| Francisco Cuervo y Valdés | |
|---|---|
| Francisco Cuervo y Valdés | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 16, 1615 Asturias, Spain |
| Died | 1714 Mexico City, Mexico |
| Profession | political |
Francisco Cuervo y Valdes (1615–1714) was a Spanish politician who ruled Nuevo Leon, Coahuila (1698–1703), Texas (1698–1702) and New Mexico (1704–1707).
Francisco Cuervo y Valdés, was born on June 16, 1615 in the small town of Llamero, in the municipality of Candamo), (Asturias, Spain).[1] Francisco Cuervo y Valdes was for a long time, a knight of Santiago and a Treasury official in Guadalajara. Between 1698 and 1702, Cuervo y Valdés ruled Texas. At this time, between 1698–1703, he also ruled Nuevo Leon and Coahuila, Mexico.[2] In 1704, Cuervo was appointed acting governor of New Mexico by the Viceroy of New Spain, Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva Enríquez, Duke of Alburquerque. He came to office on March 10, 1705. After arriving in the province, he found that social and political issues of the place were very bad. The reason was the continuing war between the Apaches and Navajos against the settlers and their common assault on the people of the province. The soldiers needed clothing and supplies. The governor tried to help the soldiers asking the viceroy weapons, ammunition and clothing. However, the viceroy sent only a small amount of weapons and ammunition to New Mexico. In 1706 he founded Albuquerque and he named him so in honor of the Viceroy. A few days later, he ordered a Spanish garrison was established in the city. It was inhabited by thirty families. Cuervo informed the viceroy of the foundation he had done there. He also refounded other places from New Mexico, such as Santa Maria de Galisteo (formerly known as Santa Cruz) that was populated by about eighteen families from Tanos, or a place northeast of Taos, then replanted for twenty-nine families in that area. He left office of governor in 1707.[3] He died in 1714, in Mexico City.