A Paraguayan-Argentinian soldier and politician who played a key role in the early history of Argentina and Paraguay, leading military campaigns and serving as governor. He's also known for his diplomatic efforts to maintain peace between the two countries.
Hernando Arias de Saavedra, commonly known as Hernandarias, was a pioneering figure in the history of South America, becoming the first person born in the Americas to govern a European colony in the New World. He served as the governor of the Governorate of the Rio de la Plata, a vast region that encompassed present-day Argentina, Uruguay, and parts of Bolivia and Paraguay, from 1597 to 1599 and again from 1602 to 1609.
Born on September 10, 1561, in Asunción, Paraguay, Hernandarias was the second son of María de Sanabria and Martín Suárez, an officer under Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. He grew up in a wealthy family, with his maternal grandparents, Diego de Sanabria and Mencia Calderón de Sanabria, owning vast holdings in Paraguay.
Hernandarias entered the military at a young age and quickly proved himself as a skilled officer and administrator. He participated in the exploration and conquest of the territory of what is now Paraguay and Argentina, earning a reputation as a courageous and effective leader.
In 1592, Hernandarias was named lieutenant governor of Asunción by Juan Ramírez Velasco, a position he held for three terms. His talents as an administrator and his experience in the military made him an attractive candidate for higher office, and in 1596, he was elected as Lieutenant Governor of the Rio de la Plata province, including Buenos Aires.
When Governor Diego Rodríguez Valdés Vanda died in 1597, King Philip II of Spain ordered Captain Francisco de Barraza to name a new governor of the province. Hernandarias was unanimously elected by the caudillo in Asunción as the governor of Rio de la Plata province, including Buenos Aires.
Hernandarias served three terms as governor, from 1597 to 1599, from 1602 to 1609, and again from 1615 to 1617. During his tenure, he implemented a number of policies aimed at stimulating economic growth, improving relations with the indigenous population, and strengthening the colonial administration.
One of his most notable achievements was the establishment of the city of Buenos Aires as the capital of the Rio de la Plata province. He also encouraged the development of agriculture, trade, and commerce in the region, and worked to promote peace and stability between the Spanish colonizers and the native Guarani people.
Hernandarias' legacy as a trailblazing governor and administrator has endured for centuries. He is remembered as a champion of the criollo people, the descendants of Spanish colonizers born in the Americas, and as a champion of the development of the Rio de la Plata region.
Today, Hernandarias is celebrated as a national hero in Paraguay and Argentina, with his name appearing on streets, schools, and public buildings throughout the region. His life and legacy serve as a testament to the complex and often contradictory history of the Spanish colonization of South America.
Hernandarias had a sister, Juana de Saavedra, who married Juan de Garay, the father of Jerónima de Contreras. He also had a half-brother, Hernando de Trejo, who became the bishop of the Roman Catholic see of Asunción.
Despite his many achievements, Hernandarias' personal life remains somewhat of a mystery. There is little recorded about his relationships or family life, and it is unclear whether he ever married or had children of his own.
Hernando Arias de Saavedra, or Hernandarias, was a true pioneer in the history of South America. His courage, administrative skills, and vision for the development of the Rio de la Plata region helped shape the course of history in the region, and his legacy continues to be celebrated to this day.
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