Domingo de Basavilbaso

Domingo de Basavilbaso
portrait of Domingo Basavilbaso
Alcalde of Buenos Aires
In office 1745–1746
Monarch	Philip V
Preceded by	Francisco de Herrera y Loizaga
Succeeded by	Juan Martín de Mena
Personal details
Born	September 1, 1709 Bilbao, Spain
Died	May 9, 1775 Buenos Aires, Argentina
Resting place	Buenos Aires Cathedral
Occupation	Government Merchant
Profession	Attorney
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Spain
Service/branch	Spanish Army
Rank	Captain

Domingo de Basavilbaso (1709-1775) was a Spanish nobleman. He was the founder of mail in Argentina, where also served as Alcalde and Captain of the Militias of Cavalry of Buenos Aires during the Viceroyalty of Peru.

Basavilbaso was born in Llodio (Spain), son of Domingo de Basavilbaso and María Rosa de la Presa, belonging to the Basque nobility. He arrived at the port of Buenos Aires from Montevideo, establishing itself in the city of Buenos Aires around the year 1729, where it was dedicated to the commerce.

In 1736, Domingo de Basavilbaso was elected alcalde in first vote of the City of Buenos Aires. Later he served as a syndic and was regidor of the Cabildo. In 1748, Basavilbaso established the mail between Buenos Aires and Potosí, being his general administrator until 1772. He had created a system of posts, which linked Buenos Aires with Mendoza and Santiago de Chile, to the west; Córdoba, Santiago del Estero, the northern provinces and Upper Peru. And was also involved in the organization of the Maritime Post in 1767.

In 1745, Basavilbaso was elected alcalde in first vote by the Cabildo of Buenos Aires. being in charge of organizing an expedition against the Indians, that had invaded the borders of jurisdiction of Buenos Aires Province. In these expeditions it was possible to capture the cacique Calelián.

In 1751 Basavilbaso made several trips to San Julián, being one of the few Spaniards who explored Patagonia in the 18th century.

The luxurious residence of the Basavilbaso family was located in the current streets between and (neighborhood of Santo Domingo). In his house, Domingo de Basavilbaso hosted important political figures of the time as José Joaquín de Viana and Ambrosio O'Higgins, personal friend of the Basavilbaso family.