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Military Service Records 151 genuine titles. The statement that Juan Domínguez de Mendoza had served “more than thirty-six years” would date the beginning of his services in 1635, or thereabouts , whereas other references in the Servicios Personales records give a range of his service beginning somewhere around 1634–1645. Domínguez de Mendoza’s son, Baltasar, is referred to as captain. According to a muster roll of 1681 (Hackett and Shelby, Pueblo Revolt, 2: 67), Baltasar was then only fourteen years of age. This would place his age at four or five in the year 1672, when the present document says he was a captain. Doc. 47 (October 8, 1684) records that he was twenty-five in 1684, but this document is apparently a forgery. But assuming he was twentyfive in 1684, he would have been only thirteen years old in 1672, the alleged date of the present document, so that statement that he was already a captain would be suspect. Moreover, even the suspect titles of don Baltasar, Docs. 27 (December 27, 1672) and 29 (October 20, 1674) record that he received the rank of captain only in 1674. At that time he would have been either fifteen or seven years old, depending on the age we accept as true, and in either case he would have been too young to have had a commission as captain. Likewise, the statement in the present document that Juan Domínguez de Mendoza, the younger, was already serving as a soldier is undoubtedly false. According to Doc. 47 (October 8, 1684), he was twenty years old in 1684. Even if we assume that this is correct, he would have been only seven years old in 1671. If he was five years younger than Baltasar, as Doc. 47 states, and if Baltasar was born in 1667, as the muster roll of 1681 indicates, then Juan, the younger, had been born when the present document was supposedly drawn up. That this was probably true is confirmed by a statement in a muster roll of 1680 that Juan Domínguez de Mendoza, the elder, had a capable son of military service (Baltasar) and “another younger one” (Hackett and Shelby, Pueblo Revolt, 1:138). On the basis of the foregoing, there would seem to be no doubt that the document was forged at some later date. The account of the festival celebrating the oath of allegiance to Carlos II may well refer to an actual incident, although inasmuch as Carlos II succeeded to the throne in 1665, it is not immediately clear why the celebration may have taken place four years later in 1669 in the Villa de Santa Fe. Document 27 Commission as Alférez Real Granted to Don Baltasar Domínguez de Mendoza Santa Fe, December 27, 16721 General Juan de Miranda, regidor perpetuo of the Consejo de Tineo in the principality of Asturias, former and present governor and captain general of this kingdom and provinces of New Mexico for the king, our lord, etc. 152 Part One For the guard and custody of the royal standard and in order that there may be a person to raise it before me on campaign and in settled areas2 on occasions that may offer themselves in the royal service, it is most necessary to appoint as alférez real of this kingdom a person of every quality, valor, loyalty, merits, services, and praiseworthy actions, such as the case requires. In consideration of these of don Baltasar Domínguez y Mendoza, soldier who has served and serves his Majesty in the continual wars against the infidel nation of Apache enemies, and in consideration of the many merits and services of the present maestre de campo of this kingdom, don Juan Domínguez y Mendoza, his father, who has served his Majesty more than thirty years, occupying the most important posts and places of militia and war to satisfaction of my predecessors; and because, in imitation of his said father, the said don Baltasar will sacrifice himself in the royal services of his Majesty, in his royal name I elect, name, and appoint the aforesaid as such alférez real of the whole kingdom. And, being present, he swore to die in defense of the [royal standard] and to guard it until he loses his life or accounts for it, handing it over to me in my hands. And I order the maestre de campo, sargento mayor of the kingdom and [sargentos mayores] of campaign, and...

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