Diego Dionisio de Peñalosa Briceño y Berdugo

Diego de Peñalosa
19th Spanish Governor of New Mexico
In office 1660–1664
Preceded by	Bernardo López de Mendizábal
Succeeded by	Tomé Dominguez de Mendoza
Personal details
Born	1621 Lima, Perú
Died	1687 France
Profession	Soldier and Political
Signature

Diego Dionisio de Peñalosa Briceño y Berdugo (1621–1687) was a Lima-born soldier who served governor of Spanish New Mexico in 1661–1664, following all his appointments to replace Bernardo López de Mendizábal in 1660.

Peñalosa's administration was notable for its positive treatment of the Pueblo Indians and their religious practices. This earned him the enmity of the Roman Catholic friars, who were determined to Christianize native populations and exploit free Indian labor. He later was declared a blasphemer and heretic by a Catholic tribunal. Forced into exile, he became an active opponent of Spanish interests and offered his services to England and France, Spain's rivals in the colonization of the New World. On March 6, 1662, he led the Quivira Expedition. This expedition was later turned into a legend with a variety of fantastic objects.

Diego Dionisio de Peñalosa Briceño y Berdugo was born in Lima, Perú in 1621. For an extended time, he worked with the imperial bureaucracy. He also held various political positions in the Viceroyalty of Peru. However, he was accused of misconduct, which forced him to flee the viceroyalty to avoid arrest. He then settled in New Spain in modern day Mexico. There, in modern Mexico, he joined the army, becoming lieutenant and regional Captain General. In the city of Michoacán he was able to occupy the office of mayor, or royal administrator. Subsequently in the year 1660, the Viceroy of New Spain, Juan de Leyva de la Cerda, appointed him Governor of province in New Mexico.

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