Colonial Argentina

Colonial Argentinais designated as the period of theHistory of Argentinawhen it was an overseas territory of theSpanish Empire.It begins in the Precolumbian age of theindigenous peoples of Argentina,with the arrival of the first Spanish conqueror.

European exploration

Discovery of theRío de la PlatabyJuan Díaz de Solís.He would be attacked and killed bycharrúasafter it.

When Spain and Portugal realized that the Americas were not the Indies but a new and unknown continent, they settled the portions with theTreaty of Tordesillas,dividing an eastern section of South America for Portugal and the rest for Spain. However, most of the geography of the Americas was still unknown, and many navigators sought a passage to theEast Indiesrather than exploring the Americas.

The voyage ofFerdinand Magellancontinued towards the south, passed theStrait of Magellanand eventually completed the first circumnavigation of the world.

The first navigators of the Americas through unexplored territories, navigated into the wideRío de la Plataexpecting to find a passage to the west and reach Asia, new navigations were fostered by the rumors of silver sources (such rumors are one of the early reasons of thename of Argentina).

There were land expeditions coming from the north as well, from Lima. However, the lack of precious metals in the area, and the absence of local empires like the Aztecs in Mexico or the Incas in Peru, did not allow a notable growth of the Spanish populations in the area.

Juan Díaz de Solís

The first European to disembark in what is now Argentina wasJuan Díaz de Solís,who discovered theRío de la Plata.Solís was killed byCharrúas,along with other sailors, and his fleet returned to Spain.

The sailor Francisco del Puerto, part of Solís' voyage, was spared by the Charruas because of his young age, and stayed on the Americas for some years.

Sebastian Cabot

Francisco del Puerto was rescued by the VenetianSebastian Cabot,and told him about myths of sources ofsilverin the area. This promoted further explorations in the area. There was no silver, nor any other precious metal, but those initial myths influenced the modernname of Argentina.

The voyage of Cabot, expecting to conquer the lands of the inexistent "White King", established the fortification ofSancti Spiritu,next to theParaná River.The voyage was a complete failure: they did not get any metals, Sancti Spiritu was destroyed by the native people, and the remaining Europeans returned to Europe.

The exploration of Argentina

The exploration of Argentina in 1534 begins from two separate directions. Francisco de Aguirre heads into the area from the west over theAndesand Pedro González de Mendoza comes in from theRio de la Plata region.Juan de Ayolas, Domingo, Martínez de Irala, Jerónimo Ochoa de Eizaguirre, Andrés de Arzamendia, Juan de Estigarribia, Galaz de Medrano and Fernando de Gasteiz accompany Mendoza.

Colonization

The Argentine area was within the Spanish colonial entities of:

• Governorate of New Andalusia(1524−1542)
• Governorate of the Río de la Plata(1549–1776), under the supervision of theReal Audiencia of Limain theViceroyalty of Peru(1541−1661), then the firstRoyal Audiencia of Buenos Aires(1661−1671).
• Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata(1776–1814), under the governing supervision of the secondRoyal Audiencia of Buenos Aires(1783−1810) in the south, andReal Audiencia of Charcasin the north, until theIndependence of Argentina.

The new ideas of theAge of Enlightenmentand the events of thePeninsular Warstarted theArgentine Wars of Independence,a theater of the greaterSpanish American wars of independence.

See also

• Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata topics
• Spanish colonization of the Americas