Hernando Arias de Saavedra (September 10, 1561 – 1634), commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first American-born person to become a governor of a European colony in the Americas.
Hernandarias was born in Asunción, Paraguay as the illegitimate son of María de Sanabria and Martín Suárez, an officer under Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. He also had a sister, Juana de Saavedra, who later married Jua...
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Hernando Arias de Saavedra (September 10, 1561 – 1634), commonly known as Hernandarias, was a soldier and politician of criollo ancestry. He was the first American-born person to become a governor of a European colony in the Americas.
Hernandarias was born in Asunción, Paraguay as the illegitimate son of María de Sanabria and Martín Suárez, an officer under Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. He also had a sister, Juana de Saavedra, who later married Juan de Garay, the father of Jerónima de Contreras. His maternal grandparents were Diego de Sanabria and Mencia Calderón de Sanabria who were wealthy from their holdings in Paraguay. He began his military career at an early age and participated in the exploration and conquest of the territory of what is now Paraguay and Argentina. His talents as as officer and administrator led to his being named lieutenant-governor of Asunción in 1592 by Juan Ramírez Velasco, and he went on to serve three terms. While claiming most officials from Spain or Peru...
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