First governor of New Mexico, born in Guadalajara, Mexico. He was a grandson, by marriage, of Cortes, the conqueror of Mexico. He was granted the province of New Mexico, the territory north of the Rio Grande, in 1595, by Velasco, but was not permitted to carry out his plans of settlement until 1598. Finally, he was allowed to proceed, by Monterey, Velasco’s successor. He took with him 130 men and a large number of cattle; crossed the Rio Grande, and in August 1598, founded San Juan, the first capital. He was governor until 1608, during that time exploring the Gila River from its source to the Gulf of California.
