Gutierre de Miranda

Gutierre de Miranda
4th Governor of La Florida
In office
5 September 1576  1577
Preceded by Hernando de Miranda
Succeeded by Rodrigo del Junco and Pedro Menéndez de Márquez
Personal details
Born Unknown
Profession Captain and governor

Gutierre de Miranda was the captain and governor of Castillo de San Marcos and of Spanish Florida in the late 16th century. He was a brother of the previous governor of Spanish Florida, Hernando de Miranda, and brother-in-law of the next governor, Pedro Menéndez Márquez.[1]

Political career

On 5 September 1576 (or 1589, according to some sources[2]), Miranda was appointed governor of Spanish Florida. He had a sizable estate in the area that included well-bred horses.[3] During his tenure, the economy was weak, citizens faced food shortages, and there were Native American revolts against the Spanish settlers.[4] Miranda left the governor's office in 1577 and was replaced by Márquez, his brother-in-law. Márquez and King Philip II then appointed him governor and captain of Castillo de San Marcos, a new fortress in St. Augustine, Florida,[5] and Miranda settled in Santa Elena.

After Miranda proposed to a married woman and she refused him, he decided to destroy the woman's marriage of ten years, falsely accusing her husband of abusing her. The husband was jailed after Miranda presented false documents against him. Although he was placed under surveillance, he escaped and returned home, where he was recaptured by Miranda's troops and brought back to prison.

Miranda was married to Mariana Manrique.[1]

Notes

    References

    1. 1 2 Jay I. Kislak. "Witness to Empire and the Tightening of Military Control: Santa Elena's Second Spanish Occupation, 1577-1587". Kislak Foundation.org. Archived from the original on May 7, 2007.
    2. Cahoon, Ben. U.S. States F-K.
    3. Timeline of Horse, by Beverley Davis. Accessed September 9, 2010 at 16:45.
    4. A History of Colonial South Carolina, by Anne Blythe Meriwether Accessed at 18:00 of September 9, 2010.
    5. Chester B. DePratter (November 26, 2008). "The Second Spanish Occupation: 1577 - 1587". Santa Elena history. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
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