Pedro de Rivera y Villalón

Pedro de Rivera y Villalón
Pedro de Rivera y Villalón
Born	late seventeenth - early eighteenth century
Died	eighteenth century
Nationality	Spanish
Occupation(s)	Brigadier general and inspect

Pedro de Rivera y Villalón was a brigadier general in the Spanish army, who was sent to New Mexico in 1724 to study the presidios near Louisiana.

Biography

Pedro de Rivera y Villalón was born between the late seventeenth and early eighteenth century. In his youth, he joined the

Spanish army

, in which, over time, he managed to ascend to the rank of general.

Rivera was in

presidios that New Spain had to the borders with Louisiana, to check if these were able to protect the region. Rivera traveled a very extensive space, formed by more than 8,000 miles. The military man was interested in the life of the population, so he left reflected in his diary many particularities of the Texan population, such as the local customs, the description of Native Americans and products that were cultivated. He also indicated the areas where people lived.^[2]

In 1727 the engineer Francisco Alvarez Barreyto, member of his expedition, drew up a map of the borders with Louisiana.

Juan de Acuña, had refused to approve its realization. This caused disaffection among Mediavilla and the viceroy.^[3]

On March 5, 1731 (and following the Rivera's advice), three missions were renamed in San Antonio: Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción de los Hainai changed its name to Nuestra Señora de la Purisima Concepción de Acuña, San Francisco de los Neches was renamed San Francisco de la Espada, and San Jose de los Nazones was renamed San Juan Capistrano.[4] Presidio La Bahía was not removed, but his report prompted to consider the transfer of three missions located in East Texas to San Antonio in 1731.^[2]

Rivera left Texas on June 29, 1728. After his trip, Rivera asked that the Texas economy be strengthened. He also pointed out the need to suppress the

Apaches, and replace the presidio La Bahía with one established in River Medina to control the Apaches.^[2]

Books published

• Pedro de Rivera, Diario y derrotero de lo caminado, Haviendo transitado por los Reinos del Nuevo Toledo, el de la Nueva Galicia, el de la Nueva Vizcaya, el de la Nueva Mexico, el de la Nueva Estremadura, el de las Nuevas Philipinas, el de Nuevo de Leon. Las Provincias, de Sonora, Ostimuri, Sinaloa, y Guasteca. Guatemala, Sebastián de Arebalo, printer, 1736.[5]

References

^
JSTOR j.ctv233nn0.8
. Retrieved 30 August 2021.

^ "Diario. Y derrotero de lo caminado, visto, y obcervado en el discurso de la visita general de precidios, situados en las provincias ynternas de Nueva España, : Que de orden de Su Magestad executô d. Pedro de Rivera, brigadier de los reales exercitos. Haviendo transitado por los Reinos del Nuevo de Toledo, el de la Nueva Galicia, el de la Nueva Vizcaya, el de la Nueva Mexico, el de la Nueva Estremadura, el de las Nuevas Philipinas, el del Nuevo de Leon. Las provincias, de Sonora, Ostimuri, Sinaloa, y Guasteca". 1736.

[NewSpain-1] 
JSTOR j.ctv233nn0.8
. Retrieved 30 August 2021.

[RYVPHT-2] RIVERA Y VILLALON, PEDRO DE | The Handbook of Texas Online, by Robert Bruce Blake. Retrieved December 21, 2010, to 19:50 pm.

[MeMAHT-3] MEDIAVILLA Y AZCONA, MELCHOR DE | The Handbook of Texas Online. Retrieved 21 December 2010, to 12:45 pm.

[Swanton1942-4] 
ISBN 978-0-8061-2856-6
.

[5] "Diario. Y derrotero de lo caminado, visto, y obcervado en el discurso de la visita general de precidios, situados en las provincias ynternas de Nueva España, : Que de orden de Su Magestad executô d. Pedro de Rivera, brigadier de los reales exercitos. Haviendo transitado por los Reinos del Nuevo de Toledo, el de la Nueva Galicia, el de la Nueva Vizcaya, el de la Nueva Mexico, el de la Nueva Estremadura, el de las Nuevas Philipinas, el del Nuevo de Leon. Las provincias, de Sonora, Ostimuri, Sinaloa, y Guasteca". 1736.

[2]

[3]