Rodrigo Maldonado

Brief Biography

Rodrigo Maldonado, not to be confused with don Rodrigo Maldonado, was a ship's captain and treasurer for Alarcón's voyage up the Gulf of California in search of the Expedition and thus, was not present at the 1540 muster. As with most of the members of Alarcón's enterprise, specific members rarely appear in the documentary record. However, there is a Pasajero record for two brothers from Salamanca (Salamanca province), Hernando Nieto and Rodrigo Maldonado, obtaining licenses to accompany don Pedro de Alvarado back to New Spain in 1538. If that Rodrigo was the same individual with Alarcón, then his parents were Rodrigo Maldonado and doña Isabel. Because Alvarado became involved in the Expedition as well, then perhaps the Rodrigo from Salamanca is the correct person.

Gender
Male
Title (Y/N)
No
Country of Origin
Spain
Place of Birth (City/Town)
?Salamanca
Place of Birth (modern province/state/region)
Salamanca
Last Known Location
lower Gila River, Arizona
European Social Status
Commoner
Position on Expedition
Royal official
Ship's Pilot
Relatives
?parents: Rodrigo Maldonado and doña Isabel; ?brother: Hernando Nieto
References-Documentary

 1530-1540:

?AGI, Pasajeros, L.2, E.5593 = Boyd-Bowman, Indice geobiográfico, II:7499  [November 4, 1538, Hernando Nieto, hijo de Rodrigo Maldonado y de doña Isabel ____, vecino de Salamanca, y su hermano Rodrigo Maldonado, en la armada de don Pedro de Alvarado] (we favor this one because he might have been Alvarado's captain first, transferred to Alarcón)]

1540-1550:

Alarcón’s Voyage in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 15 [treasurer for Alarcón];

Díaz del Castillo, Historia Verdadera, 830-31 [don Antonio de Mendoza que enviase navíos por la costa del sur, con herraje y tiros y polvora y ballestas y armas de todas maneras, y vino y aceite y bizcocho] [a esta causa envió los tres navíos que dicho tengo, y fue por capitán general un Hernando de Alarcón, maestresala que fue del mismo virrey, y fue for capitán de otro navío yn hidalgo que se dice Marcos Ruiz de Rojas, natural de Madrid; otros dijeron que había ido por capitán de otro navío un fulano Maldonado]

1550-1560:

?Roskamp, Los Códices de Cutzio y Huetamo [p.109, alcalde mayor]

?Fernández Sotelo, La Primigenia Audiencia [p.135, 140, 155, 158: 24 and 29 July 1557, 13 Sept., 12 Oct mines of Zacatecas, "Traslado del proceso en contra de Gaspar de Tapia", witnesses: Pero Sánchez de Palenzuela, Francisco Gómez, escribanos and Rodrigo Maldonado, estante in the mines]

1560-1570:

?AGI, México, 97, R.1 [Pedro de Sánchez Nieto, vecino of Mexico, poder to Rodrigo Maldonado, estante in Mexico City, so that he [Maldonado] might go to Spain to ask for remuneration as a poblador antiguo and conquistador; witnesses-Antonio de Rosales, Juan de Chaves, Juan Lorenzo, 10 Feb. 1561; 6 Oct. 1561, Madrid, Rodrigo Maldonado, vecino of Mexico City, presents this poder (signature of Rodrigo Maldonado)];

?AGI, Indiferente General, 425, L.24 [fol. 103v: Licencia a Rodrigo Maldonado para volver a Nueva España y pasar a Indias 3 esclavos negros para su servicio, May 11, 1562]

Other Info: ?AHMC, Caja A1, exp.5 [Sept 25, 1539, "Diego Alcalde contra los bienes de Diego Garrido, difunto, por pesos", property of Diego Garrido, deceased; Alonso López, alcalde ordinario; witness: Bartolomé Garrido; alcalde mayor Rodrigo Maldonado, fol.1-10];

?Romero de Solís, Andariegos  [1539, 1540, alcalde mayor and visitador in Colima, doc. 8, 9; native of Salamanca and son of Rodrigo Maldonado, to Guatemala with Alvarado, to Honduras in 1539, perhaps was the negotiator for the company between Mendoza and Alvarado; the treasurer for Alarcon; corregidorin Guzapaltepeque with 300 pesos salary; 1550-53, alcalde mayor of Michoacán; in Mexico City, no children, Icaza, Diccionario, #127; his wife in 1571 was judged by the Inquisition for her cruelty to her slaves and servants and sentenced to be beheaded; wrote 2 letters to his successor, Hernando de Alvarado, in the office in Colima, doc. 769, 872; Romero de Solis: says about Rodrigo Maldonado "Tambien sabemos que don Rodrigo, en ese mismo ano [1540] fungia de tesorero en la expediciónorganizada por Fernando de Alarcon. R says-not the same Maldonado. Rodrigo's wife, Luisa de Aux; "por cierto que doña Luisa topo con la Inquisicióny mas tarde juzgada y sentenciada a ser decapitada por la crueldad con que trataba a sirvientes y esclavos." (errors)]

Relatives?: ?AHAG, Justicia, Matrimonios, Nulidad, 1600- 1654, Caja 1, exp.8 [1610, Divorce-Guadalajara, Catalina López vs Cristóbal López, Hernando Maldonado on her behalf (descendant?)];

?AGI, México, 22 [1590, Alcaldes Mayores: Luis Maldonado, son of a fiscal and poblador antiguo, Hacotlalpa]