Juan de Zaldívar (c. 1570–1598) was a Spanish soldier and explorer. He was an early colonizer of

New Mexico ) , population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano) , seat = Santa Fe, New Mexico, Santa Fe , LargestCity = Albuquerque, New Mexico, Albuquerque , LargestMetro = Albuquerque metropolitan area, Tiguex , Offi ...

. He was killed by Native Americans.

Early life

Juan de Zaldívar was born circa 1570 in Northern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...

. His father, Vicente de Zaldívar Sr., served in the

Mixtón War The Mixtón War (1540-1542) was a rebellion by the Caxcan people of northwestern Mexico against the Spanish conquerors. The war was named after Mixtón, a hill in Zacatecas which served as an Indigenous stronghold. The Caxcanes Although othe ...

of 1540-1542 alongside his uncle (thus Juan's great-uncle), Cristóbal de Oñate. His mother was Magdalena de Mendoza y Salazar. He had a brother, Vicente de Zaldívar.

Juan de Oñate Juan de Oñate y Salazar (; 1550–1626) was a Spanish conquistador from New Spain, explorer, and colonial governor of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in the viceroyalty of New Spain. He led early Spanish expeditions to the Great ...

was their uncle and second cousin.

Career

In 1595, Zaldívar was asked by his uncle, Juan de Oñate, to serve as his

Maestre de Campo ''Maestre de campo'' was a rank created in 1534 by the Emperor Carlos V, inferior in rank only to the ''capitán general'' and acted as a chief of staff. He was chosen by the monarch in the Council of State, and commanded a ''tercio''. Their powe ...

, or field marshal, in Oñate's colonization of

for the Spanish Crown. They departed from

Santa Bárbara, Chihuahua Santa Bárbara is a city and seat of the municipality of Santa Bárbara, in the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua. As of 2010, the city of Santa Bárbara had a population of 8,765, up from 8,673 as of 2005. History Santa Bárbara, Chihuahua ...

in January 1598, arriving in Ciudad Juárez by April of the same year. They went up the Rio Grande, arriving in San Juan de los Caballeros (now known as

Ohkay Owingeh, New Mexico Ohkay Owingeh ( Tewa: Ohkwee Ówîngeh ), known by its Spanish name as San Juan de los Caballeros from 1589 to 2005, is a pueblo and census-designated place (CDP) in Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. Ohkay Owingeh is also a federally recognized tri ...

) on July 11, 1598.

Death

Zaldívar was killed by Acoma in

Acoma Pueblo Acoma Pueblo (, kjq, Áakʼu) is a Native American pueblo approximately west of Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. Four communities make up the village of Acoma Pueblo: Sky City (Old Acoma), Acomita, Anzac, and McCartys. These co ...

on December 4, 1598. His brother, Vicente de Zaldívar, won the

Acoma Massacre The Acoma Massacre refers to the punitive expedition by Spanish conquistadors at Acoma Pueblo in January 1599 that resulted in the deaths of around 500 Acoma men killed in a three-day battle, along with 300 women and children. Of the remaining Acom ...

, partly to avenge his death. It is claimed, foot amputation and enslavement of the culprits (Native Americans).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zaldivar, Juan de 1598 deaths Mexican soldiers People from Cibola County, New Mexico Spanish soldiers Spanish explorers of North America Explorers of New Mexico People from Santa Fe, New Mexico Male murder victims People murdered in New Mexico Year of birth uncertain