Manuel de Rojas y Cordoba

Jaruco, 4, 307, criado de la Casa Real, Alcalde de Santiago de Cuba, Gobernador, Conquistador y Poblador de Cuba

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22168. Manuel de Roxas (Source: Jesús Larios Martín, Nobiliaria de Segovia, Tomo V, p. 291ff.), born in Cuéllar, Segovia, España.; died in Cuzco, Perú.. He was the son of Gómez de Roxas y Córdoba* and María de Torres Córdoba Hinestrosa. He married 22169. María-Magdalena Velázquez (Source: Nobiliario de Segovia, V, p. 291ff.). 22169. María-Magdalena Velázquez (Source: (1) Jesús Larios Martín, Nobiliaria de Segovia, Tomo V, p. 291ff., (2) Carlos J. Zerquera y Fernández de Lara, "Rojas," papeles inéditos, Rojas de Manuel de Rojas y Córdoba.). She was the daughter of Ruy Velázquez and Mencía Velázquez(ii).

More About Manuel de Roxas: Burial: Capilla del Convento de San Francisco de Cuéllar, España. (Source: Jesús Larios Martín, Nobiliaria de Segovia, Tomo V, p. 291ff.) Criado de la Casa Real. Pasó a Cuba donde fué uno de los primeros pobladores y conquistadores de la isla. Fué conquistador de Jamaica; durante el gobierno de Pedro de la Gasca pasó a el Perú. Yace en la capilla fundada por sus padres. (Source: Jesús Larios Martín, Nobiliaria de Segovia, Tomo V, p. 291ff.)

Most of the information on this branch comes from a Message board of Eveleo de las Mercedes Astray Caneda y del Junco at https://www.ancestry.com/boards/localities.caribbean.cuba.general/6...

Manuel was a good Governor of the Island of Cuba. He took over when the then Governor of the Island of Cuba, Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, died in 1524 In 1536, Manuel was very critical over the encomiendas of the indigenous people of Cuba. An "encomendia" was a right given by the government to the Spanish people in Cuba to use land and people of the country as they wished for profit.

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Manuel de Rojas y Cordoba was the first born into the family of Gomez de Rojas and Maria de la Torre Hinestrosa, one of the most important nobility families in province of Segovia, Spain. He was born in the town of Cuellar around 1485. He is the brother of Gabriel de Rojas, Francisco de Rojas, and Cristobal de Rojas, all of them participants in the conquest of the Americas. The family's house is the Rojas Palace. Members of the family were important in the local politics as well as the Cofradia de la Cruz de los Caballeros y de la Casa de los Linajes de Cuéllar, both institution of membership for the nobility. While being a councilor (Regidor) for the city of Cuellar, he contracted matrimony with Maria Magdalena Velazquez, niece of Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, the first Governor of Cuba. Manuel and Magdalena had 3 sons; Melchor de Rojas, Gomez de Rojas y Velazquez and Juan de Rojas Hinestrosa, who were all conquistadors in the Americas. Manuel's family ties to Diego de Velazquez de Cuellar permitted his access to the New World. He left his wife behind in Cuellar and went to Cuba In 1521 Diego de Velazquez de Cuellar appointed Manuel de Rojas y Cordoba to be his representative to the Royal Coyurts in Castille, Spain. In 1524 he returned to Cuba inorder to protect his interests from action by Hernan Cortes, when he reached Cuba, he found that Diego Velazquez de Cuellar had passed away, and had left him as the executor of his Estate and guardian to his minor children. From September 1524 to March 1525 (6 months) he was Governor of Cuba. Gonzalo de Guzman was appointed Governor of Cuba to take his place. In 1534, he was again named Governor of Cuba, by the vicereine, Maria de Toledo. In 1534 he visited and inspected the Island of Cuba, and he wrote the King that he had spent his entire wealth in His service and asked to be removed from his post as Governor. Finally on February 1, 1534 he was replaced, again, by Gonzalo de Guzman. After resigning, he stayed in Santiago de Cuba, transfering his accounts to the King. In 1540, he still was the (procurador) attorney, representative, for the Village of Bayamo, but his economic situation was in such poor state, that he decided to move to Peru, where his brother, Captain Gabriel de Rojas, lived, with whom he had various businesses. He left his (encomiendas) to his son Gomez de Rojas y Velazquez. He returned to Cuba, and then returned to Peru in 1543, leaving his (encomiendas) in Bayamo, to his son Juan de Roajs Hinestrosa, who was Treasurer for the Island of Cuba. He died, an old man, in his natal city of Cuellar, in 1561, asking to buried in his family's chapel in the monastery of San francisco. Information from https://www.ecured.cu/Manuel_de_Rojas_y_C%C3%B3rdova

When he was made interim Governor of Cuba in 1524, he had been serving as Mayor of Santiago de Cuba. Information from page 32 of https://cubangenclub.org/upload/files/Historia_de_Sancti-Spiritus_-...

In 1532 he became Governor of Cuba again Information from page 33 of https://cubangenclub.org/upload/files/Historia_de_Sancti-Spiritus_-...

In 1537 he stepped down as Governor of Cuba (Discrepancy with the previous statement of 1534). When he stepped down, the island was divided into two jurisdictions; the east, which included Puerto Principe (now Camaguey) was governed by Francisco de Guzman, while the western section of the sland was governed by Juan de Rojas. Information from page 37 of https://cubangenclub.org/upload/files/Historia_de_Sancti-Spiritus_-...

NOTE: Juanes Davila, Governor of Cuba, distributed the indians given to Manuel de Rojas, after Manuel left for Peru. Information from pag 58 of https://cubangenclub.org/upload/files/Historia_de_Sancti-Spiritus_-...

When Manuel de Rojas y Cordoba was Governor, Cuba was named "Fernandina" Information from page 11 of https://cubangenclub.org/upload/files/2010_S_F_Final_ENS.pdf.

"A principios del siglo XVI, procedente de la villa de Cuéllar, en Segovia, se estableció esta familia en la isla de Cuba.

Don Manuel de Roxas, natural de Cuéllar, Criado de la Casa Real, pasó a Cuba, y fué uno de los primeros pobladores y conquistadores de esta isla. En 1516, en compañía de don Pánfilo de Narváez, pasó a la Corte como Procurador de los primeros pueblos que se habían fundado en Cuba. Ayudó a Velázquez en sus luchas contra Cortés, y se encuentra tambíen entre los primeros conquistadores de la isla de Jamáica. En 1524 fué nombrado Alcalde de Santiago de Cuba, gobernando esta isla dos veces: la primera, por nombramiento de la Audiencia de Santo Domingo, y como Teniente del Almirante, desde fines de septiembre de 1524, hasta el 14 de marzo de 1525. Gobernó por segunda vez, desde el 1 de marzo de 1532, hasta el 1 de febrero de 1534. Pasó al Perú, donde falleció después de haber ocupado distintos cargos en el Cuzco. Fué padre de Don juan de Roxas Inestrosa."

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