Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco

Don Diego López de Zúñiga Count of Nieva Caballero de Santiago
4th Viceroy of Peru
In office April 17, 1561 – February 20, 1564
Monarch	Charles V
Preceded by	The Marquis of Cañete
Succeeded by	Juan de Saavedra
Personal details
Born	c. 1510 Valladolid, Spain
Died	February 20, 1564 Lima, Peru
Religion	Catholic
Signature

Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco, 4th Count of Nieva (Spanish: Diego López de Zúñiga y Velasco, cuarto conde de Nieva) (ca. 1510 – February 20, 1564 in Lima, Peru) was the sixth viceroy of Peru, from April 17, 1561 to his death on February 20, 1564.

López de Zúñiga was a knight of the military Order of Santiago, and from 1553 to 1559, governor of Galicia. He was named Peruvian viceroy in late 1560 by King Philip II to replace Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, 3rd Marquis of Cañete, who had been recalled. López de Zúñiga arrived in Lima and took up the office on February 20, 1561. After his arrival in Peru but before reaching the capital, he sent impertinent messages to his predecessor, just before the death of the latter. Some said that the recall and the insulting communications from López de Zúñiga had brought about the death of Hurtado de Mendoza.

On December 14, 1561 he ordered Gómez de Tordoya to explore the River Tono, and on December 24, 1561 he commissioned Juan Nieto to conquer the territory of Camaná.

In 1562, the city of Santiago del Estero (today in Tucumán province, Argentina) was founded by Francisco de Aguirre on orders of the viceroy. The following year the Audiencia of Quito was established. López de Zúñiga also founded the city of Safia (Santiago de Miraflores) and directed Cristóbal de Valverde to found San Gerónimo de Ica. He founded the town of Arnedo (now Chancay) with the intention of moving the University of San Marcos there, for its tranquility.

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