Diego López Pacheco, 7th Duke of Escalona

Don Diego Roque López Pacheco Cabrera y Bobadilla, 7th Duke of Escalona, 7th Marquis of Villena and 7th Count of Xiquena (16 August 1599, La Mancha, Spain – 27 February 1653, Pamplona, Spain) was a Spanish nobleman and, from August 28, 1640 to June 10, 1642, viceroy of New Spain.

López Pacheco was born into one of the most aristocratic families of Iberia. His father was Juan Fernandez Pacheco, 5th Duke of Escalona, and his mother Serafina de Portugal Bragança, daughter of John I, 6th Duke of Braganza.
He was educated at the University of Salamanca, where he became rector. He made a name for himself as a man of letters and a man of arms. He served in the Tercios (Spanish infantry), where he rose to the rank of colonel.

On January 22, 1640, López Pacheco was named viceroy, under King Philip IV of Spain. He arrived in Veracruz on June 24 of that year, together with Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, bishop of Puebla. The bishop had been commissioned visitador general to begin proceedings against the two previous viceroys, Rodrigo Pacheco, 3rd Marquis of Cerralvo and Lope Díez de Armendáriz, marqués de Cadereyta.

López Pacheco was delayed some months in the port by the festivities celebrating his arrival. He made his solemn entry into Mexico City on August 28. He soon found himself popular, in spite of the introduction of tax stamps and remitting of more tribute to Spain.

While still in Veracruz, he was informed of the pressing need to reinforce the Armada de Barlovento, which guarded the coast and shipping from corsairs. He immediately took up this project, renovating six warships, ordering the construction of others, and obtaining several more from Cartagena and Havana. He ordered the casting of cannons and the production of munitions, gunpowder and rigging.

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