Pedro de Peralta
| Pedro de Peralta | |
|---|---|
| 2nd Spanish Governor of New Mexico | |
|
In office 1610–1614 |
|
| Preceded by | Juan de Oñate |
| Succeeded by | Bernardino de Ceballos |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1584 Spain |
| Died | 1666 Madrid, Spain |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
| Signature |  |
Pedro de Peralta (c. 1584 – 1666) was Governor of New Mexico between 1610 and 1613 at a time when it was a province of New Spain. He formally founded the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1610. In August 1613 he was arrested and jailed for almost a year by the Franciscan friar Isidro Ordóñez. Later, he was vindicated by the Mexican Inquisition and held a number of other senior posts in the Spanish imperial administration.
The settlement of New Mexico began when Juan de Oñate led a group of colonizers into the territory in 1598, serving as governor from 1601 until 1609. By 1608, there were only 200 Spanish people, almost all in the capital of San Gabriel on the west bank of the Rio Grande opposite San Juan Pueblo. No gold or silver had been found and the viceroy was receiving reports of mistreatment of the Indians and of near-starvation of the settlers. Due to these problems, on 13 September 1608 the Council of the Indies made a formal recommendation that New Mexico be abandoned. However, soon afterwards, Fray Lázaro Jiménez brought news from New Mexico that 7,000 Indians had been converted and baptized. They could not be abandoned, so King Philip III of Spain suspended the order to evacuate the colony.
According to one source, Don Pedro de Peralta was a bachelor of canon law. A report of possessions found in his house after his arrest includes a law book. Peralto was appointed governor of New Mexico by the Viceroy, Luis de Velasco, marqués de Salinas on 31 March 1609, shortly after Peralta had arrived from Spain. Juan de Oñate had asked Velasco for compensation for his efforts in New Mexico, and asked that his son Christóbal be allowed to succeed him. Valasco replied that he had named Peralta as governor, and that Onate should hand over to him when he arrived at the Rio Grande and should then return with his son to Mexico City without delay. An expedition with supplies and reinforcements left for the north late in 1609. Peralta reached the capital, La Villa de San Gabriel, early in 1610. He was met by Oñate, who left for the south in early February to face charges of maladministration. Peralta brought twelve soldiers and eight Franciscan priests with him. His instructions included searching for the Straits of Anián, on which he should establish a secure port.
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