Juan de la Torre

Born around 1500 in Villagarcía de la Torre (Badajoz), he was the son of the hidalgo Hernando de la Torre and Leonor Díaz Chacón. At the age of fifteen, he went with his father to Santo Domingo, and the following year he settled in Puerto Rico, where he held a minor occupation.^[5] In 1520, he returned to Santo Domingo, where he held the office of chief bailiff of the Holy Office and received an encomienda of Indigenous people. During his stay in Santo Domingo, he married Catalina de Feria, with whom he had a son. In 1523, he moved to Tierra Firme as part of the military retinue of Francisco de Barrionuevo, who had been appointed governor of Castilla del Oro or Nombre de Dios.^[6] After some skirmishes in Urabá with Alonso de Heredia over boundary disputes, he went on to Panama.^[2]

In Panama, he met Francisco Pizarro, who, together with his partners Diego de Almagro and Hernando de Luque, was organizing a second expedition to the South Sea (1526) in search of the fabulous Inca Empire. He enlisted in that expedition. Throughout the journey, he remained at Pizarro's side as a trusted associate, enduring the many hardships and privations the enterprise demanded. At the same time, he was appointed royal inspector (veedor), tasked with safeguarding the Crown's interests should gold or other riches be found. He was among the thirteen men who, on September 27, 1527, while stranded on Gallo Island, supported Pizarro in his determination to continue searching for the Inca Empire and the fabled gold. Posterity remembers these thirteen as the “Famous Thirteen”.^[5] This act was rewarded by the king through the Capitulation of Toledo, which granted hidalgo status to those among the Thirteen who lacked it, and bestowed upon those who already possessed it (as in De la Torre's case) the title of “Knights of the Band and the Golden Spur.”^[1][7]

After his stay on Gallo Island, he moved to Gorgona Island and, together with Pizarro, continued exploring southward, reaching the northern coast of present-day Peru. He then returned to Panama, where he remained while Pizarro traveled to Spain to secure royal support. With Pizarro's return—having obtained significant royal grants from Charles V through the Capitulation of Toledo—De la Torre joined the third expedition to Peru in 1531, holding the high rank of Maestre de Campo General, granted by Pizarro himself. He took part in the early engagements at Tumbes and attended the founding of San Miguel de Piura, the first Spanish city in Peru.^[5] He remained in that city, commanding the garrison left by Pizarro, while Pizarro proceeded to Cajamarca to meet the Inca Atahualpa. Consequently, he did not participate in Atahualpa's capture or in the division of the ransom. According to the Capitulation of Toledo, De la Torre was to serve as councilman (regidor) of the city of Tumbes. However, since the city was not founded, he could not fulfill that mandate; nor did he claim the post when San Miguel was founded, or he was about to do so when an unfortunate incident occurred.^[2][7]

In 1532, he was accused of placing a sign on the door of the church in San Miguel de Piura that satirically attacked Pizarro and his brothers. The only evidence against him was the handwriting, which closely resembled his own. De la Torre maintained his innocence, but he was subjected to torture and, in that state, was unable to defend himself effectively, ultimately being coerced into admitting guilt. He was then sentenced to death for sedition.^[5] Although deeply hurt by what he saw as his friend's betrayal, Pizarro spared his life, but ordered that the tips of his fingers be cut off and exiled him to Panama. From there, he went to Santo Domingo, where he reunited with his wife Catalina de Feria and their now-adolescent son, and devoted himself for a time to managing his properties.^[6] Some time later, the confession of a dying soldier restored his honor, as the man declared that De la Torre had not been responsible for the offense. Pizarro then pardoned him and asked him to return to Peru to resume his post.^[2][7]

In 1536, he returned to Peru and resumed his military duties. His reunion with Pizarro was highly emotional, and the governor publicly reiterated his apologies. At that time, the rebellion of Manco Inca had broken out, prompting Pizarro to call for reinforcements. De la Torre participated in the defense of Lima during the siege by Manco Inca's forces and in the pacification of coastal chiefdoms.^[5]

The bitter disputes between the followers of Pizarro and those of Almagro led to violent clashes that escalated into civil war. De la Torre accompanied Pizarro to his meeting with Diego de Almagro the Elder at Mala. He later remained in Lima while the conflict unfolded in the interior. Almagro was ultimately defeated at the Battle of Las Salinas and executed in Cuzco on July 8, 1538. After the defeat of the Almagristas, De la Torre accompanied Pizarro to Cuzco, and possibly to Charcas.^[7] In reward for his services, he received the encomienda of Machaguay in Condesuyos by a document signed in Cuzco on January 22, 1540.^[2]

On August 15, 1540, Juan de la Torre was among the founders of the Villa of the Assumption of Our Lady of the Beautiful Valley of Arequipa, in collaboration with Lieutenant Governor Garci Manuel de Carbajal, who had previously selected the site.^[6] Once Arequipa was founded and its first houses built, he was appointed mayor of the city, receiving two fanegas of land for his residence and stables, as well as 800 tributary Indigenous people.^[2]

On June 26, 1541, Governor Francisco Pizarro was assassinated in his palace in Lima by supporters of Diego de Almagro the Younger, sparking the second civil war. At that time, De la Torre was serving as mayor of Arequipa. When the royal investigator Cristóbal Vaca de Castro arrived in Peru to resolve the conflict, De la Torre placed himself under his command and joined him in Huamanga.^[5] He followed him into campaign until the Battle of Chupas, where Almagro the Younger was defeated and later executed on September 16, 1542. After the war, De la Torre returned to Arequipa.^[2]

The New Laws of 1542 sought to improve the conditions of Indigenous peoples, particularly by reforming the encomienda system, but provoked widespread opposition among conquistadors. Gonzalo Pizarro emerged as the leader of this resistance. Blasco Núñez Vela arrived as the first viceroy of Peru to enforce these laws. De la Torre, a loyalist, joined him in Lima. However, at the Battle of Iñaquito in 1546, Gonzalo Pizarro defeated and executed the viceroy.^[7] De la Torre refused to recognize Gonzalo's authority and returned to Arequipa, where he was stripped of his encomienda and persecuted, narrowly escaping death. He later joined Diego Centeno in support of the Crown, but their forces were defeated at the Battle of Huarina in 1547. Wounded, De la Torre returned to Arequipa, where his property was looted and he was forced into hiding with his wife Ana Gutiérrez.^[6] When Pedro de la Gasca arrived with broad royal powers to restore order, De la Torre again took up arms for the Crown. At the Battle of Jaquijahuana in 1548, Gonzalo Pizarro was defeated and executed.^[2]

In recognition of his loyal service, De la Torre was granted the encomienda of Camaná and later those of Ocoña, Acarí, Chuquimarca, and others. Having been widowed in 1544, he remarried Ana Gutiérrez of Zamora, and after her death, married a third time in July 1551 to Beatriz de Casillas Padilla y Narváez of Granada, daughter of Captain Francisco de Casillas y Narváez and Inés de Padilla. In 1552, he again served as mayor of Arequipa for two consecutive years.^[2]

Discontent persisted despite Gonzalo Pizarro's execution, and Francisco Hernández Girón led a new uprising. De la Torre joined royalist forces under Marshal Alonso de Alvarado. After several battles, Hernández Girón was defeated at the Battle of Pucará and executed. One of De la Torre's sons, also named Juan de la Torre y Feria, was executed for having joined Hernández Girón's forces. It is said that De la Torre refused to defend his son and even publicly declared that he deserved punishment for betraying the king.^[6]