Juan de Mendoza y Luna, marqués de Montesclaros
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Don
Juan de Mendoza y Luna, 3rd Marquis of Montesclaros (January, 1571, Guadalajara, Spain
—October 9, 1628, Madrid
), Spanish nobleman, man of letters, and the tenth viceroy of New Spain
. He governed from October 27, 1603 to July 2, 1607. Thereafter he was viceroy of Peru
, from December 21, 1607 to December 18, 1615. After returning to Spain, he became advisor to the king and a high official in the Court.
He served with distinction in the army of the Duke of Alba in the Portuguese campaign, as a captain of lancers. For his service, he was awarded the Order of Caballero de Santiago in 1591. Later he was governor of Seville
, where he first became acquainted with the affairs of the Indies. On May 19, 1603 the Crown named him viceroy of New Spain.
on October 26, 1603, accompanied by his wife Ana de Mendoza, and assumed the reins of government. He immediately accused his predecessor, Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey
of excessive spending and of exceeding his authority.
In August 1604 there was another major inundation of Mexico City. Damage was extensive. The viceroy initially suggested moving the capital to the nearby hills of Tacubaya
, but this was deemed too expensive. Then he decided to finish the drainage canal of Huehuetoca, but this was a project requiring many years and the labor of 15,000 Indians to complete. In the meantime he repaired the dikes constructed under Viceroy Luis de Velasco
, at the same time paving the streets of San Antonio Abad, Chapultepec, San Cristóbal and Guadalupe. Nevertheless, parts of the city remained submerged for a year.
Mendoza y Luna also constructed an aqueduct on stone arches that conducted water from the springs on Chapultepec
to the center of the city. He cleaned the water channels and paved many streets with cobbles.
He lifted restrictions on Indians returning to their land to live.
Later career and death
On November 20, 1606, Mendoza y Luna was named viceroy of Peru, with instructions to remain in New Spain until the arrival of his successor. The new viceroy, Luis de Velasco, marqués de Salinas
, arrived in July of the following year, and Mendoza sailed from Acapulco
for Lima
in that month.
He served as viceroy of Peru until 1615. During his government in Lima the famous Stone Bridge and the Alameda de los Descalzos of that city were built. He returned to Spain the following year, and served as counselor of state and of war. Subsequently he was president of the council of Hacienda (treasury), and also of the council of Aragon. In 1621 King Philip IV
made him a grandee of Spain.
He died in Madrid in 1628, at the age of 57.
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:...
Juan de Mendoza y Luna, 3rd Marquis of Montesclaros (January, 1571, Guadalajara, Spain
Guadalajara, Spain
Guadalajara is a city and municipality in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain, and in the natural region of La Alcarria. It is the capital of the province of Guadalajara. It is located roughly 60 km northeast of Madrid on the Henares River, and has a population of 83,789...
—October 9, 1628, 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...
), Spanish nobleman, man of letters, and the tenth 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...
. He governed from October 27, 1603 to July 2, 1607. Thereafter he was viceroy 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....
, from December 21, 1607 to December 18, 1615. After returning to Spain, he became advisor to the king and a high official in the Court.
Youth and early career
Juan de Mendoza y Luna was the posthumous son of the second Marqués de Montesclaros. He was raised by his mother, Isabel Manrique de Padilla.He served with distinction in the army of the Duke of Alba in the Portuguese campaign, as a captain of lancers. For his service, he was awarded the Order of Caballero de Santiago in 1591. Later he was governor of 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...
, where he first became acquainted with the affairs of the Indies. On May 19, 1603 the Crown named him viceroy of New Spain.
As viceroy of New Spain
He made his formal entry into Mexico CityMexico 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 October 26, 1603, accompanied by his wife Ana de Mendoza, and assumed the reins of government. He immediately accused his predecessor, Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey
Gaspar de Zúñiga y Acevedo, Count of Monterrey
Gaspar de Zúñiga Acevedo y Fonseca, 5th Count of Monterrey , Spanish nobleman, the ninth viceroy of New Spain. He governed from November 5, 1595 to October 26, 1603...
of excessive spending and of exceeding his authority.
In August 1604 there was another major inundation of Mexico City. Damage was extensive. The viceroy initially suggested moving the capital to the nearby hills of Tacubaya
Tacubaya
Tacubaya is a section of Mexico City located in the west in the Miguel Hidalgo borough. The area has been inhabited since before the Christian era, with its name coming from Nahuatl meaning “where water is gathered.” From the colonial period to the beginning of the 20th century, Tacubaya was...
, but this was deemed too expensive. Then he decided to finish the drainage canal of Huehuetoca, but this was a project requiring many years and the labor of 15,000 Indians to complete. In the meantime he repaired the dikes constructed under Viceroy Luis de Velasco
Luis de Velasco
Luís de Velasco was the second viceroy of New Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Americas in the mid-sixteenth century....
, at the same time paving the streets of San Antonio Abad, Chapultepec, San Cristóbal and Guadalupe. Nevertheless, parts of the city remained submerged for a year.
Mendoza y Luna also constructed an aqueduct on stone arches that conducted water from the springs on Chapultepec
Chapultepec
Chapultepec Park, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" in Mexico City, is the largest city park in Latin America, measuring in total just over 686 hectares. Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of the park's main functions is to be an ecological space in the vast...
to the center of the city. He cleaned the water channels and paved many streets with cobbles.
He lifted restrictions on Indians returning to their land to live.
Later career and death
On November 20, 1606, Mendoza y Luna was named viceroy of Peru, with instructions to remain in New Spain until the arrival of his successor. The new viceroy, Luis de Velasco, marqués de Salinas
Luis de Velasco, marqués de Salinas
Luis de Velasco, marqués de Salinas , Spanish nobleman, son of the second viceroy of New Spain, and himself the eighth viceroy. He governed from January 27, 1590 to November 4, 1595, and again from July 2, 1607 to June 10, 1611...
, arrived in July of the following year, and Mendoza sailed from Acapulco
Acapulco
Acapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
for Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
in that month.
He served as viceroy of Peru until 1615. During his government in Lima the famous Stone Bridge and the Alameda de los Descalzos of that city were built. He returned to Spain the following year, and served as counselor of state and of war. Subsequently he was president of the council of Hacienda (treasury), and also of the council of Aragon. In 1621 King Philip IV
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
made him a grandee of Spain.
He died in Madrid in 1628, at the age of 57.