Alonso de Estrada

Alonso de Estrada (c. 1470, Ciudad Real, Castile – 16 February 1530, Veracruz)[1] was a colonial official in New Spain during the period of Hernán Cortés' government, and before the appointment of the first viceroy.

[citation needed] Alonso is believed to be the illegitimate son of King Ferdinand II of Aragon.

He arrived to the New Spain in 1523, appointed treasurer of the colony by the Council of the Indies, on the authority of Charles V. His mission was to participate in the government of Cortés and to protect the interests of the Crown.

This was on Cortés's instructions, brought back from Coatzacoalcos by Salazar and Almíndez, in order to end disagreements between Albornoz and Estrada.

On the latter date, Salazar and Almíndez proclaimed that no one was to recognize the authority of Estrada and Albornoz, on pain of 100 lashes and confiscation of property.

Estrada and Albornoz left Mexico City for Medellín, but before they had traveled eight leagues, Almíndez sent armed men after them and took them prisoner.

In early 1526 a messenger (Martín de Orantes or Dorantes) from Cortés arrived in Mexico City.

Since Cortés was suspected of poisoning Ponce de León and Aguilar, he was not in a position to challenge Estrada.

[4] Alonso married Marina Gutiérrez de la Caballería, a woman from a prominent Jewish converso family of royal treasurers from Aragon, Spain.

Their children included: David Raphael, anesthesiologist and author of " Conquistadors and Crypto Jews of Monterrey" is a descendant of Alonso de Estrada and Ana Caballeria.