Gastón de Peralta, marqués de Falces

Gastón de Peralta, Marquis of Falces (Spanish: "Don Gastón de Peralta, marqués de Falces") (1510—1587) was born in Pau, Navarre (now in France) and died in Valladolid, Spain. He was viceroy of New Spain from October 16, 1566 to March 10, 1568.

Rise and fall of his government

Gastón de Peralta took over the government of New Spain from Francisco Ceinos and the "Audiencia" of Mexico, which had been governing on an interim basis since the death of the previous viceroy, Luis de Velasco.

After the death of Viceroy Velasco, a conspiracy to obtain independence from Spain was discovered. Some personalities of high position, including some close relatives of Hernán Cortés — Martín and Luis (his sons, and half-brothers of each other) — were involved in this plot. The plot was made known to Peralta while he was still in Veracruz, that is before he had entered Mexico City to take up his office officially. A local judge of the Real Audiencia of México had sentenced the conspirators to death, but Peralta personally reviewed the cases of each of the prisoners and suspended the death penalty for Luis and Martín Cortés. They were sent back to Spain to be dealt with by the Council of the Indies.

Peralta arrived in Mexico City in a tense atmosphere. One of his first acts was to remove the artillery and soldiers that had been posted at the viceroy's palace and in the principle streets of the city. His leniency toward the conspirators alarmed the Audiencia, which accused him of sympathizing with the rebels and protecting them. Testimony was given that the new viceroy had a list of 30,000 rebel fighters ready to rise against the Crown. These accusations were communicated to Spanish king Philip II in a letter. Alarmed, Philip dispatched two visitadores, Luis Carrillo and Lic. Alonso Muñoz, to New Spain to investigate the charges. They ordered Peralta back to Spain to explain his conduct.

In his brief term of office, Peralta founded a hospital for the aged, invalids, convalescents and the insane.

Back in Spain, he was tried and acquitted. Subsequently he was made constable of Navarre. He died in Valladolid in 1587.

"Sede vacante"

Alonso Muñoz, now president of the Audiencia, began a paranoiac regime, sentencing to death everyone thought to oppose the Spanish Crown or the Audiencia's interests. Some citizens wrote a letter to the Council of the Indies asking for the removal of this tyrant and the prompt designation of a viceroy. Muñoz was summoned to Spain, where he was tried and imprisoned.

Parallel Events in New Spain

*"1565" — Andrés de Urdaneta finds the return route from the Philippines to New Spain.
*"1566" — Fray Bartolomé de las Casas, defender of the Indians, dies in Michoacán.
*"1567" — The compilation of the Leyes de Indias (Laws of the Indies) is finished.
*"1568" — Bernal Díaz del Castillo finishes "La Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva España".

ee also

*Francisco Ceinos

References

*es icon "Peralta, Gaston de," "Enciclopedia de México", v. 11. Mexico City, 1988.
*es icon García Puron, Manuel, "México y sus gobernantes". Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984.
*es icon Orozco Linares, Fernando, "Gobernantes de México". Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, ISBN 968-38-0260-5.
*es icon Rosas, Alejandro, "et al." "Historia de México a través de sus Gobernantes" 1st ed. Mexico City: Planeta, 2003, ISBN 970-69-0875-7.