows through the city of Salta.-References:* Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993....
. He foresaw Salta as an economic center, since the Spanish government had opened seaports in Santiago de Chile
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
and Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
. Salta's situation between the Viceroyalty of Peru
Viceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
and the port at the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
river, according to de Lerma, would be an advantage for the city, as it connected the city directly with the aforementioned places, and de Lerma believed that Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
's government would re-route their shipments through Salta. He had the city named "Lerma City on Salta Valley". Hernando de Lerma befriended Indians who populated the area, believing their hands could be of help to him. He also attracted other Spaniards to the area.
After he established the city, however, de Lerma had to face many new rivals and problems. More conquerors arrived in Salta and tried to seize the city, causing multiple feuds. The city went through many periods of disease, and it had been erected in an area with frequent tremors.
In 1584, de Lerma was arrested and sentenced to jail in Salta. He appealed, and returned to Spain to take his case to the supreme court, but his appeal was rejected and he was sent to a Spanish jail. While it is known he died in jail, the year in which he died is not known.
Historian Paul Goussac said that "de Lerma's administration was nothing but a series of criminal attempts." Salta-born historian Armando Bazan describes de Lerma "as malign as a disease" in one of his books.
External links
- Camdipsalta.gov.ar page about de Lerma, in Spanish
- Salta Tourism (in Spanish)
- Tourism (in English)