Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio, marqués de Cerralvo
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Don
Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio de Toledo, 3rd Marquis of Cerralvo (born c. 1565 in Spain
, died June, 1652 in Madrid
) was a Spanish nobleman, inquisitor
of Valladolid
, and viceroy
of New Spain
. He held the latter position from November 3, 1624 to September 16, 1635.
. After distinguishing himself in military service, he was named inquisitor of Valladolid.
When the rioting and disorders involving the previous viceroy, Diego Carrillo de Mendoza, 1st Marquis of Gelves, and the archbishop of Mexico, Juan Pérez de la Serna
came to the attention of King Philip IV of Spain
, he chose Pacheco y Osorio to investigate the causes and take charge of the government. Pacheco received specific, detailed instructions, among them to uncover the true causes of the disorders and punish those in the wrong. He was given extraordinary powers to accomplish these ends.
on November 3, 1624, and took up the reins of government. However, his specific instructions were put aside so that he could deal with more urgent matters. Spain was now at war with France and Holland, and a Dutch fleet was menacing the Pacific port of Acapulco
. Pacheco immediately busied himself with the defense of Acapulco.
On December 15, 1628 Dutch Admiral Piet Hein captured a Spanish fleet in the straits between Florida and the Bahamas. This fleet was transporting 12 million pesos (mostly gold) and much merchandise from New Spain to the mother country.
Later in his administration, Dutch corsairs occupied the city of Campeche
(April 17, 1633), but were driven out by 200 militiamen under the command of Captain Francisco Maldonado. However they returned August 12, under Jean de Fors, and sacked the city.
To protect against Indian incursions from the north, Pacheco established the presidio of Cerralvo in the New Kingdom of León y Castilla (present day Nuevo León
).
Concerned that the construction on dikes and the drainage system had been suspended, Pacheco y Osorio restarted some construction in 1626. He restored and reinforced the walls surrounding the city and began some other minor projects to complete the earlier plans of the engineer Adrian Boot. The following year, the Río Cuautitlán broke through the dike that separated it from Lake Zumpango. The waters rose half a meter, flooding the city. The city government asked the viceroy to order the construction of more drainage projects. Time passed in consultations, and the water receded.
In 1629 the city suffered its worse flooding in recorded history. The Río Aculhuacán broke through its dikes, flooding the entire city from 1 to 2 meters deep. Transportation was by canoe, and many families left the city permanently. The rains continued, and the floodwaters did not recede. Probably 30,000 persons died, and it was feared that the capital might disappear completely. Parts of the city remained flooded for four years.
On May 19, 1630, the viceroy ordered the capital moved to Tacubaya
, nearby but on higher ground, pending an open discussion in the guilds of the city. The guilds were opposed, resolving instead to restart the engineering works. By the end of the year, the engineer Enrico Martínez
had restarted the work. By 1632 the Huehuetoca canal had finally been completed and the Calzada de San Cristóbal, atop a wall surrounding the city that served as a dike, had been renovated.
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:...
Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio de Toledo, 3rd Marquis of Cerralvo (born c. 1565 in 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...
, died June, 1652 in 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...
) was a Spanish nobleman, inquisitor
Inquisitor
An inquisitor was an official in an Inquisition, an organisation or program intended to eliminate heresy and other things frowned on by the Roman Catholic Church...
of Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
, and viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
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 held the latter position from November 3, 1624 to September 16, 1635.
Early career and appointment as viceroy of New Spain
Rodrigo Pacheco y Osorio was born in Spain in the 1560s. He was a relative of Juan Antonio Pacheco, viceroy of CataloniaCatalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
. After distinguishing himself in military service, he was named inquisitor of Valladolid.
When the rioting and disorders involving the previous viceroy, Diego Carrillo de Mendoza, 1st Marquis of Gelves, and the archbishop of Mexico, Juan Pérez de la Serna
Juan Pérez de la Serna
Juan Pérez de la Serna was born in Cervera, Spain and died in Zamora, Spain. He was the seventh Archbishop of Mexico. He served as archbishop from May 13, 1613 to June 19, 1627.- See also :...
came to the attention of King Philip IV of Spain
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...
, he chose Pacheco y Osorio to investigate the causes and take charge of the government. Pacheco received specific, detailed instructions, among them to uncover the true causes of the disorders and punish those in the wrong. He was given extraordinary powers to accomplish these ends.
Foreign threats
He arrived in 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 November 3, 1624, and took up the reins of government. However, his specific instructions were put aside so that he could deal with more urgent matters. Spain was now at war with France and Holland, and a Dutch fleet was menacing the Pacific port of 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...
. Pacheco immediately busied himself with the defense of Acapulco.
On December 15, 1628 Dutch Admiral Piet Hein captured a Spanish fleet in the straits between Florida and the Bahamas. This fleet was transporting 12 million pesos (mostly gold) and much merchandise from New Spain to the mother country.
Later in his administration, Dutch corsairs occupied the city of Campeche
Campeche
Campeche is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in Southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the states of Yucatán to the north east, Quintana Roo to the east, and Tabasco to the south west...
(April 17, 1633), but were driven out by 200 militiamen under the command of Captain Francisco Maldonado. However they returned August 12, under Jean de Fors, and sacked the city.
To protect against Indian incursions from the north, Pacheco established the presidio of Cerralvo in the New Kingdom of León y Castilla (present day Nuevo León
Nuevo León
Nuevo León It is located in Northeastern Mexico. It is bordered by the states of Tamaulipas to the north and east, San Luis Potosí to the south, and Coahuila to the west. To the north, Nuevo León has a 15 kilometer stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border adjacent to the U.S...
).
The drainage projects
The other major problem facing the new viceroy was drainage, a perennial problem for Mexico City.Concerned that the construction on dikes and the drainage system had been suspended, Pacheco y Osorio restarted some construction in 1626. He restored and reinforced the walls surrounding the city and began some other minor projects to complete the earlier plans of the engineer Adrian Boot. The following year, the Río Cuautitlán broke through the dike that separated it from Lake Zumpango. The waters rose half a meter, flooding the city. The city government asked the viceroy to order the construction of more drainage projects. Time passed in consultations, and the water receded.
In 1629 the city suffered its worse flooding in recorded history. The Río Aculhuacán broke through its dikes, flooding the entire city from 1 to 2 meters deep. Transportation was by canoe, and many families left the city permanently. The rains continued, and the floodwaters did not recede. Probably 30,000 persons died, and it was feared that the capital might disappear completely. Parts of the city remained flooded for four years.
On May 19, 1630, the viceroy ordered the capital moved to 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...
, nearby but on higher ground, pending an open discussion in the guilds of the city. The guilds were opposed, resolving instead to restart the engineering works. By the end of the year, the engineer Enrico Martínez
Enrico Martínez
Enrico Martínez , Henri Martín or Heinrich Martin, was cosmographer to the King of Spain, interpreter for the Spanish Inquisition, publisher, and hydraulic engineer....
had restarted the work. By 1632 the Huehuetoca canal had finally been completed and the Calzada de San Cristóbal, atop a wall surrounding the city that served as a dike, had been renovated.