Early Life
Gonzalo was the first Christian child born in Granada after the conquest against the Moors (1492). Consequently, he was granted titles, special privileges, and at an early age, appointed royal page to the Catholic Monarchs at court in Granada. He fought in the Castilian War of the Communities, opposing the rebels against Emperor Charles V. For this, Charles rewarded him with the position of factor (tax collector), and Captain General (see below) of New Spain from 29 December 1524, until 29 January 1526. Prior to the appointment of a Viceroy in New Spain, Gonzalo had worked, alongside Pedro Almindez Chirino, Alonso de Estrada (who preceded him, and succeeded him—they were on bad terms), and others, and endured power struggles and controversy. Gonzalo's father, Doctor Guadalupe de Salazar, a converso, was royal physician, to the Catholic monarchs, and one of 16 "regidores" (administrators) of Granada during the struggle to oust the Moors. Gonzalo, his wife Catalina, and her brother Antonio De La Cadena Maluenda (treasurer of New Spain), left Spain in 1524, and arrived in Mexico City in 1525. A powerful member of the ruling class in the New World, Gonzalo, became an encomendero (holder of an encomienda) of Tajimaroa (Michoacán), and held lands, and titles elsewhere. His daughter Catalina de Salazar de la Cadena first married Ruy de Mendoza, of the famous Mendoza clan, and subsequently wed Cristobal de Onate. Their son, Juan de Onate, established San Juan de Los Caballeros near present-day Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1598. Gonzalo's son Juan Velazquez de Salazar, inherited his estates. Gonzalo's had a brother named Juan Salazar Velazquez. Gonzalo Salazar's wife, Catarina (aka Catalina) de la Cadena Maluenda, was descended from Mossen Truchas de Calatayud* (*Reference: "El Libro Verde de Aragon"). The assumed the name Maluenda after the town where they lived. They were money lenders to kings, and prominent spice, and silk merchants in Europe for hundreds of years. Pedro de Maluenda was commissary for Hernan Cortez; witnessed the destruction of the Aztec nation, but died of a fever 6 months after the conquest. The Spanish colonial families were inter-related, of Christian, Sephardic (converso), or Jewish decent. Catalina and Antonio De La Cadena are descendants of Don Lorenzo Suarez de Figueroa 1345-1409, Master of the Order of Santiago (St. James), and his second wife Maria Catalina de Orozco. This line is linked to most of Spanish and European nobility today. New research cites Prince Carlos de Viana (Ferdinand the Catholic's half-brother) and Agnes De Cleves as parents of Catalina De La Cadena Mazuelo, born 1448 Penafiel, Valladolid, Spain. (See Family Tree Maker's Genealogy below). The Maluenda Palace, (aka Palace of the Count of Castifale), a mid-15th century home, is situated next to Burgos Cathederal. Lorenzo Suarez de Figueroa (a Mendoza, he used his maternal surname) was Count (later Duke) of Feria. The Figueroa Palace of Feria, now a parador, is in Zafra, Badajoz, Spain.
The title "Captain General" precedes the appointment of "Viceroy's" by the Spanish kings in the new world.
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