The History of a popular Port City in Northern Peru “PAITA”

Note: English roughly translated from old Spanish

 

SPANISH COLONIAL PERIOD

During the colonial period of Paita was traditionally one of the oldest ports of colonial history that the Spanish ships arrived with important personalities like the viceroys and other characters to penetrate into their territories hosts gold and silver, then leaving laden with riches.

 

In 1532 Spanish explorers are left to live in Paita, including two Franciscan friars, with the increase that was taking Spanish port town, decided to stay.

On April 30, 1532 The Spanish set up small houses to serve as shelter for the crews of the ships to come north, founding San Francisco de Payta of Good Hope, Named by the Franciscan friars and the Conqueror, Francisco Pizarro.

 

The Paita pueblo had a greater population than the pueblo de San Miguel de Tangarará, because of many settlers who engage in work in the bay port of Paita Where expeditions set out to Panama carrying Inca treasures.
Paita was a strategic staging point of the conquistadors from Spain and

became the best known port of the Pacific, because here the boats were provisioned for the long journey North.

It was in Paita where caravans were recievedand loaded on ships carrying treasures and goods from Lambayeque, Trujillo and other parts of the country.

At the end of 1532 conquering partner Diego de Almagro reached Paita with reinforcements brought to assist Francisco Pizarro who was in Cajamarca fighting the Incas.

 

In 1542 Francisco Achútiga curaca Colan was when he came to Peru on Vaca de Castro in a position of Governor, to bring order after the death of Francisco Pizarro.

 

In 1557 Sir Thomas Cavendish Dutchman attacks and destroys Paita

In September, 1569 Paita reaches the 5th Viceroy Francisco Toledo of Peru.

 

On August 17, 1572 in Cuzco, the sentencing to death of the Inca Tupac Amaru I, son of Manco Inca. The trial was an act unworthy and unfair, false witnesses and charges rigged. His government established the Inquisition.

 

From 1571 due to a booming port of San Francisco de la Buena Esperanza (Paita), many residents of San Miguel de Tangarará, Pirhúa and surrounding towns began to move to Paita to be an attractive Spanish colony.

 

In 1578 English privateer Thomas attacks and destroys Paita.

 

In 1579 The English Admiral and Pirate Francis Drake bombarding the port of Paita destroying the monastery, the church and its main buildings.

 

In 1585 The Viceroy Fernando Torres de Portugal Conde del Villar staying in port for two months.

 

On May 30, 1587 English Pirate Thomas Cavendish bombed, looted and burned the town of Paita, destroying it completely and leaving it in ruins, with Mayor Alfonso Forero de Ureña.Cavendish after the attack, most families paiteñas and almost all the authorities were to establish the Chilcal while other families moved in to Catacaos remaining in port on Corregidor and a few people.

 

On July 4, 1587 Viceroy Fernando Torres and Portugal, Conde del Villar, the first meeting to resolve the problem that the privateer Thomas Cavendish was created in Paita.

 

On November 11, 1587 at the continuing devastation Paita suffering from attacks by pirates, corsairs and filibusters Viceroy Fernando Torres and Portugal ruled the move of the city of Paita to Chilcal Valley (Today Piura).

The neighbor paiteño Officer Real and San Francisco Attorney Payta of Good Hope Francisco Manrique de Lara pleaded not to be left in total abandonment to the port and to maintain maritime traffic. It was this intervention that allowed Paita survive until today. To comply with delicate office was appointed Captain John Gallows and Salazar who went immediately to Paita to march alongside the mayor of Paita Captain Alfonso Ureña Forero and many families of the port.

 

Until 1588 Paita was capital of the township (Today Piura department) with the name San Francisco de Payta of Good Hope until he was sacked and burned by the troops of pirate Cavendish.

Forrero Spanish Captain Alfonso de Ureña was the last mayor who had Paita, with his salary of township built the house that burned Cavendish.

In 1588 paiteños requested the Viceroy Conde del Villar, the relocation of the city of Paita in order to prevent further attacks by pirates, which is attended by founding then San Miguel del Villar (Today Piura).

 

On August 15, 1588 paiteños founded the San Miguel del Villar (Today Piura), in the El Chilcal (Today Piura) that had been established also by paiteñas families. Was signed in the Cabildo de Paita the Foundation Charter of San Miguel del Villar. Days later the same characters done in what is now the Plaza de Armas de Piura, the inauguration ceremony, continuing as Captain Corregidor Forrero of Spanish Alfonso Ureña and Spanish Gonzalo Farfan of the Goths and Networks (Son) was its first mayor.
Forrero put much effort into building the new city of Paita in the Chilcal (Today Piura) and with their own money put into operation two lime kilns and brick, built the dam Tacalá two irrigation canals one for the Indians Pirhúas and one for Spanish. He built the first bridge over the river Piura was wooden.

 

In 1588 Paita Governor in order to avoid further losses began shifting the royal treasury and his own fortune to San Miguel del Villar (Today Piura).
Also paiteños many descendants of Spanish settlers began to migrate to Lima and Piura mostly to the terror of the pirates corsairs and filibusters.

 

On Friday June 16, 1595 the paiteños give an emotional farewell to the Governor and Grand Admiral Isabel Barreto De Castro Mendaña And who convinced paiteños many with their wives and another group of young unmarried women are incorporated into crews in order to discover and colonize new islands.

They reached the Marquesas Islands, Solomon and other islands.
Single women of Paita and Lima were married then with Filipinos.

 

On May 24, 1604 Paita reaches the 10th Viceroy of Peru Conde de Monterrey, Gaspar Zuñiga Acevedo, became the port for a short time in the national administration center as officials arrived here from San Miguel del Villar (Today Piura) and Lima.

 

On 20 September, 1607 Paita reaches the 11th Viceroy of Peru, the Marquis Montesclaros, Juan de Mendoza y Luna, was also a gentleman of the King’s Chamber, for two months turned Paita in the center of the national administration, characters and going to his office staff. On October 19 sent a detailed report to the King of Spain.

 

In March, 1612 Paita dies in Mexican religious Carcamo Luis Geronimo abruptly as the ship entered the bay.

 

In September, 1615 Paita occurs in the attack by the pirate Dutchman George Spilbergen, tried to land in Colan but found stiff opposition Piraldo Dona Paula, wife of Juan Andrade and Colmenero, encomenderos Colan, who with great courage organized and mobilized its allocation of Indians forcing the filibuster to flee.

This was confirmed subsequently by King Philip III an October 15, 1618.

In 1615 arrives at the Prince of Squillace Paita appointed viceroy of Peru.

 

In 1616 Infantry Captain Martin Alonso de Grandino feeling very attracted by the tranquility of the port of Paita and ordered their moves to live in Paita, managing the allocation of agricultural land in the Lower Chira, and was married to Maria Ramirez de Arellano.

 

In 1650 Paita reaches Captain Juan Benito de las Heras Grandino companion in search of agricultural land, after Grandino intervene to stop the abuse with his wife was challenged to a duel in Amotape Grandino was killed. He missed and years later married the widow Maria Ramirez.

 

In 1660 J. English pirate J. Hawkins destroys Paita

 

In 1670 J. English pirate J. Morgan destroys Paita

 

In June, 1673 J. English pirate J. Morgan destroys Paita

 

In June, 1673 Paita reaches the twentieth Viceroy of Peru Baltazar de la Cueva Enríquez and Saavedra Pardo, Conde de Castellar, Marquis de Malagon and Lord of many towns.

 

In August, 1678 come to stay and live in Paita Viceroy Baltasar with his wife Maria Teresa Arias de Saavedra countess of Castellar, the paiteños received them with great affection and assistance alleviating their misery.

After more than a year, the couple gave paiteños virreynal an emotional goodbye and thanked the counts of Castellar excited the attention they had received at the port.

In 1680 English pirates J. J. Guarlin, J. J. Eaton and J. J. Cowley destroy Paita

In 1680 The Corsair English Watling their ships headed to the port of Paita, but was strongly rejected by the residents.

 

In September of 1680 Paita reaches the English pirate Bartholomew Sharp and returns again on 29 November of that year.

 

In 1681 J. English pirate J. Wattil destroys Paita

 

In 1682 English pirate pirate Cook joins John Eaton, the pirate Ambrose Cowley, led by Guarlín, Paita reach in and grab two Spanish ships.

 

In 1682 English pirate William Dampier joined the filibustering of Ambrose Cowley fleet and attack Paita, led by two Spanish ships Guarlín apprehend.
Captain Stradling Later he abandoned on an island but with provisions to Selkirk, for insubordination.

 

In 1709 the pirate Woodes picked Selkirk, and abandoned marine odyssey that was the subject of Daniel De Foe for his novel “Robinson Crusoe”.

 

On September 5, 1685 Paita explodes in the flagship “Our Lady of Guadalupe” with 400 crew on board.

 

On February 1, 1686 English pirate Edward Davis arrives at the office Paita fire and several buildings, capturing the Spanish ship Nuestra Senora de Aranzazu, loot the people and achieved considerable booty. Many fled to paiteños Piura.

In September, 1690 Paita reaches the English pirate John Strong.

 

In 1719 the pirate John Clipperton and George Shelvoque intended to plague Paita.

On March 21, 1720 Bay enters the English pirate Bartholomew Sharp Paita looting and burning, leaving again in ruins.

The Prince of Santo Buono Viceroy watched how Paita burning on all four sides.

In 1720 English pirate John Cliperton arrives at the port of Paita.

 

In November, 1720 arrives at Port George Shelvoque English privateer who despite Paita found in the ruins of the pirate attack Sharp returns to cause more damage.

 

On November 14, 1741 English pirate George Anson in command of the frigate “centurion” and ships “glaucester”, “Severn”, “Rryal”, “Wagner”, “The Pearl” and “Ann”, counting with 240 guns and a thousand men from England, ravaged the city and setting fire devastated Paita.

 

In 1743 Spanish marine scientist Alberto Ulloa established the geographical location of Paita giving 5 ° 5 ‘south latitude.

 

In 1793 born in Paita Francisco Alvarado Ortiz Prócer of Independence.

 

In 1813 Paita was born in the brave sailor John Noel Lastra.

 

In April, 1819 English Lord Thomas Cochrane performing a series of assaults causing terror to the people looting houses to desecrate churches and burn all the houses in the thriving port, destroying in this way and leaving it in ruins Paita.

 

In 1820 Paita is constituted as a port edge and a very important bridge between two cultures and two economies Peru – USA, enabling the promotion and development of the Paita region and its surroundings, as it was a port of call for American whalers , and the extent of the economic impact of the whaling industry in Paita USA, where many ships arrived in the period from 1820 to 1865.