Gonzalo de Alvarado

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Gonzalo de Alvarado y Contreras was a Spanish conquistador and brother of Pedro de Alvarado who participated in campaigns in Mexico, Guatemala, and El Salvador (co-founding its present capital, San Salvador).

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Gonzalo de Alvarado was a native of Badajoz and son of Diego Gómez de Alvarado y Mexía de Sandoval, born in Badajoz in 1460 and vecino of Badajoz, Extremadura, Commander of Lobón, [1] Puebla, Montijo and Cubillana, Alcalde of Montánchez, Trece of the Order of Santiago, Lord of Castellanos, Maestresala of Henry IV of Castile and General of the Frontier of Portugal, widow of Teresa Suárez de Moscoso y Figueroa, and second wife Leonor de Contreras y Gutiérrez de Trejo.

Alvarado y Contreras went to Hispaniola in 1510 with all his older brother Pedro and younger brothers Jorge, Gómez, Hernando and Juan and their uncle Diego de Alvarado y Mexía de Sandoval.

When Pedro de Alvarado was wounded on his left thigh and handicapped for the rest of his life he abandoned the war and appointed his brother, Gonzalo de Alvarado, to continue the task. In 1525 the conquest of El Salvador was completed and the city of San Salvador was established.

His descendants were represented by the family Vides de Alvarado after the famous 17th century historians Francisco Antonio de Fuentes y Guzmán and also the father Domingo Juarros y Montufar.

Family

Ancestors

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  1. Diego Gómez de Alvarado y Mexía de Sandoval. the Commander of municipalities including Lobón, Montijo and Cubillana, Alcalde of Montánchez, Trece of the Order of Santiago, Lord of Castellanos, a Maestresala official instructor of Henry IV of Castile and General of the Frontier of Portugal. 1st wife: Teresa Suárez de Moscoso y Figueroa; 2nd wife Leonor de Contreras y Gutiérrez de Trejo. His sons:
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    2. Gonzalo de Alvarado y Contreras. His descendants were represented by the family Vides de Alvarado after the famous 17th-century historians Francisco Antonio de Fuentes y Guzmán and also the father Domingo Juarros y Montufar.
    3. Jorge de Alvarado. Jorge married a daughter of Xicotencatl I, the ruler of Tizatlan in Tlaxcala. She was baptized with the Spanish name doña Lucía. They had a daughter who married the conquistador Francisco Xiron Manuel and had issue. Also he married twice, firstly to Francisca Girón and secondly in 1526 to Luisa de Estrada, certainly related to Francisco Vázquez de Coronado's wife, by whom he had a son Jorge de Alvarado y Estrada, born in México, who married Catalina de Villafañe y Carvajal, Mexican, daughter of Ángel de Villafañe, conqueror of Mexico, and wife Inés de Carvajal. Their son was Jorge de Alvarado y Villafañe, also born in Mexico, Governor and Captain-General of Honduras and Knight of Santiago since 1587, also married twice, firstly to Brianda de Quiñones and secondly to Juana de Benavides, vecina of Guatemala, and had issue.
    4. and Gómez, Hernando and Juan.

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Gómez de Alvarado y Contreras was a Spanish conquistador and explorer. He was a member of the Alvarado family and the older brother of the famous conquistador Pedro de Alvarado.

References

  1. "Conquered Conquistadors" Florine G.L. Asselbergs, First Edition, published 2004

Further reading