Bruno Mauricio de Zabala

Bruno Mauricio de Zabala (* October 6, 1682 in Durango, Spain, † January 31, 1736 in Río Paraná ) was a Spanish military, the various positions held within the colonial administration.

He was born in the then suburb Zabala on the edge of the city of Durango, in the province of Biscay. His birthplace, the Palacio de los Zabala has been preserved there to this day.

He participated in the War of Spanish Succession in part on the side of Philip V of Anjou, and was on 11 July 1717 Capitán General del Río de la Plata ( governor of the Río de la Plata) appointed. He held until 1734 this position. As such, he took up the fight against piracy and also saw himself confronted with the Portuguese, who intended to secure the supremacy on the banks of the Río de la Plata. In order to secure the region against the attacks of the Portuguese, he built a fort in 1726, which formed the foundation for the establishment of the later Uruguayan capital Montevideo.

According to him, the Plaza Zabala is named in Montevideo.