Miguel del Barco
Encyclopedia
Miguel del Barco was a Jesuit missionary in Baja California
, Mexico and wrote major contributions to the peninsula's history and ethnography.
Del Barco was born at Casas de Millán
in Cáceres
, Extremadura
, Spain
and earned a degree at the University of Salamanca
. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in Castile in 1728 and journeyed to the New World in 1735. In Baja California, he was sent briefly to the mission of San José del Cabo
among the Pericú
in 1737, before going to serve for more than three decades (1737–1768) among the Cochimí
at San Javier
. He oversaw the construction of the outstanding stone church at San Javier and served as visitador, the highest administrative office for the California missions, in 1750–1754 and 1761–1763. When the Jesuits were expelled from Spanish territory in 1767–1768, Barco went into exile in Bologna, in the Papal territory of Italy.
Barco's most enduring creation may have been his writings on the history and ethnography of Baja California. Several short reports and letters written at San Javier or Bologna have now been published. Prior to his exile, he was perhaps the author of an anonymous Adiciones to the manuscript Descripción de la California. In Bologna, apparently in the 1770s, he composed a lengthy manuscript of additions and corrections to the previously published history of the peninsula by Miguel Venegas
. Barco's writings were one of the main sources for the subsequent history written by Francisco Javier Clavijero
. Barco's own work remained in manuscript until 1973.
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Mexico and wrote major contributions to the peninsula's history and ethnography.
Del Barco was born at Casas de Millán
Casas de Millán
Casas de Millán is a municipality located in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 720 inhabitants....
in Cáceres
Cáceres (province)
The province of Cáceres is a province of western Spain, in the northern part of the autonomous community of Extremadura. It is bordered by the provinces of Salamanca, Ávila, Toledo, and Badajoz, and by Portugal....
, Extremadura
Extremadura
Extremadura is an autonomous community of western Spain whose capital city is Mérida. Its component provinces are Cáceres and Badajoz. It is bordered by Portugal to the west...
, 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...
and earned a degree at the University of Salamanca
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It was founded in 1134 and given the Royal charter of foundation by King Alfonso IX in 1218. It is the oldest founded university in Spain and the third oldest European...
. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in Castile in 1728 and journeyed to the New World in 1735. In Baja California, he was sent briefly to the mission of San José del Cabo
Misión Estero de las Palmas de San José del Cabo Añuití
Mission San José del Cabo was the southernmost of the Jesuit missions on the Baja California peninsula, located near the modern city of San José del Cabo in Baja California Sur, Mexico....
among the Pericú
Pericúes
The Pericú were the aboriginal inhabitants of the Cape Region, the southernmost portion of Baja California Sur, Mexico...
in 1737, before going to serve for more than three decades (1737–1768) among the Cochimí
Cochimi
The Cochimí are the aboriginal inhabitants of the central part of the Baja California peninsula, from El Rosario in the north to San Javier in the south....
at San Javier
Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó
Misión San Francisco Javier de Viggé-Biaundó was a Spanish mission in San Javier, Baja California Sur, Mexico.-Origins:The Spanish mission of San Francisco Javier was initially founded by the Jesuit missionary Francisco María Piccolo in 1699 at a spring called Biaundó by the native Cochimí, about 8...
. He oversaw the construction of the outstanding stone church at San Javier and served as visitador, the highest administrative office for the California missions, in 1750–1754 and 1761–1763. When the Jesuits were expelled from Spanish territory in 1767–1768, Barco went into exile in Bologna, in the Papal territory of Italy.
Barco's most enduring creation may have been his writings on the history and ethnography of Baja California. Several short reports and letters written at San Javier or Bologna have now been published. Prior to his exile, he was perhaps the author of an anonymous Adiciones to the manuscript Descripción de la California. In Bologna, apparently in the 1770s, he composed a lengthy manuscript of additions and corrections to the previously published history of the peninsula by Miguel Venegas
Miguel Venegas
Miguel Venegas was a Jesuit administrator and historian, producing a standard geographical, historical, and ethnographic description of Baja California, Mexico -- a region he never personally visited....
. Barco's writings were one of the main sources for the subsequent history written by Francisco Javier Clavijero
Francisco Javier Clavijero
Francisco Javier Clavijero Echegaray , was a Novohispano Jesuit teacher, scholar and historian...
. Barco's own work remained in manuscript until 1973.