New Spain

By a001753
  • 1519

    Hernan Cortes

    Hernan Cortes
    The Spanish conquistador Hernan, or Hernando, Cortes is elected captain of the third expedition to the mainland from the colony of Cuba, just west of Hispaniola, an expedition which he partially funds.
  • 1520

    The Aztec City

    The Aztec City
    The Aztec city of Azcapotzalco is conquered, and later becomes a Mexican administrative borough.
  • 1524

    Tenochtitlan

    Tenochtitlan
    The greatest Aztec city, Tenochtitlan, is defeated and subsumed within the empire, ending Aztec, or Mexica, civilization. With that, the first phase of the Spanish conquest of the South American continent is completed and New Spain is effectively born.
  • 1527

    The Audiencia

    The Audiencia
    The Audiencia, a royal committee, is created to govern the newly conquered territories, 'relieving' Cortes of his new domain.
  • 1532

    New Castile

    New Castile
    The Spanish governor of New Castile (the recently-discovered Peru) conquers the Inca empire, opening up vast new territories in South America.
  • 1534

    Rio de la Plata

    Rio de la Plata
    In 1534, the new governor of Rio de la Plata is created to administer territories which are still overseen by Peru. The following year, with the Audiencia proving to be unwieldy, the king of Spain appoints the first viceroy to take command of New Spain.
  • 1552

    Antonio de Mendoza

    Antonio de Mendoza
    First Spanish viceroy of New Spain. (Viceroy of Peru 1550-1552.)
  • 1560

    Chichimeca War

    Chichimeca War
    There are two Zapotec uprisings against Spanish colonial authority on these two dates, and it takes considerable effort on the part of the new masters of Central America to restore control. The Catholic Encyclopaedia regards these uprisings as attempts to revert to paganism.
  • 1564

    Luis de Velasco

    Luis de Velasco
    Died in office.

  • Guatemala

    Guatemala
    The governorship of Guatemala is raised to the position of captaincy general, in the hope that the region's greater level of autonomy will be able to halt increased pirate attacks.

  • Yucatan

    Yucatan
    The region of Yucatan is promoted as a captaincy general in its own right.

  • Don Lope

    Don Lope
    Don Lope is the first 'Criollo', or European born in the colonies, to become viceroy of New Spain. In this case, Don Lope had been born in Peru in 1575.