Teúl de González Ortega

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Coordinates: 21°40′N, 103°20′W

Teúl de González Ortega
Location within the state of Zacatecas
Location within the state of Zacatecas
Zacatecas' location within Mexico
Zacatecas' location within Mexico
Coordinates: 21°27′36″N 103°27′39″W / 21.46, -103.46083
Country Flag of Mexico Mexico
State Zacatecas
Municipality Teúl de González Ortega
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
Postal code

Teúl de González Ortega is a municipality in the south of the state of Zacatecas, Mexico

[edit] History

Prior to Spanish conquest and colonization of El Teúl, the town and its surrounding valleys were primarily inhabited by Caxcan peoples. The Caxcans, however, are believed to have displaced the Tecuexe people sometime in the 12th century.

The region was conquered by Pedro Almíndez Chirino and Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán on June 24, 1536. The town's founding under the colonial Spanish government is attributed to Capitán Juan Delgado and fray Juan Pacheco. The latter is also credited with gifting the town's indigenous inhabitants an image of Saint John the Baptist, who later became the town's patron saint.

In March of 1574, Martín Henríquez, Governor and Captain General of New Spain and New Galicia and President of the Royal Audience in Mexico City commanded the Order of Saint Francis to establish a convent and mission in the town.

The construction of the present parish temple was initiated by fray José Gutiérrez in 1772. In 1800, the parish was secularized. Upon independence in 1821, El Teúl was part of the municipality of Tlantenango. In 1844 it was made a separate municipality within the canton of Tlaltenango and on December 24, 1849, the name of the municipality was changed to San Juan Bautista del Teúl.

The name was changed again on January 9, 1935 to Teúl de González Ortega in honor of Jesús González Ortega, who was raised in the town, was a military commander, served as a deputy in the state assembly, as governor of the state of Zacatecas and president of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation.

[edit] Famous People

Agustín Caloca Cortés, priest and martyr of the Cristero rebellion