Great Cruelties Have Been Reported: The 1544 Investigation of the Coronado Expedition

CHAPTER 15 THE NOMINAL TARGET OF THE INVESTIGATION, FRANCISCO VÁZQUEZ DE CORONADO

Chapter 15 The Nominal Target ofthe Investigation, Francisco Vázquez de Coronado Investor and Captain General ^rancisco Vázquez de Coronado was about 29 years oíd when, in January 1540, Viceroy Mendoza formally designated him captain general of the expedition about to depart for Tierra Nueva.1 By virtue of an investment of more than 50,000 pesos, Vázquez de Coronado and his wife Beatriz de Estrada were among the principal Financial backers ofthe privatelyfi índed expedition, the remaining two being Pedro de Alvarado and Viceroy Mendoza, himself, each of whom also invested at least 50,000 pesos.2 The investors certainly expected hugefinancia!rewards from the Tierra Nueva venture , at least equal to those amassed by the conquerors of Perú. An indication of their expectations is that at the distribution of Atahualpas treasure at Cajamarca in Perú in 1532 the individual receiving the largest share, Francisco Pizarra, was allotted 57,220 pesos. Yet each ofthe three parties underwriting the expedition to Tierra Nueva invested about that much.3 In November 1540, while the expedition was taking up quarters along the Rio Grande, the third principal supporter and shareholder of the expedition was added, by virtue of a royally mandated contract between Pedro de Alvarado and the viceroy. The terms of the contract are complex, but the F Francisco Vázquez de Coronado 271 import of them is that the expedition to Tierra Nueva was to be considered as one element of a much larger and more ambitious program of exploration and conquest to the west and north of Nueva España, in which the viceroy and Alvarado, the governor of Guatemala, were to share expenses and profits.4 Thus, the expedition that is usually coupled with Vázquez de Coronados ñame was ajoint venture, with the viceroy first among three equal investors.It was the viceroyafter all who had receivedlicense to mount the expedition,5 and there is some evidence that he at first intended to lead it himself.6 Vázquez de Coronado had come to Nueva España with the viceroy in 1535, and since then Mendoza had consistently favored and advanced his young henchman.7 The year 1537 was pivotal in Vázquez de Coronados career. First, he married Beatriz de Estrada, daughter of the former royal treasurer in Nueva España, Alonso de Estrada, and Marina Gutiérrez de la Caballería. Importantly, one of the consequences of the marriage was Vázquez de Coronados receipt as dowry of one fourth of the encomienda of Tlapa, the third richest encomienda in Nueva España, which provided financial leverage he lacked as the second son of Juan Vázquez de Coronado, comendador of Cubillas and former corregidor of Granada.8 Also in 1537, he wastapped byViceroy Mendoza to investígate and mete out punishment for an uprising of black slaves and Indians at the mines of Amatepeque southwest of México City. A group of Blacks confessed to fomenting the uprising and were drawn and quartered in punishment. Mendoza was more than satisfied with Vázquez de Coronado s discharge of the assignment and wrote as much to the king.9 Furthermore, Vázquez de Coronado was sent zsjuez visitador or inspectingjudge to investígate reported mistreatment of Indians working in the mines at Sultepec in the same general área as Amatepeque.10 The career of Mendozas young protege advanced rapidly in 1538. In June he and his brother-in-law Juan Alonso de Sosa were both made regidores of the cabildo of México City, an office Vázquez de Coronado continued to occupy until within three months of his death in September 1554, at about age 43.n The most momentous change in his standing within the viceroyalty carnein November of 1538, when the viceroydesignated him gov- 272 Chapter 15 ernor and juez de residencia or residencia judge of Nueva Galicia on the northwest funge of Spairís dominión in North America.12 As governor, he undertook a search for the rumored gold mines of Topira, suppressed uprisings among several recently subjugated Indian communities, investigated charges of abuse of Indians,13 and launched fray Marcos de Niza and Esteban de Dorantes on their reconnaissance of the northern mysteries before being charged with the captaincy general of the expedition to Tierra Nueva. The reasons behind Mendozas patronage and support of Francisco Vázquez de Coronado are shadowy. It is highly...