Sebastián de Eslava

Sebastián de Eslava y Lazaga (1684 in Enériz, Navarre – June 21, 1759 in Madrid) was a Spanish general and colonial official. From April 24, 1740 to November 6, 1749 he was viceroy of the newly reestablished Viceroyalty of New Granada. He was governing the colony at the time of the defeat of British Admiral Edward Vernon at Cartagena de Indias. After his death he was named marqués de la Real Defensa de Cartagena de Indias.

In 1740 the Viceroyalty of the Nuevo Reino de Granada (New Granada) was reestablished. This part of South America, including what are today the countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador, had originally been part of the Viceroyalty of Peru. It was removed from Peru and established as the separate viceroyalty of New Granada in 1718. However, this first viceregal establishment lasted only from 1718 to 1724. In 1724 it was returned to Peru.

There were difficulties governing this large territory from Lima, however. In 1740 New Granada was reestablished as a viceroyalty, for the same reasons as it had originally been established — large distances, growing population, tax collection, defense, and administrative control. In August 1739 Sebastián de Eslava was named the first viceroy of this second incarnation, with express instructions from the Crown to defend the colony against British attacks.

Eslava studied at the Royal Military Academy in Barcelona. He was a lieutenant general in the Royal Army of Spain and commander in the Order of Calatrava. In April 1740 he arrived at Cartagena de Indias. He remained there for the duration of his term as viceroy, not traveling to the interior.

He repaired the Castle of Bocachica and various forts protecting the port. In the Castle of San Lázaro he started a factory of gun carriages and esplanades. He took steps to supply arms, ammunition and military training to the Spanish forces. Elsewhere in the colony, he built defensive works in Santa Marta, Puerto Cabello and Gaira. He strengthened the fort at Ayara and the Castle of San Antonio in the province of Cumaná. He approved the construction of the fort on the islet of Caño de Limones and equipped the presidio of Guayana.

...
Wikipedia