Juan Ramírez de Velasco

Juan Ramírez de Velasco (c.1539 – 1597) was a Spanish conquistador of Chile and Argentina. Founder of the province of La Rioja.[1]

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ramírez de la Piscina and the second or maternal family name is Velasco y Ábalos.
Juan Ramírez de la Piscina de Velasco y Ábalos
portrait of Juan Ramírez de Velasco
Governor of the Tucumán (1586-1593)
Governor of the Río de la Plata and Paraguay (1595-1596)
MonarchPhilip II
Personal details
Born1539
La Rioja, Spain
Died1597
Santa Fe, Viceroyalty of Peru
OccupationConquistador
ProfessionMilitary man
Signature
Military service
Allegiance Spain
Branch/serviceSpanish Army
RankGeneral

Biography

Juan Ramírez de Velasco was born in the village of Estollo, son of a noble family of Castile, and descendant of the King of Navarre Ramiro Sánchez.[2] In 1570 Ramirez was married in Seville with Catherine de Ugarte, a Spanish noblewoman, daughter of Pedro Santiago de Ugarte and Ana de Velasco.[3]

Career

In his youth Ramírez fought in Flanders and Italy during the Italian War of 1551–59.[4] Arrived in America Ramirez was appointed governor of Tucumán by Philip II of Spain to replace Hernando de Lerma.[5] Ramírez served in the government of Tucuman between 1586-1593.

In 1588 being the governor of Tucumán Juan Ramirez de Velasco made expeditions against the Indians in calchaquí valley and won the allegiance of a son of Juan Calchaquí. Shortly after he founded the city of Todos los Santos de la Nueva Rioja.[6] In 1592 he founded the city of Madrid de las Juntas in the present department Metán.[7]

In 1594 Juan Ramírez Velasco was appointed commander of the Governorate of the Rio de la Plata a position he held between 1595-1597.[8] He was replaced by Hernando Arias de Saavedra.

Juan Ramirez de Velasco died in February 1597 in the City of Santa Fe, Argentina.[9]

Notes
  1. Poblaciones y curatos. Manuel María Cervera. 1939.
  2. Investigaciones en sociología. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Facultad de Filosofía. 1991.
  3. Linajes de la gobernación del Tucamán: los de Córdoba, Volume 3. Arturo Gustavo de Lazcano Colodrero. 1936.
  4. Don Gerónimo Luis de Cabrera y sus descendientes. Fermín V. Arenas Luque.
  5. La Argentina (Edición Corregida y Actualizada): Historia del país y de su gente. María Sáenz Quesada. April 2012. ISBN 9789875666818.
  6. Pueblos indios de Pomán Catamarca (Siglo XVII a XIX. By de la Orden de Peracca, Gabriela. 26 March 2015. ISBN 9789870279631.
  7. Breve historia de los conquistadores. José María González-Ochoa. 28 February 2014. ISBN 9788499675626.
  8. Historia cronológica de la ciudad de Buenos Aires 1536-2014. Contreras, Leonel. March 2014. ISBN 9789870273066.
  9. General Juan Ramírez de Velasco. Jorge G. C. Zenarruza. 1984.
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