Diego de Velasco

Diego de Velasco was a military that exerted as Interim Lieutenant Governor of Florida between 1574 and 1576. His administration ended with his imprisonment by Hernando de Miranda, because the corruption cases exercised by his government, which attacked the Amerindians and the settlers.

Biography

Diego de Velasco was son –in- law of first governor of Florida Pedro Menendez de Aviles. He joined to Spanish army in his youth, place where he stressed, obtaining the Lieutenant title.^[1]

In 1571, Velasco, oversaw the construction of the Fort San Felipe (II), a fortress built in order to protect and defend the Spanish population established in Florida during a raid (because the settlers of Florida had already been attacked by the French and Native Americans).^[2]

In September 17, 1574, after his father become in General de Nueva Armada Real (New Royal Army), Velasco was appointed Governor of Florida,^[3] although of interim way because Menéndez' death,^[4] with headquarters in Santa Elena (in modern Georgia).^[1]

Apparently, Velasco and Captain Alonso de Solis took several fathoms of money to the Amerindians of Florida, who had a value equal to two ducats each, and also two canoes of the natives, without giving them any compensation.

The cacique of Guale informed Alonso de Olmos that the Spaniards (the government of Florida) "had made him a Christian" to they served to them and they obtain their property (they served to them and they obtain their properties). However, at the accusation, Velasco refused he would have forced them to pay tribute. He said that in fact, the Spanish and the Indians had made each other gifts. Thus, Indians have obtained Spanish products such as woolen, blankets or iron goods. Velasco established friendships with the cacique who, falling ill on a visit to Santa Elena, was attended by Velasco. He healed up him with costly medicines he obtained. Moreover, Velasco also gift him some things him and his wife, between them, clothing. In appreciation of the dedication that the governor had had on them, they gave him a fathom of black pearl, but low value.^[5]

Despite this, Velasco had confrontations with settlers and their political attacked to the Amerindians living in the vicinity of Santa Elena, who attacked the city several times. Thirty soldiers who fought against the natives to try to defend Santa Elena were killed by them, prompting Santa Elena was temporarily abandoned in the late summer of 1576 and was later burned by them, in the eyes of the soldiers and settlers as they were going to get away from Port Royal Sound.^[4]

In addition, he mishandled bonuses of soldiers in the province. For this reasons, Velasco was replaced by Hernando de Miranda in 1575.

Last years

However, when Miranda came to Florida in that year, before assumed his charge as governor,^[2] he began working in abolishing corruption of the then Spanish province and found that Velasco had appropriated large sums of money from Menendez, with the excuse that the money belonged to him after his death officially.^[6] So, Miranda imprisoned him,^[2][6] replacing him with one of his lieutenants, Alonso Solis, in the government of Santa Elena. Moreover, Velasco was also found with the accusations made him his treasurer, Bertolomeo Martinez about his inappropriate procedure exercised by the government of Velasco in Florida. However, he was also briefly imprisoned, as they suspected he was also complicit in illegally obtaining money by Velasco.^[6] In February 24, 1576, Miranda began to ruled the territory.^[3]

Velasco died in 1575.^[1]

Personal life

He married a daughter of Menendez.^[2]

References