Antonio Valverde y Cosío
| Antonio Valverde y Cosío | |
|---|---|
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38th Spanish Governor of New Mexico (Acting) |
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In office 1716–1716 |
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| Preceded by | Félix Martínez |
| Succeeded by | Juan Páez Hurtado |
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40th Spanish Governor of New Mexico (Interim) |
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In office 1718–1721 |
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| Preceded by | Juan Páez Hurtado |
| Succeeded by | Juan Estrada de Austria |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1670 Villapresente, Cantabria, Spain |
| Died | December 1728 El Paso, Texas |
| Profession | Political and military |
Antonio Valverde y Cosío (1670–1728) was a prominent entrepreneur and Spanish soldier who served as interim governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in 1716 and from 1718–1721. His politics were based, in large part, on stopping the French invasion of New Mexico.
Antonio Valverde y Cosío was born around 1670 in Villapresente, Cantabria, Spain, to Antonio Velarde and Juana de Velarde y Cosío. He was attracted to New Spain by various business interests that his family had in the region. He began working in Sombrerete (in modern Mexico) because minerals had been discovered there in 1646. Over time, he and his associates created an important business in the area. The success of their partnership grew over the next 24 years. In 1693, Diego de Vargas, governor of New Mexico, recruited settlers and soldiers from Sombrerete, and Valverde decided to join them. Eventually, he became Vargas' secretary.
From June 1694 to July 1697, Valverde served as a soldier in New Mexico, fighting to impose Spanish authority in New Mexico and restore the region's Hispanic population. Over the next two years (1694–96), he and Vargas participated in the war against the Puebloan peoples, who had rebelled against Spanish sovereignty because of the maladministration of Juan Francisco Treviño. In December 1695, Valverde was promoted to captain of the local presidio.
He participated in many battles in 1696, including an assault on the mesa at Acoma. In early June, he began a military campaign against the Tewa people, who had promoted a Native American revolt along with the Tiwa, Keres, and Jemez people. That same year, Valverde suffered a serious illness, and Vargas gave him permission to travel to Mexico City for treatment.
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