Lope García de Castro
Encyclopedia
Lope García de Castro was a Spanish colonial administrator, member of the Council of the Indies and of the Audiencias of Panama
and Lima
. From September 2, 1564 to November 26, 1569 he was interim viceroy of Peru
.
In 1563 he was sent to Panama by the Council of the Indies to apply the Council's decision to end the Audiencia of Guatemala
and attach that territory to the Audiencia of Panama
. He sailed from Spain on October 8, 1563, arriving in Panama in 1564. He served as governor of Panama until continuing on to Lima.
In February 1564, Peruvian Viceroy Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco
died suddenly or was killed. The president of the Audiencia of Lima, Juan de Saavedra
briefly served as interim viceroy. García de Castro was sent from Panama to take over the positions of governor, captain general, and president of the Audiencia. He was in effect interim viceroy. He arrived in Lima on September 22, 1564 and served until 1569.
The Indians of Peru had an oral tradition referring to Pacific islands known to Hahuachimbi and Ninachumbi. These mythical islands came to the attention of the Spanish in Peru, and even before their discovery were known as the Solomon Islands
(named for the biblical king) or the Islands of Gold. Viceroy García de Castro decided to send a naval expedition to the west to investigate whether these islands were real. He wrote to King Philip II
that he was sending his nephew, Alvaro de Mendaña de Neira
, with 100 men. The expedition consisted of two ships. It discovered Wake Island
and the Solomon Islands.
He suspected the Inca of plotting rebellion in Chile and Argentina. After discovering some evidence to support this, he ordered all horses and firearms confiscated from the Indians.
In 1567 an expedition under Captain Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
was sent to subdue the island of Chiloé
(Chile). Ruiz met little resistance. He founded the city of Castro
there, named for Viceroy García de Castro.
On August 21, 1565, King Philip created a royal mint in Lima, at the urging of a previous viceroy, Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco
, but it was in existence only briefly.
He died at Madrid
in 1576.
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
and 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...
. From September 2, 1564 to November 26, 1569 he was interim 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....
.
Biography
He was born at Villanueva de Valdueza.In 1563 he was sent to Panama by the Council of the Indies to apply the Council's decision to end the Audiencia of Guatemala
Royal Audiencia of Guatemala
The Royal Audiencia of Santiago de Guatemala , simply known as the Audiencia of Guatemala or the Audiencia of Los Confines, was a superior court in area of the New World empire of Spain, known as the Kingdom of Guatemala...
and attach that territory to the Audiencia of Panama
Royal Audiencia of Panama
The Royal Audiencia and Chancery of Panama in Tierra Firme was a governing body and superior court in the New World empire of Spain. The Audiencia of Panama was the third American audiencia after the ones of Santo Domingo and Mexico...
. He sailed from Spain on October 8, 1563, arriving in Panama in 1564. He served as governor of Panama until continuing on to Lima.
In February 1564, Peruvian Viceroy Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco
Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco
Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco, 4th Count of Nieva was the sixth viceroy of Peru, from April 17, 1561 to his death on February 20, 1564.-Early career:...
died suddenly or was killed. The president of the Audiencia of Lima, Juan de Saavedra
Juan de Saavedra
Juan de Saavedra was a Spanish conquistador in Peru and Chile, and the discoverer of the site of Valparaíso, Chile.-Biography:...
briefly served as interim viceroy. García de Castro was sent from Panama to take over the positions of governor, captain general, and president of the Audiencia. He was in effect interim viceroy. He arrived in Lima on September 22, 1564 and served until 1569.
The Indians of Peru had an oral tradition referring to Pacific islands known to Hahuachimbi and Ninachumbi. These mythical islands came to the attention of the Spanish in Peru, and even before their discovery were known as the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
(named for the biblical king) or the Islands of Gold. Viceroy García de Castro decided to send a naval expedition to the west to investigate whether these islands were real. He wrote to King Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
that he was sending his nephew, Alvaro de Mendaña de Neira
Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira
Álvaro de Mendaña de Neira was a Spanish navigator. Born in Congosto, in León, he was the nephew of Lope García de Castro, viceroy of Peru...
, with 100 men. The expedition consisted of two ships. It discovered Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
and the Solomon Islands.
He suspected the Inca of plotting rebellion in Chile and Argentina. After discovering some evidence to support this, he ordered all horses and firearms confiscated from the Indians.
In 1567 an expedition under Captain Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
Martín Ruiz de Gamboa
Martín Ruiz de Gamboa de Berriz was a Spanish Basque conquistador, and served as a Royal Governor of Chile.-Early years:He was born in Durango, Biscay, the son of Andrés Ruiz de Gamboa and Nafarra de Berriz, and served as a youth in the royal navy in the Levant...
was sent to subdue the island of Chiloé
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
(Chile). Ruiz met little resistance. He founded the city of Castro
Castro, Chile
Castro is a city and commune in the Chilean island of Chiloé Island. Castro is the capital of the Chiloé Province in the Los Lagos Region. It is Chile's third oldest city in continued existence...
there, named for Viceroy García de Castro.
On August 21, 1565, King Philip created a royal mint in Lima, at the urging of a previous viceroy, Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco
Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco
Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco, 4th Count of Nieva was the sixth viceroy of Peru, from April 17, 1561 to his death on February 20, 1564.-Early career:...
, but it was in existence only briefly.
He died at 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...
in 1576.