Diego Morcillo Rubio de Auñón
Encyclopedia
Fray Diego Morcillo Rubio de Auñón, O.SS.T. (sometimes Diego Morcillo Rubio de Suñón de Robledo) (January 3, 1642, Villarrobledo
, Albacete
, Spain
—1730, Lima
, Peru
) was a Spanish bishop in Peru and twice viceroy of the colony, from August 15, 1716 to October 5, 1716 (interim) and from January 26, 1720 to May 14, 1724.
At a young age he entered the Calced branch of the Trinitarian Order in Toledo
. He studied theology at the University of Alcalá
. In Alcalá King Charles II
named him preacher of the royal chamber. He also became examiner (calficador) for the Supreme Council of the Inquisition
.
On November 21, 1701 he was named bishop of León, Nicaragua, and on May 14, 1708 bishop of La Paz, Bolivia
. Continuing his ecclesiastical advancement, he was appointed archbishop of La Plata, Alto Perú (Charcas
, Bolivia
) on March 21, 1714, and finally archbishop of Lima on May 12, 1723.
In 1716, while he was archbishop of Charcas, King Philip V
named him interim viceroy of Peru. On August 15 he entered Lima and replaced Mateo de la Mata Ponce de León
, president of the Audiencia. Mata had also been serving on an interim basis, since the removal of Viceroy Diego Ladrón de Guevara
on March 2, 1716. Morcillo occupied this post until October 5, 1716, when the position was taken up by Carmine Nicolao Caracciolo
, Prince of Santo Buono, the official successor of Ladrón de Guevara. Morcillo then returned to his ecclesiastical duties as archbishop of Charcas.
At the end of Caracciolo's term, Morcillo once again became viceroy, this time on a permanent basis. He entered Lima and took up the office on January 26, 1720. On the death of the archbishop of Lima, Antonio de Zuloaga
, he also occupied that office.
Among his political accomplishments were a great increase in royal revenues from the colony, and the repulse of the English pirates on the coast.
During this time Pope Benedict XIII
elevated two important Peruvian saints, Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo and Francisco de Solano
. Morcillo donated large sums of money to the Trinitarian Order
, to charitable works such as hospitals and schools, and for a convent for Discalced Carmelites in the town of his birth.
He was recognized as intelligent and a good administrator. He wrote a book entitled Clamores de la obligación. He left the office of viceroy in 1724 after grave incidents in Paraguay
. He died in Lima in 1730 and was interred in the crypt of the cathedral.
Villarrobledo
Villarrobledo is a Spanish city and municipality in the province of Albacete, part of the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha.Villarrobledo has the world's largest area covered by vineyards as well as the world's greatest production of La Mancha wine, called in Spanish Denominación de Origen)...
, Albacete
Albacete
Albacete is a city and municipality in southeastern Spain, 258 km southeast of Madrid, the capital of the province of Albacete in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha. The municipality had a population of c. 169,700 in 2009....
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
—1730, Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) was a Spanish bishop in Peru and twice viceroy of the colony, from August 15, 1716 to October 5, 1716 (interim) and from January 26, 1720 to May 14, 1724.
At a young age he entered the Calced branch of the Trinitarian Order in Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
. He studied theology at the University of Alcalá
University of Alcalá
The University of Alcalá is a public university located in Alcalá de Henares, a city 35 km northeast of Madrid in Spain. Founded in 1499, it was moved in 1836 to Madrid. In 1977, the University was reopened in its same historical buildings...
. In Alcalá King Charles II
Charles II of Spain
Charles II was the last Habsburg King of Spain and the ruler of large parts of Italy, the Spanish territories in the Southern Low Countries, and Spain's overseas Empire, stretching from the Americas to the Spanish East Indies...
named him preacher of the royal chamber. He also became examiner (calficador) for the Supreme Council of the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
.
On November 21, 1701 he was named bishop of León, Nicaragua, and on May 14, 1708 bishop of La Paz, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
. Continuing his ecclesiastical advancement, he was appointed archbishop of La Plata, Alto Perú (Charcas
Charcas
Charcas may refer to:* Charcas Province, a province in Potosí Department, Bolivia* Real Audiencia of Charcas, one of six political units of the Viceroyalty of Peru* Charcas, a historical name of Sucre, capital of Bolivia...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
) on March 21, 1714, and finally archbishop of Lima on May 12, 1723.
In 1716, while he was archbishop of Charcas, King Philip V
Philip V of Spain
Philip V was King of Spain from 15 November 1700 to 15 January 1724, when he abdicated in favor of his son Louis, and from 6 September 1724, when he assumed the throne again upon his son's death, to his death.Before his reign, Philip occupied an exalted place in the royal family of France as a...
named him interim viceroy of Peru. On August 15 he entered Lima and replaced Mateo de la Mata Ponce de León
Mateo de la Mata Ponce de León
Mateo de la Mata Ponce de León was a Spanish colonial official in Peru. He was president of the Audiencia of Quito from 1691 to 1699...
, president of the Audiencia. Mata had also been serving on an interim basis, since the removal of Viceroy Diego Ladrón de Guevara
Diego Ladrón de Guevara
Doctor Diego Ladrón de Guevara Orozco Calderón was a Roman Catholic bishop and Spanish colonial administrator. From August 30, 1710 to March 2, 1716, he was viceroy of Peru.-Before his term as viceroy:...
on March 2, 1716. Morcillo occupied this post until October 5, 1716, when the position was taken up by Carmine Nicolao Caracciolo
Carmine Nicolao Caracciolo
Carmine Nicolao Caracciolo, 5th Prince of Santo Buono, Grandee of Spain was Spanish viceroy of Peru from October 5, 1716 to January 26, 1720....
, Prince of Santo Buono, the official successor of Ladrón de Guevara. Morcillo then returned to his ecclesiastical duties as archbishop of Charcas.
At the end of Caracciolo's term, Morcillo once again became viceroy, this time on a permanent basis. He entered Lima and took up the office on January 26, 1720. On the death of the archbishop of Lima, Antonio de Zuloaga
Francis Solanus
Saint Francis Solanus, O.F.M., was a Spanish friar and missionary in South America, belonging to the Order of Friars Minor , who is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:...
, he also occupied that office.
Among his political accomplishments were a great increase in royal revenues from the colony, and the repulse of the English pirates on the coast.
During this time Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
elevated two important Peruvian saints, Toribio Alfonso de Mogrovejo and Francisco de Solano
Francis Solanus
Saint Francis Solanus, O.F.M., was a Spanish friar and missionary in South America, belonging to the Order of Friars Minor , who is honored as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.-Early life:...
. Morcillo donated large sums of money to the Trinitarian Order
Trinitarian Order
The Order of the Holy Trinity is a Catholic religious order that was founded in the area of Cerfroid, some 80 km northeast of Paris, at the end of the twelfth century. The founder was St. John de Matha, whose feast day is celebrated on 17 December...
, to charitable works such as hospitals and schools, and for a convent for Discalced Carmelites in the town of his birth.
He was recognized as intelligent and a good administrator. He wrote a book entitled Clamores de la obligación. He left the office of viceroy in 1724 after grave incidents in Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
. He died in Lima in 1730 and was interred in the crypt of the cathedral.