Rodrigo de Albornoz
Encyclopedia
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. He was a member of the triumvirates that governed the colony for several short periods between 1524 and 1528, in the absence of Cortés.
, sent to enforce royal control over Hernán Cortés
and the first conquistadors. He was secretary to Emperor Charles V when the latter appointed him contador (accountant or auditor) of New Spain, on October 15, 1522.http://html.rincondelvago.com/evolucion-historica-de-la-contabilidad.html
When Spanish King Charles I
(Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) granted Hernán Cortés the titles of governor and captain general of New Spain in 1522, he also appointed five officials to oversee Cortés's government. These were Alonso de Estrada
as treasurer; Gonzalo de Salazar
as factor or tax collector, Albornoz as auditor, Pedro Almíndez Chirino
as inspector, and Lic. Alonso de Zuazo
as justicia mayor or assessor. They arrived in New Spain in 1524 and formed the Tribunal de Cuentas (tribunal of accounts). This was the first office of public finance established in New Spain. Cristóbal de Oñate
, Albornoz's assistant, arrived with him.http://members.tripod.com/~GaryFelix/index5A.htm#AlbornozR
to march against Cristóbal de Olid
. He had intended that Albornoz accompany him on the expedition, but because of the illness of the latter, he remained in Mexico City
. Cortés left the government in charge of Estrada, Albornoz and Zuazo. The transfer of power occurred October 12, 1524. This triumvirate shared power with the ayuntamiento (city government). The ayuntamiento was composed of partisans of Cortés; Estrada and Albornoz were his enemies. However, since these men held independent royal appointments, Cortés had little choice about whom to leave in charge.
The three governors soon quarreled. They nearly came to arms over the appointment of a bailiff.
They governed for about two and one half months, until December 29, 1524. On that date, with the agreement of the ayuntamiento, Estrada and Albornoz were replaced by Salazar and Almíndez. Zuazo remained in the government. When Cortés had left Mexico City
, Salazar and Almíndez had accompanied him as far as Coatzacoalcos
. They 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, and continue governing with Zuazo.
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.
The expanded governing council was the work of Zuazo, acting as an arbitrator based on the first decree of 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 relative of and steward for Cortés, and a member of the ayuntamiento), and the clerk Pérez.
Salazar and Almíndez soon ousted Zuazo, and began a tyrannical and criminal government.
Estrada and Albornoz left Mexico City for Medellín
, but before they had traveled eight leagues, Almíndez sent armed men after them and took them prisoner. Albornoz was imprisoned in a fortress, in irons. Salazar then turned his attention to Rodrigo de Paz. Paz was tortured to force him to reveal the location of Cortés's treasure.
and Pedro de Alvarado
. In the absence or incapacity of Las Casas and Alvarado, Estrada and Albornoz were named as replacements. Orantes entered the city in secret and made contact with members of the opposition.
At daybreak on January 28, 1526 Orantes and other opponents of Salazar and Almíndez left the convent where they were staying, marched along the streets shouting "Viva Cortés", arrested Salazar, and succeeded in getting the ayuntamiento to execute the orders of Cortés. Estrada and Albornoz rejoined the government, because Las Casas and Alvarado were absent. Almíndez was arrested later in Tlaxcala, and brought back to Mexico City. This time Estrada and Albornoz governed from January 29, 1526 to June 24, 1526, or just short of six months. Cortés returned and took up the government again (very briefly) on June 25, 1526. Salazar and Almíndez did not return to the government again. Neither did Albornoz, who soon left to return to Spain.
organized sugar plantations and mills at Zempoala, near Veracruz
.http://www.cnca.gob.mx/cnca/inah/zonarq/zempoala.html It was for this project that he needed the black slaves.
He strongly advised the king to replace Cortés in the government of New Spain. He recommended that no ship leave Seville
for Veracruz without transporting some varieties of useful plants to the Indies. He reported on a unicorn seen in Cibola
.
His house, on the corner of 16 de Septiembre and 5 de Febrero Streets in Mexico City, was a monumental building in an eclectic style. It was converted into the Gran Hotel of Mexico City.
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...
during the period of 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...
's government, and before the appointment of the first viceroy. He was a member of the triumvirates that governed the colony for several short periods between 1524 and 1528, in the absence of Cortés.
Before assuming authority in New Spain
Albornoz may have first arrived in Mexico in 1519, with the expedition of Pánfilo de NarváezPánfilo de Narváez
Pánfilo de Narváez was a Spanish conqueror and soldier in the Americas. He is most remembered as the leader of two expeditions, one to Mexico in 1520 to oppose Hernán Cortés, and the disastrous Narváez expedition to Florida in 1527....
, sent to enforce royal control over 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...
and the first conquistadors. He was secretary to Emperor Charles V when the latter appointed him contador (accountant or auditor) of New Spain, on October 15, 1522.http://html.rincondelvago.com/evolucion-historica-de-la-contabilidad.html
When Spanish King Charles I
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...
(Holy Roman Emperor Charles V) granted Hernán Cortés the titles of governor and captain general of New Spain in 1522, he also appointed five officials to oversee Cortés's government. These were 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...
as treasurer; Gonzalo de Salazar
Gonzalo de Salazar
Gonzalo de Salazar was an aristocrat, and leader of several councils that governed New Spain while Hernán Cortés was traveling to Honduras, in 1525-26.- Early life :...
as factor or tax collector, Albornoz as auditor, 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 inspector, and Lic. 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...
as justicia mayor or assessor. They arrived in New Spain in 1524 and formed the Tribunal de Cuentas (tribunal of accounts). This was the first office of public finance established in New Spain. Cristóbal de Oñate
Cristóbal de Oñate
Cristóbal de Oñate was a Spanish Basque explorer, conquistador and colonial official in New Spain. He is considered the founder of the contemporary city of Guadalajara in 1531, as well as other places in Nueva Galicia .-Background:Oñate was born in 1552 in Vitoria or Oñate, in the Basque country...
, Albornoz's assistant, arrived with him.http://members.tripod.com/~GaryFelix/index5A.htm#AlbornozR
First period in government
In 1524 Governor and Captain General Cortés left Mexico City for HondurasHonduras
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...
to march against Cristóbal de Olid
Cristóbal de Olid
Cristóbal de Olid was a Spanish adventurer, conquistador and rebel who played a part in the conquest of Mexico and Honduras.Born in Zaragoza, Olid grew up in the household of the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. In 1518 Velázquez sent Olid to relieve Juan de Grijalva, but en route a...
. He had intended that Albornoz accompany him on the expedition, but because of the illness of the latter, he remained in 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...
. Cortés left the government in charge of Estrada, Albornoz and Zuazo. The transfer of power occurred October 12, 1524. This triumvirate shared power with the ayuntamiento (city government). The ayuntamiento was composed of partisans of Cortés; Estrada and Albornoz were his enemies. However, since these men held independent royal appointments, Cortés had little choice about whom to leave in charge.
The three governors soon quarreled. They nearly came to arms over the appointment of a bailiff.
They governed for about two and one half months, until December 29, 1524. On that date, with the agreement of the ayuntamiento, Estrada and Albornoz were replaced by Salazar and Almíndez. Zuazo remained in the government. When Cortés had 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...
, Salazar and Almíndez had accompanied him 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"...
. They 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, and continue governing with Zuazo.
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.
Second period in government
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 readmitted to the government, which now included all five men mentioned by Cortés. In order of importance, these were Salazar (factor), Almíndez (inspector), Estrada (treasurer), Albornoz (auditor) and Zuazo (justicia mayor).The expanded governing council was the work of Zuazo, acting as an arbitrator based on the first decree of 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 relative of and steward for Cortés, and a member of the ayuntamiento), and the clerk Pérez.
Salazar and Almíndez soon ousted Zuazo, and began a tyrannical and criminal government.
Estrada and Albornoz left Mexico City for Medellín
Medellín
Medellín , officially the Municipio de Medellín or Municipality of Medellín, is the second largest city in Colombia. It is in the Aburrá Valley, one of the more northerly of the Andes in South America. It has a population of 2.3 million...
, but before they had traveled eight leagues, Almíndez sent armed men after them and took them prisoner. Albornoz was imprisoned in a fortress, in irons. Salazar then turned his attention to Rodrigo de Paz. Paz was tortured to force him to reveal the location of Cortés's treasure.
Third period in government
In early 1526 a messenger (Martín de Orantes or Dorantes) from Cortés arrived in Mexico City. His instructions were to replace Salazar and Almíndez in the governing triumvirate with Francisco de las CasasFrancisco 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. Orantes entered the city in secret and made contact with members of the opposition.
At daybreak on January 28, 1526 Orantes and other opponents of Salazar and Almíndez left the convent where they were staying, marched along the streets shouting "Viva Cortés", arrested Salazar, and succeeded in getting the ayuntamiento to execute the orders of Cortés. Estrada and Albornoz rejoined the government, because Las Casas and Alvarado were absent. Almíndez was arrested later in Tlaxcala, and brought back to Mexico City. This time Estrada and Albornoz governed from January 29, 1526 to June 24, 1526, or just short of six months. Cortés returned and took up the government again (very briefly) on June 25, 1526. Salazar and Almíndez did not return to the government again. Neither did Albornoz, who soon left to return to Spain.
His report to the emperor
Albornoz sent a letter of report to Emperor Charles V, dated December 15, 1525. The letter included a number of observations and recommendations.- He denounced the enslavement of the IndigenousIndigenous peoples of MexicoMexico, in the second article of its Constitution, is defined as a "pluricultural" nation in recognition of the diverse ethnic groups that constitute it, and in which the indigenous peoples are the original foundation...
: "[I] t causes havoc in the land, and the people who may be converted[to Christianity] will be lost if it is not remedied soon...[I] t is a great matter of conscience."http://www.corazones.org/diccionario/esclavitud.htm (The Spanish Crown prohibited or severely restricted enslavement of the Indians in 1523, 1526, 1528, 1530, 1534, 1542 (Leyes Nuevas), 1543, 1548, 1550, 1553, 1556, 1568, etc.). Albornoz did not, however, recommend the complete abolition of slavery, and in fact personally held a license to import 150 black slaves.http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0018-2168(199108)71%3A3%3C413%3ASSIMCA%3E2.0.CO%3B2-4
- He accused Cortés of killing many Indigenous.
- He reported on the state of agriculture, business, the Church and the administration in the colony.
- He gave strong support to the Christianization of the Indigenous, claiming that a single convert among them was worth 50 missionaries.http://www.op.org/international/espanol/Documentos/Maestros_orden/Byrne/pre-noviciado.htm
- He reported the periodic appearance of "distant traders" in dugout canoes who came to exchange "excellent things" for local goods in the port of Zacatula, located at the mouth of the Río Balsas in western Mexico.http://www.dartmouth.edu/~izapa/M-28.pdf (This river forms the boundary between the present-day Mexican states of MichoacánMichoacánMichoacán 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 GuerreroGuerreroGuerrero officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Guerrero is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 81 municipalities and its capital city is Chilpancingo....
.) These merchants sometimes remained in the area for five or six months, until good weather and calm seas permitted a safe return to their southern homeland. The origin of these traders is not known. There is speculation that they arrived from the Inca domains in South America.
- He proposed the enactment of sumptuary laws, and proposed moving the capital to a location more easily defensible (but without mentioning the advantage of moving somewhere not subject to nearly annual flooding).
Other activities in New Spain
About the year 1529, he and Pedro MorenoPedro Moreno
Pedro Moreno . He was an insurgent in the Mexican War of Independence....
organized sugar plantations and mills at Zempoala, near Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
.http://www.cnca.gob.mx/cnca/inah/zonarq/zempoala.html It was for this project that he needed the black slaves.
He strongly advised the king to replace Cortés in the government of New Spain. He recommended that no ship leave 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...
for Veracruz without transporting some varieties of useful plants to the Indies. He reported on a unicorn seen in Cibola
Cibola
Cibola commonly refers to one of the legendary Seven Cities of Gold.It may also refer to:* Cibola, Arizona* Cibola County, New Mexico* Cibola National Forest, in New Mexico and Oklahoma...
.
His house, on the corner of 16 de Septiembre and 5 de Febrero Streets in Mexico City, was a monumental building in an eclectic style. It was converted into the Gran Hotel of Mexico City.