Juan de Garay
Encyclopedia
Juan de Garay was a Spanish conquistador.
Garay was born in Orduña
, Spain. He served under the Spanish crown, in the Viceroyalty of Peru
. He was governor of Asunción
(present day Paraguay
) and founded a number of cities in present-day Argentina
, many near the Paraná River
area, including the second foundation of Buenos Aires
, in 1580.
In 1543 he sailed to Peru
with his uncle Pedro de Zárate in Viceroy Blasco Núñez Vela
's first expedition. In 1561 he took part in the foundation of Santa Cruz de la Sierra
. In 1568 he moved to Asunción
were he attained political stature. The governor of Asunción sent him on April 1573, with a company of eighty men, on an expedition to the Paraná River
, during which he founded the city of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz
. In 1576 he was appointed governor of Asunción. As governor, he attempted to avoid bloodshed by bringing justice and civilization to the natives. To achieve these goals, he founded Indian villages and established local governments.
In 1580, having attained the rank of Capitan General of the Viceroyalty, he re-founded the city on the banks of the Río de la Plata
, which was first established by Pedro de Mendoza
in 1536 under the name of Nuestra Señora del Buen Ayre
, but was later destroyed by the natives. Garay founded Buenos Aires
a second time on July 11 in the year 1580. He landed on the riverbank in the location of Plaza de Mayo
, calling the city Santísima Trinidad and its port Santa María de los Buenos Ayres. Buenos Aires would become the main city in the Paraná basin and its most important port.
Later, he went on an expedition in search for the legendary City of the Caesars (1581-1582).
Juan de Garay died near the Río de la Plata
, while travelling from Buenos Aires to Santa Fe
on March 20, 1583, his group of 40 men, a Franciscan priest and a few women entered an unknown lagoon and decided to spend the night on the banks of the Carcarañá River
, near the ancient Sancti Spíritus Fort. The group was ambushed by Querandí
es natives who killed Garay, the priest, a woman, and twelve of the soldiers.
Garay had a daughter, Jerónima de Contreras, who married Hernando Arias de Saavedra
, the governor of Rio de la Plata.
Spanish colonization of the Americas
Colonial expansion under the Spanish Empire was initiated by the Spanish conquistadores and developed by the Monarchy of Spain through its administrators and missionaries. The motivations for colonial expansion were trade and the spread of the Christian faith through indigenous conversions...
Garay was born in Orduña
Orduña
Orduña is a town and municipality of 4,057 inhabitants located in the province of Biscay, in the autonomous community of Basque Country, in the North of Spain....
, Spain. He served under the Spanish crown, in the Viceroyalty of Peru
Viceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
. He was governor of 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...
(present day 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...
) and founded a number of cities in present-day Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, many near the Paraná River
Paraná River
The Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
area, including the second foundation of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, in 1580.
In 1543 he sailed to 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....
with his uncle Pedro de Zárate in Viceroy Blasco Núñez Vela
Blasco Núñez Vela
Blasco Núñez Vela y Villalba was the first Spanish viceroy of Peru, from May 15, 1544 to January 18, 1546. He was charged by King Charles I with the enforcement of the controversial New Laws, which dealt with the failure of the encomienda system to protect the indigenous people of America from the...
's first expedition. In 1561 he took part in the foundation of Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, commonly known as Santa Cruz, is the capital of the Santa Cruz department in eastern Bolivia and the largest city in the country...
. In 1568 he moved 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...
were he attained political stature. The governor of Asunción sent him on April 1573, with a company of eighty men, on an expedition to the Paraná River
Paraná River
The Paraná River is a river in south Central South America, running through Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina for some . It is second in length only to the Amazon River among South American rivers. The name Paraná is an abbreviation of the phrase "para rehe onáva", which comes from the Tupi language...
, during which he founded the city of Santa Fe de la Vera Cruz
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...
. In 1576 he was appointed governor of Asunción. As governor, he attempted to avoid bloodshed by bringing justice and civilization to the natives. To achieve these goals, he founded Indian villages and established local governments.
In 1580, having attained the rank of Capitan General of the Viceroyalty, he re-founded the city on the banks of the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
, which was first established by Pedro de Mendoza
Pedro de Mendoza
Pedro de Mendoza y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, soldier and explorer, and the first adelantado of the Río de la Plata.- Setting sail :...
in 1536 under the name of Nuestra Señora del Buen Ayre
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, but was later destroyed by the natives. Garay founded Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
a second time on July 11 in the year 1580. He landed on the riverbank in the location of Plaza de Mayo
Plaza de Mayo
The Plaza de Mayo is the main square in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is flanked by Hipólito Yrigoyen, Balcarce, Rivadavia and Bolívar streets....
, calling the city Santísima Trinidad and its port Santa María de los Buenos Ayres. Buenos Aires would become the main city in the Paraná basin and its most important port.
Later, he went on an expedition in search for the legendary City of the Caesars (1581-1582).
Juan de Garay died near the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
, while travelling from Buenos Aires to 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...
on March 20, 1583, his group of 40 men, a Franciscan priest and a few women entered an unknown lagoon and decided to spend the night on the banks of the Carcarañá River
Carcarañá River
The Carcarañá River is a river in Argentina. It is born at the confluence of the Río Tercero and the Saladillo River in the south-east of the province of Córdoba and flows eastward into the province of Santa Fe, which it crosses.In Santa Fe the river first turns south, then...
, near the ancient Sancti Spíritus Fort. The group was ambushed by Querandí
Querandí
The Querandí were one of the Het peoples, indigenous South Americans who lived in the Pampas area of Argentina; specifically, they were the eastern Didiuhet. The name Querandí was given by the Guaraní people, as they would consume animal fat in their daily diet. Thus, Querandí means "men with...
es natives who killed Garay, the priest, a woman, and twelve of the soldiers.
Garay had a daughter, Jerónima de Contreras, who married Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra , commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first American-born person to become a governor of a European colony in the Americas.-Early life:...
, the governor of Rio de la Plata.