Tomás Marín de Poveda

Tomás Marín González de Poveda "Marquis of Cañada Hermosa" (Lúcar, Granada; February 26, 1650 - Santiago; October 20, 1703) was a Spanish colonial administrator who served as Royal Governor of Chile.

He a son of Tomás López Marín and María González de Poveda who arrived in Chile for the first time in 1670 with the government of Juan Henríquez. He later returned to Spain, where in 1683 he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and named Governor of Chile. However, he was obligated to wait for the term of the serving governor, José del Garro, to expire. This meant that he could not assume his post until 1692, holding it until 1700.

His administration was marked by the breif flare up of the War of Arauco in 1694, with the Toqui Millalpal when the Mapuche were incited by the unauthorized activities of Antonio Pedreros against the machis of the Mapuche. Pedreros died of wounds when his force tried to cross the Quepe River to attack Millalpal. The Spanish army of the Kingdom of Chile was then sent against Millalpal under Maestre de Campo Alonso de Cordova y Figueroa and the Sargento Mayor Alonso Cobarrubias was impossible for Millalpal to resist and he had to capitulate. The governor then called a parliament with the Mapuche, realizing Pedreros had been the source of the dispute and made a peace that lasted for nearly thirty years.

Also Poveda had to deal with the expeditions of various pirates against Chilean trade, and the competition between the various functionaries of the Real Audiencia of Chile. During his term, he founded the cities of Rengo ("Villa Hermosa") and Chimbarongo.

After his tenure, he received the title "Marquis of Cañada Hermosa". He died in Santiago a year later, in 1703.

Source

* Pedro de Cordoba y Figueroa, [http://books.google.com/books?id=PFADAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover#PRA1-PA319,M1 HISTORIA DE CHILE 1492-1717, Coleccion de historiadores de Chile v.2 , Instituto Chileno de Cultura Hispánica, Academia Chilena de la Historia, Imprenta del Ferrocarril, Santiago, 1862] Libro Sesto, Cap. XIII, XIV
* José Ignacio Víctor Eyzaguirre, [http://books.google.com/books?id=C8C2FNNWaBEC Historia eclesiastica: Politica y literaria de Chile, Impr. del Comercio, Valparaiso, 1850] Pg. 205-206