196 
The Founding of New Mexico 
Contest between Don Juan de Oñate and Don Pedro Ponce de 
León for the Governorship of New Mexico, 1595-1598. 
In 1595, after a spirited twelve-year contest for the position of adelan¬ 
tado of New Mexico, the viceroy, under authority granted him by the 
king, 11 finally let the contract in September, 1595, to Don Juan de Oñate, 
a member of a wealthy and prominent family of Zacatecas, in Nueva 
Galicia. But hardly had the contract been made before there was a 
change of viceroys, the terms of the contract were amended by the new 
viceroy, and, in less than a year, the entire contract was annulled, and a 
new one was made in Spain with Don Pedro Ponce de León, a rich citizen 
of the town of Bailen. Oñate, backed by loyal supporters, however, did 
not surrender his claims, and, as a result, a three-year contest ensued be¬ 
tween him and Don Pedro Ponce de León for the right to conquer, settle, 
and explore New Mexico. Practically none of the sources for this con¬ 
test, so far as the author’s information extends, have heretofore been pub¬ 
lished or made use of by investigators, while of the secondary writers only 
Villagrá, 12 in his famous epic poem narrating the events of the conquest, 
makes any authoritative mention of Don Pedro Ponce de León. Most of 
the documents printed hereinafter, therefore, contain altogether new in¬ 
formation with regard to the three-year period immediately preceding the 
actual founding of New Mexico and cause the entire episode to be seen 
in a new light. Briefly the outlines are as follows: 
It was on September 21, 1595, that Oñate presented a petition to Vice¬ 
roy Velasco asking for the right to explore, pacify, and conquer New 
Mexico. In this petition Oñate stated what would be his own personal 
obligations and rights should the contract be awarded to him; made a list 
of the provisions, materials, and supplies which he offered to take; stipu¬ 
lated the various contributions which the crown should make for the 
undertaking, such as ammunition, quicksilver for mining operations, mis¬ 
sion paraphernalia, and even six friars; and recorded the various privi¬ 
leges, honors, distinctions, and hereditary rights which he and his heirs 
after him were to enjoy. One of these significant provisions was that 
Oñate and his heirs were to be under the direct control of the Council of 
the Indies so that none of the viceroys of New Spain and none of the 
adjacent audiencias could interfere in his government. Another signifi¬ 
cant provision was that if, after this contract was signed, a person should 
come from Spain with a similar contract signed by the king, this was not 
to annul his contract, but on the other hand he was to be permitted to 
execute it notwithstanding. Oñate promised to have everything assem¬ 
bled at Santa Bárbara and ready to proceed from there into New Mexico 
by March, 1596. The contract as thus presented to Viceroy Velasco by 
Oñate was accepted by the viceroy without serious modifications on the 
same day that it was presented. 13 
11 The documents granting this authority to the viceroy are mentioned in Petition to 
the viceroy Velasco for the journey of exploration . . . and capitulations of the vice¬ 
roy with Oñate, Mexico, Sept. 21, 1595. This volume, p. 225. 
12 Historia de la Nueva México por el Capitán Gaspar de Villagrá (Alcalá, 1610). 
13 Petition to the viceroy Velasco, for the journey of exploration and capitulations of 
the viceroy with Oñate, Mexico, Sept. 21, 1595 ”. This volume, p. 225. 
