Beatriz de la Cueva

Beatriz de la Cueva
Governor of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala
In office 9 September 1541 – 11 September 1541
Lieutenant	Francisco de la Cueva
Preceded by	Francisco de la Cueva
Succeeded by	Francisco Marroquín
Personal details
Born	c. 1498 – 1500 Úbeda, Kingdom of Jaén
Died	September 11, 1541 Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala, Spanish Empire
Spouse(s)	Pedro de Alvarado

Beatriz de la Cueva de Alvarado (c. 1498 – 11 September 1541) was a Spanish noblewoman from Úbeda in Andalucia who became the governor of the Spanish colony of Guatemala for a few days in September 1541. She was killed by an earthquake shortly after taking office. Unique as the only woman to hold such a position in a major division of Spanish Latin America in colonial times, she is credited with having introduced the Spanish style of house construction and Spanish customs into Guatemala. She was buried in the cathedral of Santiago de los Caballeros de Guatemala.

Beatriz de la Cueva was born to aristocratic parents in 1498 or 1500, in Úbeda, Jaén province, Andalusia, Spain. Her father was Luis de la Cueva, admiral of Santo Domingo and comendador of Alcántara. She was descended from Beltrán de la Cueva, 1st Duke of Alburquerque; her paternal uncle was the Duke of Alburquerque. Her mother was Maria Manrique de Benavides. Most of her brothers died in battle in Algiers. Her sister Francisca was a maid of honour to King Charles I's sister Eleanor and wife of the conquistador Pedro de Alvarado.

After Francisca died, her former husband Alvarado returned to Spain and married Beatriz on 17 October 1538. The marriage required papal authorisation because of their affinity. Another of Beatriz' uncles was Francisco de los Cobos, the personal secretary of King Charles I. The king interceded with the pope on the couple's behalf, as well as gave 1500 gold pesos as the bride's dowry.

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