Monday, March 11, 2013

Trail Dust: Early New Mexico governor was a Spanish scoundrel

by Marc Simmons

Who today knows the name of Diego de Peñalosa? Very few people, I suspect, even though he was one of the more fascinating of New Mexico’s Spanish Colonial governors (1661-1664).

Other New Mexico governors, like Oñate, Vargas and Anza, are well remembered, and their names grace schools, streets and public buildings. But not Peñalosa. He has been all but buried in the ash can of history.

And there is a pretty good reason for that. The man was an opportunist and a scoundrel, and he came to be regarded as a traitor by the Spanish government. He also excelled in the forging of documents.

All of these things make him an interesting historical figure. Therefore, it is to be regretted that we possess only sketchy details of his checkered career.

Born in Peru, Don Diego de Peñalosa must have come to New Spain (Mexico) sometime around the mid-17th century. He was said to have an attractive personality and the ability to charm people, especially those in high places.

But he was also a troublemaker. In Peru, he had killed a man in a fight, and the viceroy ordered his arrest. Don Diego, however, fled north and eventually landed in Mexico City.

After serving in several minor government jobs, he was given the post of governor of New Mexico. That was not exactly a plum. New Mexico in those days was poor, thinly populated and uncomfortable.

With an escort, Peñalosa traveled up the Camino Real to assume his new job. At El Paso, he was met by citizens from the north who accompanied him to Santa Fe, which he reached in August of 1661.

The capital was then a bleak place, and Don Diego decided to spend his term feathering his own nest.

Among other crimes, he enslaved scores of Apaches and marched them off to Chihuahua and Sonora to be sold in the mines. And he illegally squeezed labor and salable goods out of the poor Pueblo Indians.
That brought him into conflict with the Franciscan missionaries. Indeed, Don Diego developed a running feud with the padres. That would later prove his downfall.



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