Gaspar de Salamanca

Brief Biography

It appears highly likely that the Gaspar de Salamanca from Melgar (Burgos province) and the son of Beatriz de la Torre and Martín de Salamanca is the expeditionary, due to the fact that he came to New Spain in 1538 with two known expeditionaries. Gaspar was not present at the 1540 muster but stated in 1586 that he had participated in the Expedition.

Gender
Male
Title (Y/N)
No
Date of Birth
1521
AGE-1540
19
Age Set
15-25
Country of Origin
Spain
Place of Birth (City/Town)
Melgar de Fernamental
Place of Birth (modern province/state/region)
Burgos
Died on the Expedition?
No
Last Known Location
Mexico City
Position on Expedition
Unknown
Within Viceroy Mendoza's Sphere
Yes
Post Expedition Occupation
Alcalde Mayor
Residence After Expedition
Mexico City
Married
Yes
Name of Spouse
Catalina Díez de Santillana
Name of Children
had children
Ability to sign name
Yes
Relatives
father:Martín de Salamanca; mother: Beatriz de la Torre
References-Documentary

1530-1540:

AGI, Pasajeros, L.2, E.4811 [March 29, 1538, Gaspar de Salamanca, hijo de Martín de Salamanca y de Beatriz de la Torre, vecinos de Melgar] [right year (Villafranca, Francisco de  #4813; highly likely because Salamanca was in same fleet as García Rodríguez w/Albornoz)]

?APSM, “Bautismos de Españoles, 1536-1746” [fol.136v: 4 June 1544, Alonso Gallegos, tailor Catalina García baptized Juan, padrinos were Alonso de la Larera and Salamanca, candlemaker and their wives]

1550-1560:

AGI, Contaduría, 676, N.3 [Mexico, 2 Oct. 1550- the Audiencia will report on the expenses to Peru in 1547, Payments made: Gaspar de Salamanca, 15 pesos for 20 mantas de lana];

AGI, Contaduría, 664, 1558 [Misc. grants: Gaspar de Salamanca, 50 pesos, 13 Sept 1557-13 Jan 1558, grant; and, 100 pesos, sustenance, 13 Jan 1558-13 Sept 1558];

Catálogo, Resumen e Índices [Mexico 18 July 1559, Gonzalo de Salazar, vecino, otorga poder general a Gaspar de Salamanca, vecino, y a Francisco de Escobar, procurador de la Real Audiencia, vecino. Firmó. Testigos: Juan de Vega, Nicolás Gallego y Pedro Hernández, vecinos];

1560-1570:

AGI, Patronato, 63, R.5 [witness: for Juan Gómez de Paradinas, 1560] [vecino, ciudad de México] [nearly 40 years old] [Salamanca could sign his name (no signature on copy)];

AGI, Patronato, 66A, N.2, R.2 [1572, Mexico, Antonio de Salazar, son of Gonzalo de Salazar, witness: Gaspar de Salamanca, vecino, knows his parents and grandparents, age more or less 50 (1512), signed, no signature on copy); \3 April 1571, Mexico, Antonio de Ávila, son of Alonso de Ávila, first conqueror, witness: Francisco de Tórres, vecino, 63 more or less (1508), went also to the war and jornada in Nueva Galicia with Mendoza, signed his name and rubric, not here; witness: Alonso Hernández, vecino, more than 50 (<1521), compadre of Gonzalo de Salazar, "porque el susodicho saco a este testigo una hija de pila", had been in Gonzalo 's encomienda of Juzunpango, Matlata, Tonatico, signed with his name and rubric];

?AGI, Contratación, 203, N.4, R.8 [fol. 5v: Gaspar de Salamanca, purchased clothing, 5 June 1562, Mexico, from the belongings of Alonso de Sapardiel; fol.6r, also Pedro Hernández, sedero; Francisco Gómez; Diego Hernández; Pedro de Ávila; Juan de Ramos; Diego Díaz, buyer; 1562, Mexico, fol.131r, Pero Hernández de Calvor/Albor, buyer; Alonso González, buyer; Juan Martín, gamero, buyer]

AGI, México, 98, N.33 [informaciones contra Juan Troyano, 1569] [witness: Salamanca, witness de oficio] [according to Francisco Muñoz: Salamanca, teniente de alcalde mayor de Tlalmanalco for last four or five years] [Salamanca, vecino de Tlalmanalco, more than 44 years old] [Salamanca has lived in Tlalmanalco 9 years, is married, and has a house there; no signature on copy)];

?Actas de Cabildo, Tomo IV, Book 7, p.154 [3 Dec. 1563-Gaspar de Salamanca, citizenship; Juan de Cuevas a solar que es como vamos por la calzada que va de San Fran to Santiago on the left side adelante de la Santa María la redonda church; p.201 [3 July 1564-Gaspar de Salamanca, vecino, has a huerta to the desaguadero of Juan de Cuevas's mill to the head of the desaguadero;];

?Valderrama, Cartas, #29, p.219 [1564, has a public store, retailer/hawker of gergas and sayales and other trifles; criado of a vecino and conqueror of Mexico; given a teniente with 232 1/2 pesos by Velasco I]

1570-1580:

AGN, Instituciones Coloniales, GD51, Gobierno Virreinal, General de Parte, Vol.1, exp.1014, 1576 [Gaspar de Salamanca was appointed veedor de ganado that is brought to the carnicerías of Tlalmanalco; in May 1576 the appointment is extended for another year, for which Salamanca will be paid half the salary of the veedor general de carnicerías]

1580-1590:

AGI, Patronato, 55, N.6, R.4\1 [Probanza of Fernando de (C)Santillana, 1 Sep 1539, Mexico City; 13 Feb. 1585, Mexico City, witness: Gaspar de Salamanca, vecino, doesn't know Fernando de Cantillana, deceased, 60, married to a sister of Gaspar de Cantillana; other witnesses: Juan de Morales, Pedro de Vargas, Domingo Martin];

AGI, Patronato, 79, N.1, R.2 [1586, méritos y servicios, Diego y Hernando (C)Santillana, conquistadores de Nueva España] [probanza presented by Gaspar de Salamanca, vecino de México] [wife of Gaspar: Catalina Diez de Coantillana (Santillana), daughter of Diego de Cantillana, conquistador] [Gaspar has been in Nueva España more than 48 years] [se hizo la jornada y conquista de las provincias de çibola...el dicho gaspar de salamanca se aderezo lo mejor que pudo a su costa y minçion] [questions 9 and 10] [witness, García Rodríguez, clerigo, beneficiado de las minas de tasco: came to Nueva España in the same fleet as Gaspar de Salamanca more than 48 years before (1538); el socorro que su magestad (h)era sesenta pesos de tipuzque a Cada soldado de a Cavallo y Veynte a los de pie; both he and Salamanca went de a caballo] [witness, Hernán Pérez: Gaspar and Catalina have many children]

Other info: logic for age: in 1560 almost 40 (b. 1521?); in 1569 more than 44 (he would be 48); in 1572 about 50 (he would be 51); in 1585 about 60 (he would be 64);

Pereda López, emigracion burgalesa  [from Melgar de Fernamental, p.286];

Piferrer, Nobiliario, 3:64, #1214 [family originated from Salamanca and spread to Burgos; in the battle of Araviana during the time of Pedro de Castilla, Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, comendador mayor of Leon died; Sancho Martinez de Salamanca was the capitan of horsemen, protected the dead body, was made alférez mayor; escudo of gold with a red lion in the center and the esquinas cuatro roelas azules cargados de una flor de lis de oro; and #1215 [another line has the escudo - quartered; 1st- and 4th of gold and 3 fajas of blue; 2nd and 3rd of gules and 3 espadas altas]