CHAPTER XIX.
THIRTY-SEVENTH TO FORTY-THIRD VICEROYS.
1721-1760.
Bi-centennial of European Occupation — Viceroy Casafuerte — He Encourages Public Improvements — Peaceful Progress — Death of the Viceroy — His Successor Archbishop Vizarron — Negro Insurrection at Córdoba — Its Suppression by the Military — Ravages of Epidemic — Viceroy Conquista’s Rule — Fuenclara Arrives — Commodore Anson — He Captures the 'Covadonga' — Spanish Jealousy — Persecution of Boturini — Loss of Valuable Manuscripts — Administration of Revilla Gigedo — His Trafficking Propensities — Famine, Disease, and Earthquakes — Fuenclara Resigns — Viceroy Amarillas — His Poverty and Death — The Audiencia Rules — Short Administration of Viceroy Cruíllas.
More than two centuries had now elapsed since the fleet of Cortés had cast anchor under the island of San Juan de Ulua, and of all the powerful tribes that once rendered allegiance to the Montezumas few retained any traces of their ancient glory. While in 1721 the Spaniards were celebrating the bi-centennial of the occupation of the capital, the mountain tribes of Nayarit were being subjugated, and a quarter of a century later those of Nuevo Leon, Sierra Gorda, and Tamaulipas were destined, as we have seen, to meet the same fate.
On October 15, 1722, Juan de Acuña, marqués de Casafuerte, the successor of Valero, arrived in Mexico as thirty-seventh viceroy of New Spain. He is said to have been one of the best of all the representatives of royalty, being remembered in the history of the country as the 'great governor.'[1] During his ad-
- ↑ Casafuerte was a creole, a native of Lima, Peru. During 59 years of public service he had been viceroy of Messina and of Sicily. Besides being
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