Vasco de Quiroga

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Vasco de Quiroga, member of the second Audiencia and first bishop of Michoacán

Vasco de Quiroga (ca. 1470, Madrigal, Castile—March 14, 1565, Uruapan) was the first bishop of Michoacán, Mexico and one of the judges (oidores) in the second Audiencia that governed New Spain from January 10, 1531 to April 16, 1535.

1 Early career and appointment to the second Audiencia
2 As a member of the Audiencia
3 As bishop of Michoacán
4 His legacy
5 Writings
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Early career and appointment to the second Audiencia

Vasco de Quiroga was born into a noble family. He studied law and later theology. He became a lawyer in Salamanca in 1515. He took holy orders late in life, but advanced rapidly in the church. He was a judge of the Chancellor's Court of Valladolid at the time of his appointment in 1530 as one of the oidores of the second Audiencia in New Spain.

After the disaster of the first Audiencia, Emperor Charles V was determined to find officials of proven humanity and integrity for the second one. This he was able to do by soliciting the recommendations of the archbishop of Santiago, Juan Tavera. The president of this second Audiencia was Bishop Sebastián Ramírez de Fuenleal, and the other members were Quiroga, Juan de Salmerón, Alonso de Maldonado and Francisco Ceinos. They began governing in Mexico City in 1531.

[edit] As a member of the Audiencia

Quiroga founded the hospital-pueblo of Santa Fé, near Mexico City, with his own money. This was his first attempt at building a Utopia on the model of Sir Thomas More. He converted many Indigenous to Christianity. He sat on the tribunal that ordered the bloody conquistador and president of the first Audiencia, Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, be returned to Spain in chains, where he spent the rest of his life in prison. Quiroga and the other oidores of the second Audiencia also conducted the trial of Juan Ortiz de Matienzo and Diego Delgadillo of the first Audiencia.

When the newly conquered Chichimec Indians of Michoacán rebelled in 1533, Quiroga was sent to that province as visitador (inspector). With his prudent and just measures, he soon pacified the rebels. Here he founded another hospital of Santa Fé, also on More's principles. Greatly influenced by More's socialist Utopia, Quiroga believed that applying its principles to the Indian population would be the best way to counteract the earlier depredations of Beltrán de Guzmán.

In 1535 the second Audiencia turned over its governing powers to the first viceroy of New Spain, Antonio de Mendoza.

[edit] As bishop of Michoacán

On the emperor's nomination he became the first bishop of Michoacán in 1537. He remained in Michoacán as pastor and protector of the Indians for most of the remainder of his life.

Tata Vasco, on a Spanish postage stamp

As bishop, he transferred the seat of the bishopric from Tzintzutzan to Patzcuaro. In Patzcuaro he founded the cathedral and the Seminary of San Nicolas. He worked to gather the Indians in large towns near Lake Pátzcuaro in the center of Tarascan territory, recently ravaged by Beltrán de Guzmán. Here the Indians were to be taught religion, crafts and the fundamentals of self-government. Each town was to become the center of an industry. Each person worked six hours a day and contributed on an equal basis to the common welfare. He gradually realized the necessity of restricting the scope of his plans, which he had hoped to apply throughout the colony, to the smaller area over which he had jurisdiction, partially because his personal funds were not unlimited.

Bishop Quiroga's efforts were very successful, and he was said to be greatly beloved by the members of his flock. He was known to them as Tata Vasco (Father Vasco).

Charles V had prohibited the enslavement of conquered subjects, but in 1534 he revoked that prohibition, at least insofar as to allow slavery of natives captured in a "just war". When Quiroga became aware of this, he wrote to Charles his celebrated Información en derecho (1535), in which he strongly condemned the encomenderos, saying that they did not accept the natives as men, but only as beasts. Quiroga passionately defended the Indians, arguing that they did not deserve the loss of liberty.

In 1545 Quiroga left for Spain to attend the Council of Trent, but his ship was damaged and he was forced to return to New Spain. He left again in 1547 and did attend some sessions of the Council. He took several Indians with him and presented them at Court. While in Spain he was frequently called upon by the emperor and the Council of the Indies to give advice on colonial questions.

He returned to New Spain in 1554. On his stopover in Santo Domingo, he obtained banana seedlings, which he introduced into Michoacán. In 1555 he participated in the first provincial council of the Church.

He died in 1565 in his 90's on a pastoral visit in Uruapan. His body is interred in the cathedral of Patzcuaro.

[edit] His legacy

The skills he implanted among P'urhépechas of the Pátzcuaro region have been passed down to their descendants, who are today considered among the most skilled craftspersons in Mexico. Tata Vasco trained his pupils in a variety of disciplines. His method of specialization by community continues to this day: Paracho produces guitars, Tzintzuntzán pottery, Santa Clara copper products and Nurío woven woolens.

There is a university named for him in Morelia, Michoacán. Miguel Bernal Jiménez wrote an opera, Tata Vasco, commemorating his fourth centenary. It premiered in Pátzcuaro in February, 1941.

He is credited as the founder of the city of Irapuato, Mexico ^[1].

[edit] Writings

"Doctrina para los Indios Chichimecos," in the Chichimec language. Mexico (1568).
"Reglas y Ordenanzas para los Hospitales de Santa Fé de Mexico y de Michoacan," to which is appended a biography of the author. Mexico (1766).