Juan de Oñate

Don Juan de Oñate Salazar (1552 - 1626) was a Spanish explorer there, governor of the province of the New Mexico in News-Spain. It founded several cities of the South-west of the the current United States.

Biography

Oñate was born in the town of Zacatecas; it began its career as a combatant the Amerindians of the north of News-Spain. He married Isabel de Tolosa the Cortes Moctezuma.

In 1595, it accepted the order of the king d' Espagne Philippe II to colonize septentrional banks of the river Río Grande, which had been explored by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in 1540. The objective of this forwarding was to diffuse the catholic faith and to establish news Mission S to convert the Amerindians.

It started from Santa Barbara to Mexico in 1598. It created a village called San Juan, on the current site of Santo Domingo. It sends Vicente de Zaldivar to crush the Indians Acoma; he massacres 500 men and the survivors either are reduced in slavery or amputees of a foot for the old men of more than 21 years. During the forwardings launched against the Tompiros Indians, 800 natives are killed and their pueblos is shaven. Oñate acquires a sanguinary reputation and many Amerindians leave their villages to find refuge in the mountains, where they die of cold and hunger.

In 1606, Oñate is recalled to Mexico City to give an account of its policy. It ends up joining Spain where it dies in 1626. One speaks sometimes about him like the last Conquistador.

See too

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