Manuel de Mederos (1539–1613) was a Portuguese explorer and settler who was active in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. He was one of the founders of the city of Saltillo, Coahuila and was the mayor of Monterrey.
Early life and family
Manuel Mederos's parents were Hernán Rodríguez Medero and Maria Manuela de Amona.[1] He was born in 1539 on São Miguel Island, in the Azores.[2] He moved to Spain in his youth. He arrived in New Spain in 1562. He was part of the expedition of Luis Carvajal y de la Cueva during the conquest of northern Mexico and was one of the original founders of the city of Saltillo, Coahuila, on July 25, 1577.[3] He married Magdalena Martínez.
He also joined Carvajal in the founding of the city of Almadén (now Monclova) in April 1588.
In 1593 he returned with his family to Saltillo. In 1599 he moved once again to the city of Monterrey where he occupied various positions: first as town councillor; then in 1601 as mayor; in 1602 as church steward; 1603, town councillor again; and in 1605 again as mayor.
After this, little is known about Captain Mederos. The Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL) has a campus named after him, and there is a Capitán Mederos Avenue in the city of Monterrey.
References
^Anuario humanitas (in Spanish). Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León. 2005. p. 641. Retrieved 29 April 2024.