Francisco Cuervo y Valdés

Francisco Cuervo y Valdés
Francisco Cuervo y Valdés
34th Spanish Governor of New Mexico
In office June 1705 – August 1707
Preceded by	Juan Páez Hurtado
Succeeded by	Jose Chacón Medina Salazar y Villaseñor
5th Governor of Coahuila
In office 1698–1703
Preceded by	Gregorio de Salinas Varona
Succeeded by	Mathias de Aguirre
3rd Governor of the Spanish Colony of Texas
In office 1698–1702
Preceded by	Gregorio de Salinas Varona
Succeeded by	Mathias de Aguirre
Personal details
Born	June 16, 1651 Asturias, Spain
Died	1714 Mexico City, Mexico
Profession	political
Signature

Francisco Cuervo y Valdés (1651–1714) was a Spanish politician who ruled Nuevo Leon, Coahuila (1698–1703), Texas (1698–1702) and New Mexico (1704–1707).

Cuervo y Valdés was born on June 16, 1651, in Santa María de Grado (in Asturias, Spain). His family was of noble background. Cuervo y Valdes was a Knight of Santiago and a Treasury official in Guadalajara. He emigrated to Americas in 1678.

There, he was infantry captain and lieutenant governor in Sonora. In 1698, Cuervo served also as lieutenant governor of Nuevo Leon and Coahuila (both located in the modern Mexico). He served also as the third governor of Spanish Texas from 1698 to 1702.

Under his administration, a series of missions were founded: On October 26 of that year, Cuervo y Valdés (with Friar Francisco Portoles) founded the mission San Antonio Galindo Moctezuma. On 18 December of that year, the mission of Valle de San Bartolome de Jesus (which more late was named "Santísimo Nombre de Jesus de los Peyotes") was founded by the Sergeant Mayor Diego Ramón. On June 24, 1699, the mission of San Juan Bautista and the valle of Santo Domingo, near Sabina River, were founded. In 1700 the mission of San Francisco de Solano was founded by Antonio de Olivares. The mission of San Bernardo began in 1703.

However, in 1704, Cuervo was appointed acting governor of New Mexico by the Viceroy of New Spain, Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva Enríquez, Duke of Alburquerque. Thus, Cuervo y Valdés had to leave the government of Coahuila, taking office on March 10, 1705.