Francisca de Hozes

Brief Biography

Francisca de Hozes, the wife of expeditionary Alonso Sánchez, was a native of Ciudad Real, Ciudad Real province and knew Vázquez de Coronado's mother-in-law, doña Marina Flores de la Caballería. Francisca was present in Mexico City by at least 1536. In her testimony after the Expedition returned to New Spain, we learn important details about the inner workings and events of the Expedition. She was not listed on the muster, so only by her testimony do we learn anything about her. She is one of only four women even mentioned to have participated.

Gender
Female
Title (Y/N)
No
Country of Origin
Spain
Place of Birth (City/Town)
Ciudad Real
Place of Birth (modern province/state/region)
Ciudad Real
Died on the Expedition?
No
Last Known Location
Mexico City
European Social Status
Commoner
Within Viceroy Mendoza's Sphere
No
Residence After Expedition
Mexico City
Married
Yes
Name of Spouse
Alonso Sánchez
Name of Children
Alonso de la Cámara; Francisco de la Serna; Juan de Hozes; Catalina de Hozes; María de Hozes; Isabel de Hozes; 2 married daughters
Ability to sign name
No
References-Documentary

1530-1540:

AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD61, Inquisición, vol. 22, exp. 6, 1536 [fol.111: case against Alonso de la Serna, married twice, absolved; 16 Aug 1536, witness: Francisca de Hozes, wife of Alonso Sánchez, vecino of Mexico, que denunciaba y denuncio de Alonso de la Serna del qual ha oydo dezir a doña Marina, muger que fue del thesorero Alonso de Estrada que es casado en Ciudad Real el dicho Alonso de Serna primero que se castara con la muger que agora esta casado y que la tiene viva porque la dicha doña Marina lo conoscio en Ciudad Real como dicho tiene; Francisca knew his first wife Francisca Pérez que era entoncez mora de soldada; her husband Alonso knows this too, doesn't know how to write her name];

1540-1550:

AGI, Justicia, 267, N.3 [1544, Hozes did not know how to sign her name] [was with main body of expedition with Tristán de Luna y Arellano] [vecino of Mexico City]

Relatives:

Children:

Aizpuru, Indices y catálog, Diego de Isla, escribano, #1333, “Herencia” [fol.143v: 1553, 6 children: Alonso de la Camara, Francisco de la Serna, Juan de Hozes, Catalina de Hozes, María de Hozes, Isabel de Hozes; each received 1/6 of liquido--104 pesos 7 tomines 8 granos] [witness: Melchor Pérez] [dowry: 100 ducats] [estate of Francisca and Alonso: 1,521 pesos 4 tomines: 7 solares, 1/2 cabellería in Puebla--396 pesos 7 tomines; 2 black slaves--661 pesos 5 tomines; 2 solares y demasiadas in ciudad de México--49 pesos 5 tomines; 250 pesos due from interpreter of the Audiencia] [as inheritance received return of dowry--137 pesos 4 tomins--and one half of remainder of liquido--629 pesos 6 tomines];

Aizpuru, Indices y catálog, Diego de Isla, escribano, #1332, “Poder”;

Catálogo, Resumen e Índices [1579, Isabel de Hoces, viuda de Diego Garcés, vecina, vende a Diego de Nájara, vecino, una esclava negra llamada Elena, de tierra de Biafra, mediana de cuerpo, de 35 años, con una negrilla su hija, llamada Luisa, de 7 u 8 años, adquiridas con justo título, por precio de 400 pesos de oro común. No firmó. Testigos: Gaspar de Morones, Diego de Torres y Juan Banegas, vecinos y estantes];

Catálogo, Resumen e Índices [CGI, fol.61/61v: 1554, María de Lara, wife of Francisco Hernández, is daughter of Catalina Hozes and Martín de Villaroya]