García Sarmiento de Sotomayor, 2nd Count of Salvatierra

García Sarmiento de Sotomayor, 2nd Count of Salvatierra and Marquis of Sobroso (Spanish: García Sarmiento de Sotomayor, segundo Conde de Salvatierra y Marqués de Sobroso) (c. 1595, Spain—June 26, 1659, Lima) was a Spanish viceroy of New Spain (November 23, 1642 to May 13, 1648) and of Peru (1648 to 1655).

Early life

García Sarmiento de Sotomayor was born in Spain in the last decade of the Sixteenth Century. He was a descendant of Diego de Sarmiento, a knight commander of the Order of Alcántara and gentleman in waiting to the king.

As Viceroy of New Spain

When New Spain Viceroy Diego López Pacheco Cabrera y Bobadilla, marqués de Villena fell under suspicion at the Spanish Court for possible links to Portuguese rebels, King Philip IV of Spain named Sarmiento de Sotomayor to replace him. López Pacheco was overthrown by Bishop Juan de Palafox y Mendoza before the arrival of the new viceroy. Palafox occupied the viceroyalty for a few months pending the arrival of Sarmiento. He arrived in Mexico City on November 23, 1642, and took up his duties. He found the colony tranquil, in contrast to the unrest in many other parts of the Spanish Empire.

Like earlier viceroys, he was soon faced with major flooding in the city (1645). The canal of Nochistongo was obstructed, and this allowed the water of Lake Zumpango to enter into Lake Mexico, raising its level and flooding parts of the city. The viceroy ordered the canal cleaned and the obstructions removed. This removed the danger to the city.

The viceroy sent another expedition (1648) to explore, conquer and colonize the Californias, but the expedition returned without having found lands of much interest. Viceroy Sarmiento also founded the city of Salvatierra, Guanajuato, and established the presidio of Cerro Gordo, on the highway from Mexico City to the mines at Parral. He made peace with various Indian tribes on the northern frontier, and suppressed rebellions by other tribes. He celebrated auto-de-fes in 1647 and 1648. The celebrated Mexican trickster Martín Garatuza was one of those punished in 1648.

Sarmiento de Sotomayor reconstructed the aqueducts supplying water to Mexico City. He required tax stamps on legal documents, something his successors had attempted not very successfully. On May 13, 1648 he turned the government of New Spain over to the new viceroy, Marcos de Torres y Rueda, bishop of Yucatan.

As Viceroy of Peru

That month he departed for Peru, to take up the position of viceroy there. He served as viceroy of Peru until 1655, and remained there until his death in 1659.

References

• (Spanish) "Sarmiento de Sotomayor, García," Enciclopedia de México, v. 12. Mexico City, 1988.
• (Spanish) García Puron, Manuel, México y sus gobernantes, v. 1. Mexico City: Joaquín Porrua, 1984.
• (Spanish) Orozco Linares, Fernando, Gobernantes de México. Mexico City: Panorama Editorial, 1985, ISBN 968-38-0260-5.