Fernando Rivera y Moncada

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fernando Javier Rivera y Moncada (ca. 1725-1781) was a Mexican soldier who served in Baja California and California, playing notable roles in several early overland explorations and serving as the region's governor.

Rivera was born near Compostela, Mexico. He entered military service in 1742, serving harmoniously under Jesuit direction in Baja California. In 1750 he was promoted to command of the presidio at Loreto. He participated in the important reconnaissances of the northern peninsula together with the Jesuit missionary-explorers Ferdinand Konščak and Wenceslaus Linck.

Rivera's situation changed in 1768 when the Jesuits were expelled and replaced in Baja California by the Franciscans and by the civil authorities of New Spain. The latter ordered a bold move northward to colonize Alta California. In 1769, Rivera led the first overland party to San Diego, together with Juan Crespi and José Cañizares, traveling in advance of the party led by Gaspar de Portolà and Junípero Serra. After the several land and sea groups assembled again at San Diego, Rivera continued north with Portolà to Monterey.

Rivera retired to the Mexican mainland around 1772, but he was soon recalled to service. Serra and the Franciscans had quarreled with California's military governor, Pedro Fages, and Rivera took over as Fages' replacement in 1774. The results were not happy. Rivera himself was soon in conflict with Serra and the Franciscans and with Juan Bautista de Anza. Rivera opposed the settlement of San Francisco. When several Kumeyaay Indian communities joined together to sack the mission at San Diego in 1775, Rivera had the responsibility of suppressing the revolt. For forcibly removing one of the rebels from a temporary church building at the mission, Rivera was excommunicated by the Franciscans.

After his governorship ended in 1777, Rivera was reassigned as military commander at Loreto. His final duties were focused on assisting parties to settlers to make their way overland to California. In 1781 he was on the lower Colorado River performing this task when the Quechan Indians rose in revolt and killed the local missionaries, settlers, and travelers, including Rivera.

[edit] References

• Ives, Ronald L. 1984. José Velásquez: Saga of a Borderland Solider (Northwestern New Spain in the 18th Century). Southwestern Mission Research Center, Tucson.
• Rivera y Moncada, Fernando de. 1967. Diario del capitán comandante Fernando de Rivera y Moncada. Edited by Ernest J. Burrus. 2 vols. José Porrúa Turanzas, Madrid.