JOSÉ DE GÁLVEZ Y GALLARDO: BIOGRAPHY - HISTORY - 2025

José de Gálvez y Gallardo, Marquis of Sonora, was a Spanish jurist and politician who was among the main drivers of the political, economic, and cultural changes experienced by 18th-century Spain. His influence and the importance of his actions extended beyond the borders of the continent.

Born during that historical period, José de Gálvez y Gallardo always showed a capacity, attitude and aptitudes that are different and superior to those of his contemporary colleagues, characteristics that led him to enjoy the protection and support of various representatives of the Catholic Church of those days..

He is considered one of the main actors in the Bourbon reforms. These refer to the changes that have occurred since 1700, when King Carlos II, the last monarch of the House of Austria, appointed Felipe V of Bourbon as his successor. This became the War of the Spanish Succession, sowing the seed for the Spanish War of Independence.

Thanks to his extensive knowledge and growing experience, José de Gálvez y Gallardo had the opportunity to climb important positions within the Spanish Crown, which led him to nations outside his homeland.

He was always known for being hard-working and tenacious, fully aligned with the Spanish Crown and a supporter of its reforms. An imperialist, determined and intelligent, he is considered to be the most influential and powerful politician that the Spanish Empire had during his reign.

He was a despot at times, intolerant and contemptuous of the Creoles of the new kingdoms. He used his influence and power to place trusted family members and acquaintances in positions of strategic importance.

Despite this, he was not an intellectual, he was seen as the executing arm of the reforms emanating from the Crown, many proposed by himself.

Biography

He was born in Macharaviaya, a Spanish town in the province of Malaga, Andalusia, on January 2, 1720. Although there are differences between authors, most indicate that he was the son of the nobleman Antonio de Gálvez y Carvajal and Ana Gallardo y Cabrera.

Second of the six children born in that marriage, he was baptized five days later by Alonso de Carrión in a local church.

His family, although they were noblemen, had a modest fortune. This wealth greatly diminished after the death of his father in 1728, which meant that José had to alternate his studies in the neighboring city of Benaque with field work and herding.

In 1733 Diego González del Toro, Bishop of Malaga, took him to that city to study at the seminary when he was impressed by his abilities during a pastoral visit that he dedicated to Gálvez's hometown.

Despite the protection offered by the ecclesiastical scholarship, he chose the path of law and began his law studies at the University of Salamanca.

Social life

His social life also grew in parallel during his years at the university. In 1748 he married María Magdalena Grimaldo, who died in 1749.

He contracted a second marriage in 1750 with Lucía Romet y Richelín, a Spanish woman of French origin. She, too, died early in 1753, but left her widowed fortune and relationships that definitely fitted her into the political life of the Crown.

In 1775 he married for the third time; This time the chosen one was María de la Concepción Valenzuela de Fuentes, with whom she finally had a daughter: María Josefa de Gálvez y Valenzuela.

Death

José Gálvez y Gallardo's career was broad and productive, and it came to an end on June 17, 1787, the date on which he died in the city of Aranjuez.

Professional chronology

Between 1740 and 1785 José Galvez y Gallardo held a series of positions of varying relevance within the Spanish government. Its most prominent features are listed below:

-In 1740 he was a lawyer in Madrid.

-In 1750 he was a lawyer for the French embassy, ​​also in Madrid.

-In 1751 he was governor of Zamboanga, Philippines, a position he never held but for which he received payments.

-In 1762 he was the chamber lawyer for Prince Charles (eventually, Charles IV).

-During 1763 he worked as personal secretary to Jerónimo Grimaldi, minister of King Carlos III.

-In 1764 he held the position of mayor of the House and Court, an administrative-judicial institution of the kingdom of Castile.

-In 1765 he was an honorary member of the Council of the Indies and a visitor within the viceroyalty of New Spain.

-During 1772 he became Viscount of Sinaloa.

-In 1774 he formed the General Board of Currency and Mines Trade.

-In 1776 he was Secretary of State for the Universal Office of the Indies.

- In 1778 he founded the General Archive of the Indies.

-In 1785 he created the Royal Company of the Philippines.

-In 1785 he was Marquis of Sonora.

Most relevant achievements

His main achievements are recorded from 1765, when he began to act as a visitor to New Spain (Mexico).

Its mission was to apply laws and reforms to the letter in the new viceroyalty, as well as to obtain sufficient and necessary information to apply the changes that might take place.

After his arrival, he organized the army of the region again and developed the economy of items such as tobacco.

With the removal of the former viceroy due to his mismanagement and the rise of Carlos Francisco de Croix, Gálvez embarked on a profound reorganization of industry, defense, and tribute.

Gálvez imposed new rents, proposed the division of the viceroyalty into 12 municipalities and brought Spanish war veterans to train the region's fledgling militia.

In 1767 the decrees of expulsion of Jesuits by King Carlos III created great unrest in New Spain. It was Gálvez who led a military response against the rebels, crushing all kinds of demonstrations and restoring stability to the viceroyalty.

These military actions extended to various borders of the kingdom of New Spain, to placate the natives and apply the king's rules.

Minister of the Indies

As Minister of the Indies, he proposed the territorial reorganization of Hispanic America, creating a general command in New Spain, and later the viceroyalty of Río de Plata in the lands south of the viceroyalty of Peru, which currently includes Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia..

In addition, he created the Captaincy General of Venezuela in order to increase the number of inhabitants and, therefore, the economy.

Expeditions

During his ministry he approved at least four scientific expeditions: three to America and one to the Philippines. All were looking for information on the territory and economic potential, and their aim was to give the Crown prestige.

Some of the expeditions were so extensive and complex that they ended after Gálvez's death date, but they reported vast knowledge of fauna, flora, mineral discoveries, and improvements in the regions.

References

1. José de Gálvez y Gallardo on Wikipedia. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org.
2. Bourbon Reformism on Wikipedia. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org.
3. José de Gálvez y Gallardo in History. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from the Royal Academy of History: dbe.rah.es
4. José de Gálvez y Gallardo in EcuRed Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from EcuRed: ecured.cu
5. José de Gálvez y Gallardo in The Biography. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from The Biography: thebiography.us
6. Santos A. Soledad. José de Gálvez: the projection of an illustrated minister in Malaga on Dialnet. Retrieved on December 10, 2018 from Dialnet: dialnet.unirioja.es