Lieutenant Alonso Varela Died 1761 | Profession Governor of New Mexico | |
Preceded by Francisco Manuel de Silva Nieto Succeeded by Francisco Martínez de Baeza | ||
Francisco de la Mora y Ceballos was a Spanish military officer and merchant who served as governor of colonial New Mexico between March 1632 and 1635.
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Biography
Ceballos joined the Spanish Army in his youth, eventually becoming the Captain of the Army.
Government in New Mexico
Ceballos was appointed Governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in 1632, while Alonso Varela was appointed as his lieutenant. In addition, Father Perea, a priest, worked on the affairs of the province, occupying positions such as Commissioner of the Inquisition and a member of the Definitory, the standing committee of the custody. Meanwhile, Fray Francisco de Porras was assigned to the post of Custodio, taking the place of Perea, because he (even though he was an agent of the Inquisition) decided to remain in Moqui Village to continue with the conversion to Christianity of the indigenous population of the place.
Trade relations
On his way to New Mexico, Ceballos tried to trade with the natives of some villages with Franciscan missions, using the monks as their agents. When the Franciscans refused to accept the trade with the Native Americans, Ceballos threatened them if they refused to agree to the maintenance of their business relationships.
Ceballos arrived in Sante Fe on 3 March 1632 after leaving Mexico City, and one of his first official acts was a sanction to avenge the death of two missionaries who had been killed on Zuni lands, Friars Letrado and Aivide. However, he tried to maintain his business, occupying the role of Governor in order to enrich himself "by enlisting the assistance of the friars". Thus, Ceballos had numerous items that he had brought from Mexico City to sell to the Amerindians and the friars.
According to Elizabeth Ann Harper John, he plundered New Mexico, expropriating the belongings of settlers and Native Americans. In addition, he traded in Santa Barbara "nine wagons load of loot" and most of the New Mexican livestock. Three years later, the population of New Mexico suffered hunger and disease.
In 1633 Ceballos issued laws that banned the workshops in the encomiendas and the use of Native Americans for personal service. Also the King Charles II of Spain issued laws prohibiting work by Indigenous women and sons who had not yet the minimum age to pay taxes. However, the requirements of some laws were not clear. It was allowed the settlers to force the Native Americans to work in exchange a wages. Many of them were indebted to the settlers. Mayors and jailers forced the Native American prisoners to work for certain persons in the convents.
In addition, Ceballos established the obligation to pay taxes to New Mexico on "wheat, corn, cassava, fish, cotton, vegetables, or anything else". In addition, it was recommended that government officials in the province call a meeting of the royal officials, prelates, the bishop, and some "disinterested" persons to discuss the issue and decide the amount of money that people had to pay through tributes. The trustees were supposed to obey the decision by law, and their salary would be limited to the amount that had been set. However, the civil authorities and parts of the church disobeyed those laws, due, respectively, to the "selfishness" and "jealousy" that they had.
Francisco de la Mora y Ceballos was replaced by Francisco Martínez de Baeza in 1635, returning (probably) to modern Mexico sometime in this year.