Pizarro-de la Gasca collection, 1537-1580

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Summary

Abstract:
A collection of material related to Gonzalo Pizarro and Pedro de la Gasca concerning the early history of Peru.
Extent:
19 Linear Feet (21 boxes, 2 volumes)
Language:
Materials are in Spanish.
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Pizarro-de la Gasca collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Background

Scope and content:

A collection of 946 items from 1537 to 1580, it consists of letters, manuscripts and documents, all in Spanish, documenting the early history of Peru, including Francisco Pizarro's civil war with Diego de Almagro and the pacification of the country by Pedro de la Gasca. It also includes material pertaining to the Catholic Church in Peru; missionaries; the conquest of Chile; the Native people of Peru; and enslavement of Indigenous peoples. There is material regarding the cities of Arequipa, Cuzco, Lima, and Quito. There are letters and decrees of Charles V and Philip II, letters of Gonzalo Pizarro and Francisco Pizarro, reports of Pedro de la Gasca, and Pedro de Valdivia's account of the conquest of Chile. Persons represented in the collection include: Juan de Acosta, Pascual de Andagoya, Francisco de Carvajal, Charles V, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, Philip II, Hernando Pizarro, Pedro de Puelles, Pedro de Soria, Cristóbal Vaca de Castro, and Pedro de Valdivia. Also included are paper facsimiles of the original material and two 19th century volumes of transcriptions of the collection (the transcriptions are not in chronological order).

Biographical / historical:

Francisco Pizarro (approximately 1475-1541) and Diego de Almagro (-1538) together conquered Peru for the Spanish crown from 1531 to 1533; the two men were divided by frictions and jealousies which finally led to the execution of Almagro by Pizarro in 1538 and the murder of Pizarro by Almagro's followers in 1541. After his brother's death, Gonzalo Pizarro (-1548) seized control of the government from the new viceroy of Peru, and a period of disorder ensued until Charles V sent his own emissary, Pedro de la Gasca (1493-1567) to Peru to settle the disputes and quiet the rebellion. La Gasca executed Gonzalo Pizarro, repealed the opposed "New Laws of the Indies," and, by offering liberal pardons, won support for the Crown and established civil government in Peru.

Acquisition information:
Purchased from Maggs Bros., 1926.
Processing information:

Processed by Huntington Library Staff, circa 1930. In 2020, Gayle Richardson created the finding aid derived from a legacy summary report. In 2023, the finding aid was updated to include the restricted boxes 1-10; also, the four boxes of microfilm were removed and discarded.

Arrangement:

Organized in two series: Series 1. Correspondence, documents, and original bindings; Series 2. Facsimiles and transcriptions.

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

RESTRICTED. Boxes 1-10, 21: fragile. Use digital surrogates, facsimile copies (boxes 11-20) or the two volumes of 19th century transcriptions of the papers. Originals available with curatorial approval.

Terms of access:

The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item]. Pizarro-de la Gasca collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.

Location of this collection:
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, CA 91108, US
Contact:
(626) 405-2191
reference@huntington.org
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