Juan Ortiz de Zárate
Encyclopedia
Juan Ortiz de Zárate – 1575 Asunción
, (Paraguay
). was a Spanish
Basque
explorer and conquistador
. He journeyed to the Americas as a teenager, where he took part in the conquest of Peru
under Diego de Almagro
.
On the removal of Francisco Ortiz de Vergara
from office, he was the conquistadors' preferred choice to be his replacement, but the Royal Audience required he return to Spain for confirmation by the Council of the Indies while Felipe de Cáceres governed in his stead.
He returned to Spain and was appointed the third adelantado
of the Governorate of the Río de la Plata, with the goal of exploring and populating the lands, founding towns, and introducing cattle and horses. His expedition left the port of San Lúcar de Barrameda
in October 1572 but reached the mouth of the Plata more than a year later, disembarking at the location of present-day Colonia, Uruguay.
Zárate attempted to subdue the Charrúa
, who had destroyed several previous settlements in what is now Uruguay
, but he was attacked and forced to seek shelter on Martín García Island. Juan de Garay
, who had just founded the city of Santa Fe
, was sent for and promptly came to the rescue; the combined forces defeated the Charrúas. Ortiz de Zárate was forced to leave a permanent guard at the settlement, while he marched to Asunción
to assume his post as governor.
He held this office until his death in 1575. He willed his authority to his daughter, Juana, but was succeeded by her husband, Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón.
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
, (Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
). was a 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...
Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
explorer and conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
. He journeyed to the Americas as a teenager, where he took part in the conquest of Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
under Diego de Almagro
Diego de Almagro
Diego de Almagro, , also known as El Adelantado and El Viejo , was a Spanish conquistador and a companion and later rival of Francisco Pizarro. He participated in the Spanish conquest of Peru and is credited as the first European discoverer of Chile.Almagro lost his left eye battling with coastal...
.
On the removal of Francisco Ortiz de Vergara
Francisco Ortiz de Vergara
Francisco Ortiz de Vergara was a Spanish conquistador and colonizer, born in Seville.He succeeded Gonzalo de Mendoza as governor of Rio de la Plata. He was elected, rather than appointed by the king or his predecessor...
from office, he was the conquistadors' preferred choice to be his replacement, but the Royal Audience required he return to Spain for confirmation by the Council of the Indies while Felipe de Cáceres governed in his stead.
He returned to Spain and was appointed the third adelantado
Adelantado
Adelantado was a military title held by some Spanish conquistadores of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries.Adelantados were granted directly by the Monarch the right to become governors and justices of a specific region, which they charged with conquering, in exchange for funding and organizing the...
of the Governorate of the Río de la Plata, with the goal of exploring and populating the lands, founding towns, and introducing cattle and horses. His expedition left the port of San Lúcar de Barrameda
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Sanlúcar de Barrameda is a city in the northwest of Cádiz province, part of the autonomous community of Andalucía in southern Spain. Sanlúcar is located on the left bank at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River opposite the Doñana National Park, 52 km from the provincial capital Cádiz and...
in October 1572 but reached the mouth of the Plata more than a year later, disembarking at the location of present-day Colonia, Uruguay.
Zárate attempted to subdue the Charrúa
Charrua
The Charrúa were an indigenous people of southern South America in the area today known as Uruguay and southern Brazil. They were a nomadic people that sustained themselves through fishing and foraging...
, who had destroyed several previous settlements in what is now Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, but he was attacked and forced to seek shelter on Martín García Island. Juan de Garay
Juan de Garay
Juan de Garay was a Spanish conquistador.Garay was born in Orduña, Spain. He served under the Spanish crown, in the Viceroyalty of Peru...
, who had just founded the city of Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
, was sent for and promptly came to the rescue; the combined forces defeated the Charrúas. Ortiz de Zárate was forced to leave a permanent guard at the settlement, while he marched to Asunción
Asunción
Asunción is the capital and largest city of Paraguay.The "Ciudad de Asunción" is an autonomous capital district not part of any department. The metropolitan area, called Gran Asunción, includes the cities of San Lorenzo, Fernando de la Mora, Lambaré, Luque, Mariano Roque Alonso, Ñemby, San...
to assume his post as governor.
He held this office until his death in 1575. He willed his authority to his daughter, Juana, but was succeeded by her husband, Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón.