Cristóbal Vaca de Castro
| Cristóbal Vaca de Castro | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Governor of New Castile | |
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In office August 7, 1542 – May 17, 1544 |
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| Monarch | Charles V |
| Preceded by | Francisco Pizarro |
| Succeeded by | Blasco Núñez Vela |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1492 Izagre, León, Crown of Castille |
| Died | 1566 Valladolid, Spain |
| Profession | Politician |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Cristóbal Vaca de Castro (c. 1492, Izagre, León, Spain—1566, Valladolid, Spain) was a Spanish colonial administrator in Peru.
Vaca de Castro's parents were García Díaz de Castro and Giomar Cabeza de Vaca. He studied law in Salamanca. He married María Magdalena de Quiñones y Osorio, and had eight children with her. In 1536 he was named oidor (judge) in the Royal Audiencia of Valladolid. On September 9, 1540 he was named a knight of the Order of Santiago.
In 1540 he was sent by Emperor Charles V to restore order between the factions of Gonzalo Pizarro and Diego Almagro the Younger after the assassination of Diego de Almagro the Elder. Vaca de Castro had a reputation as a man of integrity, sagacity, and courage. His official title was juez pesquisidor (special investigator). He was authorized to take over the government of the colony in the event of the death of Francisco Pizarro.
He sailed from Sanlúcar de Barrameda on November 5, 1540, and arrived in Panama in January 1541. While he was there, he reformed the Audiencia, as its president. He sailed for Peru, but was forced by bad weather to land at Buenaventura (Colombia). He proceeded from Buenaventura by land to Cali, where he remained three months because of illness. While in Cali, he mediated in a jurisdictional dispute between Sebastián de Belalcázar and Pascual de Andagoya.
Still on the road to Peru, in Popayán he learned of the assassination of Francisco Pizarro and the election of Diego de Almagro as governor. He arrived in Quito on September 25, 1541, where he united the royalist forces behind him.
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