Juan de Torquemada

Brief Biography

Juan de Torquemada was present at the 1540 muster as the alférez of Maldonado's company. There is a Pasajero record for a Juan de Torquemada from Toledo (Toledo province) and the son of Gonzalo de Córdoba and Inés de Torquemada, going to Veragua in 1535. This may be the expeditionary because another expeditionary, Alonso de Medina, also went to Veragua and served in Maldonado's company as well.

Gender
Male
Country of Origin
Spain
Place of Birth (City/Town)
?Toledo
Place of Birth (modern province/state/region)
Toledo
Last Known Location
Quivira (Kansas)
Position on Expedition
Alférez
Relatives
parents: ?Gonzalo de Córdoba y Inés de Torquemada
References-Documentary

pre 1530:

?AGI, Pasajeros, L.1, E.2592 [to Indies 1517, Sevilla, son of Luis de Torquemada and Catalina Centuriona]

?Gerhard, Historical Geography [p.243: secretary of Guzmán];

?AGI, Patronato, 182, R.32 [Sueldo a Nuño de Guzmán, 1569; Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, embajador de Génova, brother [heredero y subcesor] of Guzmán, claims his salary; in 1568 Gómez had already asked for certification of what was owed  to his brother, then dead; Julio Canova is secretario de Gómez Suárez de Figueroa, embajador por su magestad de la republica de genova; refers to a Juan de Torquemada, escribano, who without date certifies that Guzmán left Pánuco in 1529]

?AGI, Justicia, 107, N.2, R.12 [1529-1530, Jerónimo López, vecino de México, contra Jerónimo de Medina y Juan de Torquemada, escribanos de la Audiencia de México]

1530-1540:

?Boyd-Bowman, Indice geobiográfico, II:7050 (to Peru in 1534, from Torquemada);

?AGI, Pasajeros, L.2, E.823 = Boyd-Bowman, Indice geobiográfico, II:11470 [April 14, 1535, Juan de Torquemada, hijo de Gonzalo de Córdoba y de Inés de Torquemada, vecinos de Toledo, a Veragua]

?Pacheco y Cárdenas, Colección de documentos inéditos [p.370: Aug. 9, 1538, Juan de Torquemada, escribano de su magestad];

?AHMC, Caja A1, Exp. 6 [fol.1-2: Sept. 15, 1539,  "don Rodrigo Maldonado visitador and alcalde mayor, contra Diego Alcalde por haber contravenido un pregón del virrey"; escribano real Juan de Torquemada];

?AHMC, Caja 1, exp. 6, documento 9 [p.10: September 15, 1539, complaint against Diego Alcalde for not wearing only black in honor of the death of the empress, made by alcalde mayor don Rodrigo Maldonado; escribano real is Juan de Torquemada; a Francisco Gómez testifies (we like the connection w/Maldonado in whose company he serves)]

1540-1550:

1540, Feb: Muster in Flint & Flint, Documents, Document 12 [5 horses, chainmail vest, helmet, native arms, alférez in Maldonado's company];

AGI, Justicia, 1021, N.2, Pieza 2, “Relación sacada de la probanza, 1551” [Torquemada killed the Turk]

1560-1570;

?AGI, Contratación, 202B, N.20 [Santa Marta, Tierra Firme, 14 Oct 1560; Andrés López died and his albaceas were Francisco González de Castro and Juan de Torquemada, vecinos; [fol.10v] Pero Fernández bought items at auction]

?Fernández Sotelo, La Primigenia Audiencia Nueva Galicia [p. 34: 23 Jan 1569, a Torquemada had been sent to Spain as a procurador from Potosí in Peru]

Other info: ?Romero de Solís, Andariegos  [native of Sevilla, son of Luis de Torquemada and Catalina Centuriona, came in 1517, 1525 scribe in Honduras, perhaps the same who was a scribe in Mexico City in 1538, ref. Boyd-Bowman; 1539, escribano real in Colima, doc. 9]

Relatives:

?AHAG, Gobierno, Testamentos, 1571-1625, Bound photocopy of a manuscript in poor condition concerning the claims of a Juan Torquemada [son] against the estate of Catalina de León, 1594, Guadalajara, fol. 1v, August 25, 1599, Guadalajara, a Juan de Torquemada acknowledges receipt of 61 pesos, 5 tomines; fol. 3r: August 25, 1605, a Juan de Torquemada again acknowledges payment of his salary; fol. 3v-4v: August 12, 1594, a Juan de Torquemada appears as a witness; he is clérigo, prebítero, and vecino de Guadalajara; fol. 6v: August 15, 1613, a Juan de Torquemada again acknowledges payment of his salary; by now his signature is deteriorating; fol. 7r, ditto, 1614;  fol. 21r, [photocopy]: September 16, 1599?,  a Juan de Torquemada, presbítero y capellán de la capellanía que instituyó Juan de Ayllón, difunto (signed); Torquemada  is owed 143 pesos of his annual salary; he signs [signature]; fol. 20r, August 7, 1559, Torquemada's capellanía was established];

?AHAG, Gobierno, Secretaria, Fabrica General de la Diocesis, 1584-1620, Caja 1 [1585-Juan de Torquemada, presbitero, vestuario (signed)];

?AHAG, Gobierno, Secretaria, Fabrica General de la Diocesis, 1584-1620, Caja 1 [1594-Juan de Torquemada, presbitero, son?]

?AHAG, Gobierno, Testamentos, 1571-1625 [Folder of original documents for the year 1601, Petition from Catalina Rodríguez, widow of Rodrigo Hernández Cordero, escribano público [fol. 2v: September 1601, Guadalajara, a Pedro Ortega is an escribano público; also on fols. 3v, 4r, 4v, and passim; fol. 5r: September 20, 1601, Guadalajara, a Juan de Torquemada [son], vecino de Guadalajara, is a witness; on fol. 7v Torquemada, procurador, bids 2,120 pesos on the houses being offered at auction];

?AHAG, Gobierno, Cabildo, Cuentas de Mayordomo, 1580-1733 [Folder of original documents for the year 1595, División y partición de las rentas dezimales, 1595; refers to Juan de Torquemada, administrador de ganados, maizes y menudos of Guadalajara [again this is the son]

Logic for choice: We think the Audiencia scribe would not have left his post for the expedition.  We think the possible connection between Torquemada and Alonso de Medina in Veragua and then in the same company (if they are the same men) is a strong one.