Antonio Hurtado de Mendoza, conde de Tendilla (Spanish: Antonio de Mendoza, tercer conde de Tendilla) (1495, Granada – July 21, 1552, Lima), was the first viceroy of New Spain, serving from April 17, 1535 to November 25, 1550, and the third viceroy of Peru, from September 23, 1551 to July 21, 1552.

Mendoza came from a distinguished family of military officers and statesmen. After three high-ranking noblemen declined the appointment as viceroy of New Spain, it was accepted by don Antonio, who had served capably in the Court and as Spanish ambassador to Hungary.

He became viceroy in 1535 and governed for 15 years, longer than any subsequent viceroy.

On his arrival in New Spain, he found a recently conquered colony beset with Indian uprisings and rivalry among the conquerors. His difficult assignment was to govern in the king's name without making enemies of Hernan Cortes, whom Emperor Charles V (King Charles I of Spain) and the Council of the Indies judged too rough to be made a duke and given a higher post than the Captaincy-General of New Spain, a post for which he was well suited. He was also directed to increase royal revenues and regulate the affairs of the Indians.

As viceroy, Mendoza commissioned the expedition of Francisco Vasquez de Coronado to explore and establish settlements in the northern lands of New Spain in 1540-42, the expedition of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo to explore the western coastline of Alta California in 1542-43, and the expedition of Ruy Lopez de Villalobos to the Philippines in 1542-43. The Codex Mendoza is named for him. He probably commissioned it.

Don Antonio and Bishop Juan de Zumarraga cooperated in the founding of two great institutions of Mexico: the Colegio de Santa Cruz at Tlatelolco (1536), where the sons of Aztec nobles studied Latin, rhetoric, philosophy and music, and the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico (1552), modeled on the University of Salamanca, which trained young men for the Church. These institutions were the first and second universities respectively to be founded in the Americas. In 1536 he began the minting of silver and copper coins, known as macuquinas. Also under his instructions, the first printing press in the New World was brought to Mexico in 1539, by printer Juan Pablos (Giovanni Paoli). The first book printed in Mexico was entitled La escala espiritual de San Juan Climaco. On May 18, 1541 don Antonio founded the city of Valladolid (now Morelia, Michoacan).

In 1542 a formidable insurrection of the Indians, called the Mixton Rebellion, was suppressed. On March 25, 1544 Viceroy Mendoza promulgated the New Laws, inspired by the great reformer Frey Bartolome de las Casas and intended to ease the plight of Indians under the system of forced labor. Mendoza was both unable and unwilling to enforce these laws in the face of rigorous opposition from the holders of the encomienda grants. When news reached Mexico of the civil war that had broken out in Peru over similar reforms, thought to undermine the rigorous encomienda system, he had the laws suspended and then revoked.

Nevertheless, Mendoza was sympathetic to the Indians and did much to improve their lot. In 1547 he convened an ecclesiastical conference to treat of the condition of the Indians, with las Casas in attendance. He fixed a maximum number of hours they could be employed in the mines, ordered payment for the labor of free Indians, and protected Indian lands from appropriation by the Spanish.

In 1548 he suppressed an uprising of the Zapotecs.

During his term of office, Mendoza is credited with consolidating the sovereignty of the Crown throughout the Spanish conquests in New Spain and limiting the power and ambition of the first conquistadors.

An able and honest viceroy, he governed with justice, efficiency and some compassion. Much of the political and economic policies he established endured throughout the entire colonial period. He promoted the construction of hospitals and schools and encouraged improvements in agriculture, ranching and mining. His administration did much to bring stability and peace to New Spain.

He was succeeded as viceroy of New Spain by Luis de Velasco.

On July 4, 1549 in Brussels, Emperor Charles V named Mendoza viceroy of Peru. He traveled overland from Mexico to Panama, and then by boat to Peru. He arrived and took up his new office on November 25, 1550. However, he soon became ill, and died in 1552. His tomb is in the Cathedral of Lima, along with that of the Spanish conqueror of Peru, Francisco Pizarro.

Mendocino County, California is named in his honor.

References

• "Mendoza, Antonio de," Enciclopedia de Mexico, v. 9. Mexico City, 1988.
• "Mendoza, Antonio de," Encyclopædia Britannica, v. 6. Chicago, 1983.
• Garcia Puron, Manuel, Mexico y sus gobernantes, v. 1. Mexico City: Joaquin Porrua, 1984.
• Orozco Linares, Fernando, Gobernantes de Mexico. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, ISBN 968-38-0260-5.

External links

• "The First and the best: Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza"
• Colonial-Peru

Other pages about Colonial Peru

-Alonzo de Alvarado -Ana Francisca de Borja y Doria -Ana de Castro -Andres Hurtado de Mendoza -Antonio de Mendoza -Antonio de Morga -Balconies of Lima -Baltasar de la Cueva Enriquez -Battle of Sangarara -Bernardo de Iturriaza -Blasco Nunez Vela -Cabildo (council) -Carmine Nicolao Caracciolo -Cathedral of Lima -Comentarios Reales de los Incas -Convento de San Francisco -Cristobal Ramirez de Cartagena -Cristobal Vaca de Castro -Diego Ladron de Guevara -Diego Lopez de Zuniga y Velasco -Diego Morcillo Rubio de Aunon -Diego Nunez de Avendano -Diego Quispe Tito -Diego de Almagro -Diego de Benavides y de la Cueva -Fernando Torres de Portugal y Mesia -Francisco Ruiz Lozano -Francisco de Borja y Aragon -Francisco de Toledo, Count of Oropesa -Garcia Hurtado de Mendoza, Marquis of Canete -Government Palace (Peru) -Hans Heinrich Bruning Brookstedt -Hernando de Luque -Historic Centre of Lima -Jose Antonio de Areche -Jose Antonio de Mendoza -Jose de Armendariz -Juan Jimenez de Montalvo -Juan Pizarro II -Lima City Walls -Luis Jeronimo Fernandez de Cabrera -Manuel de Oms y de Santa Pau -Mateo de la Mata Ponce de Leon -Melchor Bravo de Saravia -Melchor Linan y Cisneros -Melchor de Navarra y Rocafull -Miguel Nunez de Sanabria -Osambela House -Pedro Alvarez de Toledo y Leiva -Pedro Antonio Fernandez de Castro -Pedro Bohorquez -Pedro de la Gasca -San Telmo (ship) -Spanish conquest of the Inca Empire -Torre Tagle Palace -Tupac Amaru II -Turibius of Mongrovejo -Viceroyalty of Peru

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