Kingdom of New Galicia

Origins

Nuño de Guzmán led a notoriously violent campaign through western Mexico in 1529-31, founding towns and naming the territory Nueva Galicia. Guadalajara was founded in 1532 and, after several moves, settled at its present site in 1542.

Rule and society

New Galicia had its own audiencia from 1548, seated in Guadalajara from 1560, giving it a degree of autonomy within New Spain. The Mixtón War of 1540-42, a major indigenous uprising, nearly ended Spanish rule there. From 1546 the silver mines of Zacatecas made the region rich and drew settlers north. Ranching and agriculture fed the mining towns.

Decline and legacy

In 1786 the kingdom became the Intendancy of Guadalajara. With independence in 1821 it passed to the First Mexican Empire, and its territory became the states of Jalisco, Nayarit, Aguascalientes and parts of others.