José Antonio Lacayo de Briones y Palacios

José Antonio Lacayo de Briones y Palacios 1679-1756 was an "intendant" or "intendente" (a type of viceroyal governor) in Central America during the Spanish colonial period. He was Governor of Costa Rica from 1713 to 1717 and Governor of Nicaragua from 1740 to 1745.

panish origins

Lacayo (José Antonio Lacayo de Briones y Palacios), was born into a noble family on August 13, 1679 in Viana, Navarre. He was the son of José Lacayo de Briones y García de Aragón and Teresa Palacios Amescua. He would marry Bárbara Rosa de Pomar y Villegas in 1711 in Granada, Nicaragua. Bárbara Rosa was also a native of Viana.

About 1700, Lacayo entered the miilitary service. As a sergeant major in the service of the crown, he emigrated to Peru, then traveled to Guatemala , Nicaragua and Costa Rica. He would ultimately settle in the city of Granada, Nicaragua. He became the progenitor of the Lacayo families of Nicaragua.

New Spain

Upon the death of the Governor of Costa Rica, Lorenzo Antonio de Granda y Balbín the Audiencia's president named Lacayo as his replacement, on December 11, 1712. Unable to assume his position immediately, Lacayo was preceded by two interim governors. Lacayo took office as Governor on May 11, 1713.

For several years, Lacayo held the position of Treasurer of the Seal of the provinces of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. As Sergeant Major, Lacayo endured a very difficult period in the area of Cartago near the river of Salto, on the border of Costa Rica with Nicoya and Nicaragua. There he encountered the Mosquito Zambos and English invaders, and attacks by ships commanded by Irish pirates.

Bishop Benito Garret y Arlovi accused the Sergeant Major and Mayor Lacayo de Briones of conducting illicit commerce with the English along the north coast. The Audiencia entrusted the investigation to Pedro Martinez de Ugarrio. On May 14, 1715, the Cartago municipal government and the regular and secular clergy stated they were much in favor of Lacayo.

Friar Pablo de Otarola, abbot of the convent of San Francisco de Cartago, certified that the statement presented by the Bishop was false and dded that a great defamation has been committed. However, on November 15, 1718, Interim Governor Lacayo was ordered by the Audiencia to leave Costa Rica. He fled from Costa Rica disguised as a Franciscan monk to avoid persecution. In June of 1720, the order was rescinded and Lacayo was declared an honest, pure and justified minister, worthy of his Majesty's support. He was honored with employment by the Crown, pleasure and the Royal Audiencia provided for his royal service.

Lacayo built the convent of San Francisco de Esparza at his own expense, earning the return of his property and the 2,000 ducats which he had been fined.

The Audiencia indicted Lacayo's accuser, Pedro Ruiz de Bustamente, and the Church excommunicated the monks who had perjured themselves.

Commander-in-chief of the army

After many years of service to the crown, in 1740 Nicaragua was attacked by Mosquitos and English General Handyse. On November 21, 1740, regidor Lacayo was appointed governor of the province of Nicaragua . En route to León, the governor was informed of an insurrection of the mulatto Antonio Padilla, captain of brown soldiers. Lacayo confronted him and sentenced him to prison and finally, condemned him to death. SInce Padilla was in a chapel, there were disturbances and in the middle of the night, the governor ordered him to be clubbed. At the order of Lacayo, the mulatto Padilla was carved up and his head and leg were placed on public display. This was a clear message to those who did not want to obey to the representatives of the crown. The governor was a very active man, conducting an inventory of all armaments and establishing quarters in León and Granada to confront the English invaders. The Audiencia reinforced the province with one hundred guns, fifty quintals of powder, six thousand bullets and other ammunition.

In spite of this, the English incursions caused terror in northern departments of the province. To deal with this, the Spanish Court responded by sending to Nicaragua 800 guns, twelve pieces of artillery, ammunition, money, one hundred soldiers of the line of Havana with officers, sergeants and artillerymen, a galley and other aid. King Felipe V ordered that they organize militias throughout the Province, and recognized the ability of Governor Lacayo by naming him Commander-in-chief of the army on May 4. 1745. With the ascent of Lacayo, he named Francisco Antonio de Caceres Molinedo as Civil Governor. The appointment of Lacayo, who was much hated in León, as Commander-in-chief was the cause of a new secret uprising by Felipe Gamez the Master of popular camp with the browns. Anticipating a new war, Lacayo was made Commanding General by Royal Decree on August 23, 1745, and permanently held the position until December of 1746. These last years were the height of diplomacy, economics, and politics for the Spanish crown, during the reigns of Felipe V and his son Fernando VI.

About this time, distinguished relatives of Jose Antonio Lacayo de Briones in Viana, kingdoms of Castile and Navarre and are remembered as illustrious personages. Among them were Faustino Lacayo de Briones who studied law in Alcala and Valladolid in 1705, Jose Lacayo de Briones, lawyer of the Royal Councils of Castile and Navarre, Manuel Lacayo de Briones also a lawyer of the Royal Councils of Castile and Navarre, and Rafael Lacayo de Briones, a lieutenant and captain of the General Staff in Burgos in 1751. All these Lacayo de Briones were enabled to study by a foundation of Isabel de Bedia of nearby Logroño, a relative of the Lacayos.