Government of the Río de la Plata

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The Government of the Río de la Plata (in Spanish, Gobernación del Río de la Plata) was a colonial administration created in 1617 by Spain in the area around the Río de la Plata basin. It came to include three provinces (Tucumán, Buenos Aires and Paraguay), all incorporated at different times.

It was part of the Viceroyalty of Peru until 1776 when this status was lifted, and it was made a viceroyalty in its own right.

[edit] Río de la Plata district governors

Adelantado, Captain General, and Justice Major Pedro de Mendoza (1534-1537). Founds Buenos Aires. Ft. Corpus Christi founded by Juan de Ayolas
Adelantado and Captain General Juan de Ayolas (1537-1539). Asunción founded by Gonzalo de Mendoza
Governor Domingo Martinez de Irala (interim 1539-1541). Orders to abandon Buenos Aires, the population refuses and the fort is burnt
Adelantado Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (1541-1544). Leads a victourious campaign against the native Americans in 1542. A mutiny of Spanish officials send him back to Spain
Governor Domingo Martínez de Irala (interim 1544-1556). Solves the problem with the natives through blood blending rather than by force
Governor Gonzalo de Mendoza (interim 1556-1558). Nuflo de Chávez founded Santa Cruz de la Sierra. Guayrá founded by Ruy Díaz de Malgarejo in 1557
Lieutenant Governor Francisco Ortiz de Vergara (1558-1569). Fails to populate San Francisco and Sancti Spiritus.
Governor and Captain General Juan Ortiz de Zárate (1569-1576). Sailed to Spain to confirm being appointed. Felipe de Cáceres becomes the de facto governor. Tucuman founded.
Lieutenant governor Juan de Garay (1576-1587). Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón was appointed but due to conflicts, de Garay was the defacto governor. Refounds Buenos Aires in 1580.
Adelantado Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón (1587-1591). Hearer in the Audiencia of Charcas. Last person to be appointed Adelantado by the crown.
Lieutenant Governor Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1597-1599)
Governor Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1602-1609). Replaces Amerindian encomienda labor system with Jesuit Reductions. Restricts smuggling and the slave trade.

[edit] Buenos Aires Province governors

See also Viceroys list.

Hernando Arias de Saavedra (1614-1618). Secured a royal order to separate Paraguay (formerly Guayrá) from the Government in 1617.
Diego de Góngora (1618-1623). Contraband is firmly settled under his tutelage. Allowed slaves and leather contraband. The Consejo de Indias found him guilty post-mortem in 1631
Francisco de Céspedes (1623-1631). Difficults contraband. Several efforts to pacify the charruas in the Banda Oriental (East Shore or East Bank of the Río de la Plata)
Pedro Esteban Dávila (1631-1637). Concepción del Bermejo is destroyed by native Americans. Tries to restrict contraband.
Mendo de la Cueva y Benavidez (interim 1637-1641). Organizes the Buenos Aires defence. Expedition against the Calchaquís. Erects Fort Santa Teresa.
Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera (1641-1645). Afraid of the portuguese, forbades them from public positions and force them into a twenty league-away exile.
Jacinto Lariz (1645-1653). Supports invasions against the native Americans. Participates in contraband, among other felonies. Gets convicted in trial.
Pedro Baigorrí Ruiz (1653-1660). Successfully defends Buenos Aires against a siege of three French ships. Successfully defends Santa Fe from the calchaquis.
Alonso Mercado y Villacorta (1660-1663). A request for royal authorization to commerce with two ships a year is denied. Allows Dutch ships to dock. Santa Fe gets its present location.
Juan Martínez de Salazar (1663-1674). Tries to suppress contraband. Sends several request for the port to be open for commerce. First surveillance of the native Americans in encomiendas.
Andrés de Robles (1674-1678). Further develops the port's defence.
José de Garro (1678-1682). Dispatches and expedition that successfully expel Portuguese at Colonia de Sacramento in 1680
José de Herrera y Sotomayor (interim 1682-1691). Miguel de Salas y Valdés relocates Tucuman to its present location.
Agustín de Robles (1691-1698). Repairs the Buenos Aires fort.
Manuel de Prado y Maldonado (1698-1701). A danish squad arrives to Buenos Aires but withdrew after corroborating the city defences. Agreement with Portugal for the cession of the west shore of the Río de la Plata.
Alonso Juan de Valdés e Inclán (1701-1707). Strengthens the Buenos Aires garrison due to the likelihood of British, Dutch, and Portuguese attacks. Besieges and takes Colonia de Sacramento.
Manuel de Velasco y Tejada (1708). Buys the charge for 3,000 pesos. Is apprehended and sent to Spain, with all his belongings taken.
Juan José de Muliloa (interim 17??-17??)
Alonso de Arce y Soria (1714). Buys the charge for 18,000 pesos. Dies five months later.
José Bermúdez de Castro (interim 1714-1715)
Baltasar García Ros (1715-1717). Returns Colonia de Sacramento to the Portuguese Governor. Campaigns against the charrua, yaro, and bohan in defense of the missions' guaraní.
Bruno Mauricio de Zabala (1717-1734). Fights contraband. Expels from Montevideo the Portuguese that had established themselves in 1723.
Miguel de Salcedo y Sierraalta (1734-1742). Spain decreed the expulsion of foreigners from Buenos Aires. Unsuccessful attempt to reconquer Colonia de Sacramento (Spanish-Portuguese War, 1735-1737)
Domingo Ortíz de Rozas (1742-1745). Repaired the Buenos Aires fort, and activated Montevideo's defense. Survey of the Buenos Aires population: 16,091 people.
José de Andonaegui (1745-1756). Mail delivery with Chile and Potosí started being operational. Establishes the political and military government of Montevideo.
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos (1756-1766). King Carlos III of Spain nullifies the Colonia de Sacramento cesion treaty, orders its siege and forces the Portuguese capitulation. Mail service is improved.
Francisco de Paula Bucarelli y Ursúa (1766-1770). English invade Falkland Islands but are expelled in 1770. Sea Mail is inaugurated between A Coruña and the Río de la Plata.
Juan José de Vértiz y Salcedo (1770-1777)