Died Unknown | Nationality Spanish | |
Preceded by Nicolás Ponce de León and Eugenio de Espinosa Profession Rancher and Administrator (governor of Cartagena de Indias Presidio and Florida) Succeeded by Damián de Vega Castro y Pardo | ||
Don Luis Benedit y Horruitiner, also known as Luis Benedit y Horruitiner (?-?) was governor of the Presidio of Cartagena (modern Colombia, 1625) and of Florida (July 29, 1633 - November 26, 1638), as well as Viceroy of Sardinia, Italy. He was uncle of next governor Pedro Benedit Horruytiner.
Biography
Don Luis Benedit y Horruitiner was born in Saragossa, Aragon (Spain), to Mosén Gilbert Benedit de Huessa and María de Hurrutinel. He had a brother, Mosén Gilbert Benedit y Horruitiner. Resident in Saint Augustine, Florida, was during long time a rancher, whose family land covered along the St. Johns River.
In 1625, he exerted as governor of the Presidio of Cartagena (modern Colombia) and, on 1630, he was Alcaide of Castillo del Morro, in Habana, Cuba.
On July 29, 1633, he was appointed governor of Florida, so as Viceroy of Sardinia (in modern Italy), in this time, a Spanish possession.
Later, in same this year, Spanish Franciscans of the Order of Friars Minor arrived to northern Florida founding a mission in the Apalachee´s region (localized in modern Apalachee Province).
So, Hurruytiner and General Fr Lorenzo Martinez had agreed to send to Florida two Friars, who knew the Amerindian languages of Florida and wanted the conversion of these people to Catholicism, in order to become to this religion to the indigenous populations in the Apalachee. The Friars may have become around 6,000 people and they remained there for many years, being their conversions known even for the subsequent governor Damián de Vega, Castro, y Pardo (1639 - 1645. He wrote a letter to Spain´s King indicating it), because the friars continued exerting in this time. In 1635 there were over 30,000 converts between 44 doctrinas, administered by 39 friars.
Likely one of the first Apalachee missions established by these missionaries in 1633 was Anhaica, that may have been founed as San Luis in honor to Luis Horruytiner, who ruled Florida at that time.
For help the mission, Hurruytiner made a sea expedition to find a nearby port to the mission that could supply it, replacing land routes, which were long and arduous. So, he sent the first ships to exert that mission, which located the port in the mouth of Saint Mark´s River.
For other way, Hurruytiner dispatched sergeant Major Antonio de Herrera, López and Mesa to the western mission provinces to negotiate the peace between the leaders of this places and Chacato (West of Apalachee), a pagan place, Apalachicole (Northwest of Apalachee) and Amacano (probably in Southeast of Apalachee), places in warfare between them. So, he gathered the leaders of each war parties and he achieved a peace agreement between all parties, a successful deal.
Luis de Horruytiner left the office of Governor of Florida on November 26, 1638, being replaced by Castro, y Pardo.