| Post: | Spanish Governor |
| Body: | New Mexico |
| Insignia: | Flag of Cross of Burgundy.svg |
| Insigniasize: | 120px |
| Insigniacaption: | Flag of the Viceroyalty of New Spain |
| Residence: | Santa Fe |
| Appointer: | King of Spain |
| First: | Juan de Oñate |
| Last: | Facundo Melgares |
| Succession: | List of Mexican governors of New Mexico |
Spanish Governors of New Mexico were the political chief executives of the province of Santa Fe de Nuevo México (New Mexico) between 1598, when it was established by an expedition by Juan de Oñate, and 1822, following Mexico's declaration of independence. New Mexico became a territory of the United States beginning in 1846, and a state in 1912.
In 1598, Juan de Oñate pioneered 'The Royal Road of the Interior Land', or El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, between Mexico City and the Tewa village of 'Ohkay Owingeh', or San Juan Pueblo, founding the Nuevo México Province under the authority of Philip II. He also founded the settlement (a Spanish pueblo) of San Juan on the Rio Grande near the Native American Pueblo. In 1610, Pedro de Peralta, then governor, established the settlement of Santa Fe in the region of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains on the Rio Grande. Missions were established for conversions and agricultural industry under the authority of the governor. The territory's Puebloan peoples resented the Spaniards denigration and prohibition of their traditional religion, and their encomienda system's forced labor. In 1680, the Pueblo Revolt occurred, and a final resolution included additional protections from Spanish efforts to eradicate their culture and religion, the issuing of substantial communal land grants to each Pueblo, and a public defender of their rights and for their legal cases in Spanish courts.
In January 1822, the last Governor under the Spanish regime, Facundo Melgares, lost the title of governor and was now called géfe político (political chief) and géfe militar (military chief). Subsequently, Melgares became the first Mexican Governor of New Mexico, serving until July 5, 1822 when he was succeeded by Francisco Xavier Chavez, though he would hold office for just five months.
The following is a list of governors of the Province of New Mexico under the Viceroyalty of New Spain:[1]
The political chiefs (géfe políticos) or governors were:
| Name | Start | End | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1598 | 1610 | Conquistador, explorer and administrator of New Spain. Son of explorer and conquistador Cristóbal de Oñate. Initiated NM Indian slaving through encomienda system. Allowed colonists to seize "orphaned" Native children, including from their parents. | |
| November 1610 | 1610 | ||
| 1610 | 1613 | ||
| 1613 | 1618 | ||
| 1618 | 1625 | ||
| 1625 | 1630 | Employed Indians to capture Indians from competing tribes for slave trade in New Mexico. | |
| 1630 | 1632 | ||
| Francisco de la Mora Ceballos | 1632 | 1635 | |
| 1635 | 1637 | ||
| 1637 | spring 1641 | Exploited Indian slaves in sweatshop manufacturing of textiles to export to Mexico.Imprisoned and killed when his government ended | |
| Juan Flores de Sierra y Valdés | Spring 1641 | Autumn 1641 | Died in office |
| 1641 | 1642 | Acting | |
| 1643 | 1643 | ||
| 1644 | 1647 | ||
| 1647 | 1649 | ||
| 1649 | 1652 | ||
| 1652 | 1656 | ||
| 1656 | 1659 | Issued a "death sentence against the entire Apache nation and others of the same ilk," but allowed Spanish settlers to hold captured Indians as indentured servants. | |
| 1659 | 1660 | Collected Indians as slaves and stole their livestock, clothing, salt, sleeping mats, and other items to gift to authorities in Mexico. | |
| Diego Dionisio de Peñalosa Briceño y Berdugo | 1661 | 1664 | Had a dispute with Franciscan missionary Alonso de Posada and was prosecuted by the Inquisition. |
| Tomé Dominguez de Mendoza | 1664 | 1664 | |
| 1664 | 1665 | ||
| 1665 | 1668 | ||
| 1668 | 1671 | ||
| Juan Durán de Miranda | 1671 | 1675 | |
| 1675 | 1679 | His policies against the Pueblo Indians gave rise to their revolt. | |
From 1680 until 1692, the Puebloans revolted against Spanish domination and lived under their own rulers.The political chiefs or governors and Pueblo leaders were:
| Spanish governors | Start | End | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antonio de Otermin | 1679 | 1680 | Titular governor until 1683 | |
| Domingo Gironza Petriz Cruzate | 1683 | 1686 | ||
| Pedro Reneros de Posada | 1686 | 1689 | ||
| Domingo Gironza Petriz Cruzate | 1689 | 1691 | ||
| Pueblo leaders | Start | End | Notes | |
| 1680 | 1685 | |||
| 1685 | 1692 |
The political chiefs (géfe políticos) or governors were:
| Name | Start | End | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1688 (titular) 1691 (effective) | 1691 (titular) 1697 (effective) | He placated the Pueblo revolt through a peace treaty with them. | |
| 1697 | 1703 | ||
| Diego de Vargas | 1703 | 1704 | |
| 1704 | 1705 | ||
| June 1705 | August 1707 | Provisional | |
| 1707 | 1712 | ||
| 1712 | 1715 | ||
| Felix Martínez de Torrelaguna | 1715 | 1716 | Acting |
| 1716 | 1716 | Acting | |
| Juan Páez Hurtado | 1716 | 1717 | Acting |
| Antonio Valverde y Cosío | 1718 | 1721 | Interim |
| 1721 | 1723 | ||
| 1723 | 1731 | ||
| Gervasio Cruzat y Gongora | 1731 | 1736 | |
| 1736 | 1738 | ||
| 1739 | 1743 | ||
| 1743 | 1749 | ||
| 1749 | 1754 | ||
| 1754 | 1760 | ||
| 1760 | 1760 | Acting | |
| May 10, 1760 | 1762 | ||
| Tomás Vélez Cachupín | 1762 | 1767 | |
| 1767 | 1777 | ||
| 1777 | 1777 | Acting | |
| 1778 | 1788 | ||
| 1789 | 1794 | ||
| 1794 | 1804 | ||
| 1804 | 1807 | ||
| 1807 | 1808 | ||
| 1808 | 1814 | ||
| Alberto Maynez | 1814 | 1816 | |
| 1816 | 1818 | ||
| 1818 | 1822 | ||