Matías de Gálvez y Gallardo

Matías de Gálvez y Gallardo (ca. 1725 – November 3, 1784) was a Spanish general, the Captain General of Guatemala from April 1779 to 3 April 1783, and Viceroy of New Spain from 29 April 1783 to 3 November 1784.

Matías de Gálvez y Gallardo was born in Macharaviaya, a small village in the Spanish region of Andalusia near Málaga. He joined the army and distinguished himself on campaign. He rose in rank to general, and because of his military record and the influence of his brother, José de Gálvez, an important administrator in New Spain, he became well known at Court. He married María Josefa de Madrid and they had two sons, Bernardo and José. José died at 8.

Sealed instructions from the Crown intended to be opened in the event of the death of Viceroy Antonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa specified that he be succeeded by the captain general of Guatemala. These instructions were inserted by José de Gálvez, minister of the Indies and former visitador (inspector) in New Spain, in anticipation that they would apply to his brother, Matías de Gálvez, but no name was given in the instructions. Matías de Gálvez was named captain general, governor and president of the Audiencia of Guatemala in April 1779, just before Viceroy Bucareli died. However, Gálvez had not yet arrived in the colony to take up his positions. Thus the viceroyalty was turned over to Martín de Mayorga, who was then serving as captain general of Guatemala.

In Guatemala, Gálvez showed himself an active administrator and a good organizer. He worked to reconstruct Guatemala City after the earthquake of 1773, established a mint and built the cathedral. When Spain entered the Anglo-Spanish War as an opponent of Great Britain in 1779, he became involved in defending the colonial territories against British attacks. He repulsed the English at San Fernando de Omoa, and won victories against British positions in Belize in 1779. Because of the distance and the scarcity of resources, he was not able to aid Fort San Juan, Nicaragua, which fell to an English expedition led by Horatio Nelson. The English were forced to abandon it on January 5, 1781, after their forces were decimated by tropical diseases. In March 1782 Gálvez led an expedition along the Caribbean coast that captured the island of Roatán and scattered the British settlement at Black River, although the later was retaken by the British settlers two months later.

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