Juan de Zaldívar (Spanish soldier)
Juan de Zaldívar (c. 1570–1598) was a Spanish soldier and explorer. He was an early colonizer of New Mexico. He was killed by Native Americans.
Juan de Zaldívar | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1570 Northern Mexico |
| Died | December 4, 1598 |
| Parent(s) | Vicente de Zaldívar Sr. Magdalena de Mendoza y Salazar |
| Relatives | Cristóbal de Oñate (paternal great-uncle) Juan de Oñate (uncle & second cousin) Vicente de Zaldívar (brother) |
Early life
Juan de Zaldívar was born circa 1570 in Northern Mexico.[1] His father, Vicente de Zaldívar Sr., served in the Mixtón War of 1540-1542 alongside his uncle (thus Juan's great-uncle), Cristóbal de Oñate.[2] His mother was Magdalena de Mendoza y Salazar.[1] He had a brother, Vicente de Zaldívar.[1] Juan de Oñate was their uncle and second cousin.[1][3]
Career
In 1595, Zaldívar was asked by his uncle, Juan de Oñate, to serve as his Maestre de Campo, or field marshal,[3] in Oñate's colonization of New Mexico for the Spanish Crown.[1] They departed from Santa Bárbara, Chihuahua in January 1598, arriving in Ciudad Juárez by April of the same year.[1] They went up the Rio Grande, arriving in San Juan de los Caballeros (now known as Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico) on July 11, 1598.[1]
Death
Zaldívar was killed by Acoma in Acoma Pueblo on December 4, 1598.[1][2] His brother, Vicente de Zaldívar, won the Acoma Massacre, partly to avenge his death.[1] It is claimed, foot amputation and enslavement of the culprits (Native Americans).[3]
References
- Chipman, Donald E. (June 15, 2010). "ZALDIVAR, JUAN DE". Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
- Hickerson, Nancy P. (Winter 1996). "The Servicios of Vicente de Zaldívar: New Light on the Jumano War of 1601". Ethnohistory. 43 (1): 127–144. doi:10.2307/483346. JSTOR 483346.
- Anderson, Donald (January 2004). "Stumps". The North American Review. 289 (1): 3. JSTOR 25127077.