Juan Perez de Zurita

Juan Pérez de Zurita (1516 - c. 1595) was a Spanish Conquistador, the son of Alonso Díaz de Zurita, native of Cañete de las Torres and Inés Fernández de Córdova. In 1536 he began his military career. In 1548 he was in Granada and in 1550 he embarked to the Indies with his brother Alonso de Zurita. In 1553 went on to the kingdom of Peru. At the beginning of 1557, by order of the Viceroy Hurtado de Mendoza he was sent with an expedition of 700 soldiers under the command of his son García Hurtado de Mendoza, to Chile. From there by order of the new Governor Mendoza, he was sent with a command of 70 men with the position of Lieutenant Governor and Greater Justice for the province of Tucuman, Juries and Diaguitas. He crossed the Andes Mountains and arrived at Santiago del Estero in May 1558.

Zurita relieved Juan Gregorio Bazán the chief of the few soldiers or colonists who remained in the province, that was torn by discord and afflicted by crime continuing a precarious existence after the departure of the previous governor. With a new immigration from Chile and Peru, Zurita at the head of the government was able to bring the settlers a larger measure of prosperity than they had previously enjoyed and treated all parties with equal justice. In honour of the union of Philip II and Queen Mary, Zurita changed the name of the province to Nueva Inglaterra (New England). He also founded three towns: Londres, Canete, and Cordova. Zurita continued the task of subjugating the Diaguita and Calchaquí Indians with some success.

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