In 1598, Juan de Oñate pioneered 'The Royal Road of the Interior Land', or El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, between Mexico City and the Tewa village of 'Ohkay Owingeh', or San Juan Pueblo, founding the Nuevo México Province under the authority of Philip II. He also founded the settlement (a Spanish pueblo) of San Juan on the Rio Grande near the Native American Pueblo. In 1610, Pedro de Peralta, then governor, established the settlement of Santa Fe in the region of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the Rio Grande. Missions were established for conversions and agricultural industry under the authority of the governor. The territory's Puebloan peoples resented the Spaniards denigration and prohibition of their traditional religion, and their encomienda system's forced labor. In 1680, the Pueblo Revolt occurred, and a final resolution included additional protections from Spanish efforts to eradicate their culture and religion, the issuing of substantial communal land grants to each Pueblo, and a public defender of their rights and for their legal cases in Spanish courts.
In January 1822, the last Governor under the Spanish regime, Facundo Melgares, lost the title of governor and was now called géfe político (political chief) and géfe militar (military chief).[1] Subsequently, Melgares became the first Mexican Governor of New Mexico, serving until July 5, 1822 when he was succeeded by Francisco Xavier Chavez, though he would hold office for just five months.
Conquistador, explorer and administrator of New Spain. Son of explorer and conquistador Cristóbal de Oñate. Initiated NM Indian slaving through encomienda system. Allowed colonists to seize "orphaned" Native children, including from their parents.[4]
Issued a "death sentence against the entire Apache nation and others of the same ilk," but allowed Spanish settlers to hold captured Indians as indentured servants.[4]
His policies against the Pueblo Indians gave rise to their revolt.
2nd stage: Governors and Pueblo leaders during the revolt
From 1680 until 1692, the Puebloansrevolted against Spanish domination and lived under their own rulers.
The political chiefs or governors and Pueblo leaders were:[7]
Espinosa, José Manuel (1988). The Pueblo Indian Revolt of 1696 and the Franciscan Missions in New Mexico: Letters of the Missionaries and Related Documents. University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN9780806123653.
"New Mexico Governors". State of New Mexico – Commission of Public Records ~ State Records Center and Archives. Archived from the original on 2012-02-27. Retrieved 2012-07-15.
Reséndez, Andrés (2016). The Other Slavery: the uncovered story of Indian enslavement in America. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN978-0-547-64098-3. OCLC913924416.
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