Hernando Arias de Saavedra
Hernando Arias de Saavedra ( born September 10, 1561 Asunción, † 1634 in Santa Fe ), usually abbreviated as Hernandarias, was a politician and officer in South America for the Spanish colonial period. He was a criollo, as Spaniards were called, who were born in Latin America. As the first criollo he rose to become governor of a region.
Life
Hernandarias arrived in Asunción in Paraguay today as a son of Martin Suárez to the world. This Álvar Núñez Cabeza had been under de Vaca and grandchildren of Adelantada Mencia Calderón officer. Hernandarias decided early for a military career and participated in numerous discovery and conquest expeditions in Paraguayan and Argentine territory part. For his services he was appointed governor of Asunción in 1592, he held three terms long. At the same time his half-brother Hernando de Trejo became bishop of Asunción.
1602 Hernandarias was appointed governor of Buenos Aires; he filled the post first from 1609. This period saw a number of measures to stimulate the growth of the then small port town: He created the first primary schools that had built furnaces for the production of bricks and tiles, to replace the Adobe called Adobe and a small fortress to build again, the pirates should hold. He also ordered the construction of a tower for defense of the harbor, which was located at the mouth of the Riachuelo in today Vuelta de Rocha, after two ships at anchor had been robbed by English pirates on 18 March 1607. He also tried to stop the smuggling, which was caused by the prohibition of trade in agricultural products and black slaves.
During his tenure as governor of Buenos Aires Hernandarias undertook several expeditions, including to Uruguay and Brazil to explore against Portuguese bandits who bandeirantes to fight, and the navigability of the rivers. On a trip to Patagonia, he searched for the legendary "City of the Caesars ." He was captured in 1604 nearly a thousand kilometers south of Buenos Aires by native Mapuches, but he could flee.
In the encomienda system of 1536 the colonists Indians were allocated, which should work out to the Crown is entitled to toll. In return, the colonists were to provide for the conversion of the Indians. Although the encomienda was abolished soon, but a system of state-controlled Indian forced labor had emerged. 1603 Hernandarias changed the laws so that the work commitments of the Indians were lifted, and continued the recognition of this reform by Philip III. through. 1611 said Francisco de Alfaro on an inspection tour all Indians who had been converted by the Jesuits, for free from work commitments and issued his famous Ordenanzas (arrangements ).
Hernandarias supported in 1608 include the creation of states of the Jesuits and Franciscans ( reducciones ) in the region of Guayrá (now in Paraguay). In 1615 he was re-appointed governor. At his suggestion the government Río de la Plata was divided in Paraguay ( with Asunción, Santiago de Jerez, Villa Rica and Ciudad Real) and Buenos Aires. The decree was issued in 1617, but put into practice until 1620. The evening of life spent Hernandarias in Santa Fe, where he died in 1634.