Mendinueta y Múzquiz, Pedro de (1736–1825)

Pedro de Mendinueta y Múzquiz (b. 7 June 1736; d. 17 February 1825), viceroy of New Granada (1797–1803). Born near Pamplona, Navarre, Spain, Mendinueta pursued a military career. He served as sub-inspector general of the army of New Spain (1785–1789), held a successful command during the French War (1793–1795), and had secured promotion to lieutenant general by the time of his assignment to New Granada. A leader of good ability and sound judgment, Mendinueta ruled during difficult times, facing a plethora of conspiracies inspired by the French Revolution and the threat of invasion during the First British War (1796–1802). Rather than assume personal command on the coast, which was the normal wartime practice for viceroys, he remained in Santa Fe to address questions of domestic security. Mendinueta is well remembered for his strong dedication to public health and the establishment of a school of medicine in Santa Fe. He was replaced by Antonio Amar y Borbón and returned to Spain, where he assumed a position on the Supreme Council of War and later became councillor of state. He died in Madrid.

See alsoNew Granada, Viceroyalty of .

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Allan J. Kuethe, Military Reform and Society in New Granada, 1773–1808 (1977).

José María Restrepo Sáenz, Biografías de los mandatarios y ministros de la Real Audiencia, 1671–1819 (1952), esp. pp. 219-225; Historia extensa de Colombia, vol. 4, Nuevo reino de Granada: El virreynato (1970), esp. pt. 2, pp. 393-420.

Additional Bibliography

Mendinueta, Pedro, with notes by John S. Leiby. Memoria sobre el Nuevo Reino de Granada, 1803. A Report Concerning the Viceroyalty of New Granada. Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 2003.

Ortiz, Sergio Elías. Nuevo Reino de Granada: El Virreynato, tomo 2, 1753–1810. Bogota, Colombia: Academia Colombiana de Historia and Ediciones Lerner, 1970.

                                         Allan J. Kuethe