CHAPTER XXIII

    How his Majesty appointed Belalcázar as his Governor, and how he entered upon the government and arrested the Adelantado Andagoya.

IN the first book we mentioned how the captain Sebastián de Belalcázar, being on an expedition of discovery, arrived at the province of Bogotá, called the New Kingdom of Granada, where he found some Spaniards of Santa Marta, who were the first discoverers of those parts. Belalcázar, Fedreman, and the licentiate Jiménez embarked together in one ship, each one desirous that the government of the country should be given to himself. Although each one came to Spain with the intention of applying for it, their hopes were disappointed, for it was granted to Don Alonso de Lugo, Adelantado of the Canaries. When the captain Belalcázar arrived in Spain he found that his Majesty was absent, enjoying his immortal triumphs. It was easy for those who came to Spain to negotiate, in those days, as the lords of the Council favoured captains who approached them to seek posts; and Belalcázar, after he had submitted his report, was given the government of Popayán with the towns of Anzerma, Cartago, Cali, and Neyva, with all the territory as far as the boundaries of San Francisco de Quito. With these grants and favours he left Spain and came to Tierra Firme. At the city of Panamá he embarked in a ship, with those in his company, and landed near the harbour now called Buenaventura; whence he continued his journey to the city of Cali, where news of his coming as Governor had[78] already arrived. Andagoya worked to obtain friends and interest and resist Belalcázar's entry, and strove for the support of the city magistrates and aldermen. Although they all raised his hopes and made great promises, they desired first to see Belalcázar there before their eyes, and then on his arrival to desert Andagoya and go over to him. For novelties please the people, who are always friends to anything new, and they like to see changes, especially among those who govern.

Many letters, with great promises, came to Belalcázar; and Andagoya, suspecting some persons, arrested them, and prepared to send men into the hill country to block the arrival. After some things had passed which I cannot now recount, and there had been emissaries and proposals, Belalcázar arrived at the city of Cali. There, lest he should have to decide by force who had the best title to govern, he put his men under arms; and Andagoya did likewise with those who supported him. They were almost coming to blows when some monks intervened. It was then agreed that the Governor Belalcázar should present his credentials to the municipality, and if they accepted them he was to be acknowledged as Governor, but if not, then Andagoya was to remain in office. By this time many who were at Cali had gone over to Belalcázar's side. After seeing his credentials the municipal delegates accepted him as Governor, and removed the Adelantado from office. A few days later Andagoya was made a prisoner and taken to the city of Popayán. Belalcázar then wrote to the captain Robledo, and sent Pedro de Ayala to take possession of the cities of Cartago and Anzerma, with orders that the city of Santa Ana, then called San Juan, was to be henceforth styled the town of Anzerma. Pedro de Ayala arrived at Cartago, where the captain Jorge de Robledo distributed what caciques were there, among the conquerors, and for those other Spaniards who received no repartimiento[79] he determined to go and find Indians. So he proceeded from Cartago to the town of Anzerma, whence he wrote letters to Belalcázar, for he knew that certain persons, actuated by envy and malice, were speaking evil of him before Belalcázar and that Belalcázar approved—for he was a man of little knowledge and poor understanding, unable to take the measure of those who came with false or unjust statements. The captain Jorge Robledo, desiring to do what we have said, set out from Anzerma, taking as his ensign the captain álvaro de Mendoza, a principal knight among those engaged in that campaign, who had served his Majesty for many years. With a hundred Spaniards, horse and foot, they left Anzerma, crossed the great river, and came to the village of Irra. Leaving the affairs of that government at this point, we will return to our principal subject, and relate how the licentiate Cristóbal Vaca de Castro was appointed in Spain to be Governor of Peru.