Wednesday, November 18, 2009

An A-Z of Valladares - J is for José

There are very few images of today's Valladares, flying or otherwise, for it is none other than José Sarmiento y Valladares (1643 - 1708), conde (count) de Moctezuma y de Tula, viceroy of New Spain from 1696 to 1701, and seemingly not a bad ruler relative to the time.

His first wife was a direct descendant of Moctezuma, the last Aztec emperor, from whence his title came. Whilst viceroy, he established a night watch in Mexico City to combat crime and, whilst the penalties were fairly extreme (whipping for a first offence, branding for a second offence, the loss of an ear for a third), one presumes that they were effective.

A supporter of Habsburg claims to the throne following the death of Charles II of Spain, he found himself on the wrong side when the Bourbons came to power in Madrid. However, he returned to Spain after being removed from his post, survived the residencia (effectively a commission of enquiry into charges against him) that followed and went on to be created Duke of Atrisco and becoming a grandee of Spain.

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