Teodoro de Croix | |
|---|---|
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| 34thViceroy of Peru | |
| In office April 29, 1784 – March 25, 1790 | |
| Monarchs | Charles III Charles IV |
| Preceded by | Agustín de Jáuregui |
| Succeeded by | Francisco Gil de Taboada |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1730-06-20)June 20, 1730 |
| Died | 1792(1792-00-00) (aged 61–62) |
Teodoro de Croix (June 20, 1730 in Prévoté Castle, nearLille,France – 1792 inMadrid) was a Spanish soldier and colonial official inNew Spain andPeru.[1] From April 6, 1784 to March 25, 1790 he wasviceroy of Peru.
Teodoro de Croix was born in France, the third son of Alexandre-Maximilien-François de Croix, Marquis of Heuchin, and Isabelle-Claire-Eugène de Houchin. He entered the Spanish army at age 17 and was sent toItaly as an ensign ofgrenadiers of the Royal Guard. In 1750 he transferred to theWalloon Guards, bodyguards of theBourbon kings of Spain. In 1756 he was promoted to lieutenant and was made a knight in theTeutonic Order. He became a colonel (still in the Walloon Guards) in 1760.
In 1766 he came to New Spain as a captain in the guard of ViceroyCarlos Francisco de Croix, marqués de Croix. He subsequently served as commandant of the fortress inAcapulco and as inspector of all troops in the viceroyalty. He served in this capacity until 1770. In 1771 the term of Viceroy Croix ended, and both Francisco and Teodoro returned to Spain.VisitadorJosé de Gálvez returned with them.
TheCommandancy General of the Provincias Internas del Norte (Commandancy General of the Internal Provinces of the North) was established in New Spain in 1776, incorporatingNueva Vizcay,Santa Fe de Nuevo México,Nuevo León,Coahuila,Sonora y Sinaloa,Las Californias, andSpanish Texas.[2] This arrangement was a response to numerous attacks byApaches,Seris,Comanches, and other Indigenous tribes and to the fear of encroachment by other European powers.[citation needed] Headquarters was to be atArizpe, Sonora.[2]
On May 16, 1776, KingCharles III of Spain named Brigadier Teodoro de Croix the first commandant general of the new jurisdiction.[2] He replacedHugo Oconór, an appointee of New Spain ViceroyAntonio María de Bucareli y Ursúa, in charge of Spanish forces on the northern frontier. He was independent of the viceroy of New Spain in most of this territory, but in Alta California the two were to share jurisdiction.
Croix assumed his office on January 1, 1777. He left Mexico City to inspect his new jurisdiction in August. He was responsible for military defense, civilian colonization and conversion of the Indians over the large, sparsely inhabited territory. Croix reported directly to the minister of the Indies,José de Gálvez. Critically for historians, he appointedJuan Agustín Morfi as chaplain of this expedition; Morfi went on to become the most important chronicler of theNew Philippines;[a]
He built up the strongest military force across the northern frontier from Texas to Sonora than had ever been seen in the area, revamping the whole border defense in the process. On October 24, 1781, the king approved the separation of the Californias as a jurisdiction at the level of the Provincias Internas de Occidente.[1]
Croix was appointed lieutenant general and named viceroy of Peru on February 13, 1783. He relinquished command in the Provincias Internas del Norte toFelipe de Neve.
As viceroy of Peru, he decentralized the government through the creation of sevenintendencias. He built the anatomical amphitheater and began theBotanical Garden of Lima. He adopted rigorous measures to suppress the thought of theEncyclopedists and revolutionaries in the United States and France. He improved the fortification of the coast and collaborated in the creation of theJunta Superior de Comercio and theTribunal de Minería (1786).
As viceroy he sent naval officerJosé de Moraleda y Montero to draw new maps ofChiloé Archipelago and neighboring waters in northern Patagonia.[4]
His term as viceroy ended in 1790 and he returned to Spain. In 1791 he was made a colonel in the king's bodyguard and a commander in theTeutonic Order. He died in Madrid the following year.
The people of Lima knew him asel Flamenco (TheFleming).
| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Viceroy of Peru 1784–1790 | Succeeded by |
