- Juan Vázquez de Coronado
Juan Vázquez de Coronado y Anaya (b.
Salamanca , 1523 – k. in ashipwreck off thecoast ofSpain , aft.April 8 ,1565 ) was a Spanishconquistador , Conqueror, firstGovernor and first "Adelantado " ofCosta Rica according to a mercy granted by King Philip II atAranjuez onApril 8 ,1565 . His name was given to the 11th Canton of Vázquez de Coronado in the Province of San José, Costa Rica.He was born in
Salamanca ,Spain , the bastard son of Gonzalo Vázquez de Coronado y Luján (c. 1500-Valladolid , 1540), 6. Señor de Coquilla and 6. Señor de la Torre de Juan Vázquez,Majorat s of his family, perpetual "Alguacil-Mayor" of the "Real Audiencia y Cancellería" ofValladolid , [Married to Antonia de Guzmán y Arauzo, from whom is descended the major branch of the family, heirs of the lordships and charges which was already titled with theViscountship of Monterubio and theMarquessate of Coquilla in 1693 and posteriorly acquired by marriage theCountship of Montalvo and many other possessions.] by an extramatrimonial relationship with Catalina de Anaya, from whom there are no further details but undoubtedly belonged to one of the most principal families ofSalamanca .He was a nephew of
Francisco Vázquez de Coronado , who between 1540 and 1542 visitedNew Mexico and other parts of what is now the southwesternUnited States .Life
Vázquez de Coronado went very young to America, at only 17 years old, and established first in
Mexico and then inGuatemala , where he started to fulfill official charges, such asDeputy of the "Cabildo" of the City ofSantiago de los Caballeros and Ordinary "Alcalde " of Guatemala. In 1548 he married Isabel Arias-Dávila, the daughter ofCaptain Gaspar Arias-Dávila , and a first cousin toPedrarias Dávila , both of whom were amongst the most prominent Conquerors ofNew Spain and Guatemala. Having issue, he passed toEl Salvador , where he enjoyed of an "encomienda " atNaolingo and was appointed "Alcalde -Mayor" ofSan Salvador in 1549. Later he appears occupying the same charge inHonduras in 1556 and inNicaragua in 1561 and finally in Costa Rica in 1562. In the country he distinguished himself for the pacific and fair way with which he executed the tasks of the conquest, being very respected and esteemed either by the Indians and by the Spanish colonists. In 1565 he traveled to Spain where for his merits King Philip II granted him the charge of Governor of Costa Rica and the hereditary title of "Adelantado" of Costa Rica. However, in the return voyage to take possession of his charges, his ship disappeared in astorm in front of the coasts of southern Spain.One of the most relevant characters of costarican history is without doubt Juan Vázquez de Coronado, conqueror, first Governor and first Adelantado of Costa Rica. Despite his historical transcendency as one of the main builders of the nation, Vázquez de Coronado is one of the main genearchs of the costarican population, to such a point that a widespread study evidences that he is the progenitor of a true elite, that which until 1975 has given 29 of its 44 Heads of State, and more than two hundred Parliamentaries. [Herrera, Federico Mata (Académico de Número de la Academia Costarricence de Ciencias Genealógicas), "Nuevos Hallazgos en la Ascendencia del Adelantado de Costa Rica Juan Vázquez de Coronado"]
Ancestors
Ancestors of Juan Vázquez de Coronado y AnayaNotes and Sources
* [http://genforum.genealogy.com/coronado/messages/30.html Origin of Vázquez de Coronado family (in Spanish)]
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