Gastón Carrillo de Peralta y Bosquete, 3rd Marquis of Falces (Spanish: Don Gastón Carrillo de Peralta, III marqués de Falces) (1510–1587) was a Spanish nobleman who was viceroy of New Spain from October 16, 1566 to March 10, 1568.
He was born in Pau, Navarre (now in France).
Gastón de Peralta took over the government of New Spain in 1566 from Francisco Ceinos and the Audiencia of Mexico, which had been governing on an interim basis since the death of the previous viceroy, Luis de Velasco.
After the death of Velasco, a conspiracy to obtain independence from Spain was discovered. Some personalities of high position, including some close relatives of Hernán Cortés — Martín, Don Martín Cortés y de Zuñiga, and Luis (his sons, and half-brothers of each other) — were involved in this plot, which was made known to Peralta while he was still in Veracruz, that is before he had entered Mexico City to take up his office officially. A local judge of the Real Audiencia of México had sentenced the conspirators to death, but Peralta personally reviewed the cases of each of the prisoners and suspended the death penalty for Luis and Martín Cortés. They were sent back to Spain to be dealt with by the Council of the Indies.
Peralta arrived in Mexico City in a tense atmosphere. One of his first acts was to remove the artillery and soldiers that had been posted at the viceroy's palace and in the principle streets of the city. His leniency toward the conspirators alarmed the Audiencia, which accused him of sympathizing with the rebels and protecting them. Testimony was given that the new viceroy had a list of 30,000 rebel fighters ready to rise against the Crown. These accusations were communicated to Spanish king Philip II in a letter. Alarmed, King Philip dispatched two visitadores, Luis Carrillo and Lic. Alonso Muñoz, to New Spain to investigate the charges. They ordered Peralta back to Spain to explain his conduct.
In his brief term of office, Peralta founded a hospital for the aged, invalids, convalescents and the insane.
Back in Spain, he was tried and acquitted. Subsequently he was made constable of Navarre. He died in Valladolid in 1587.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Luis de Velasco |
Viceroy of New Spain 1566–1568 |
Succeeded by Martín Enríquez de Almanza |