Bernarda Ruiz de Rodríguez

Bernarda Ruiz de Rodríguez (c.1804 – 1880)[1] was a Californio, best known for allegedly brokering the Treaty of Cahuenga between U.S. Lieutenant-Colonel John C. Frémont and Mexican General Andrés Pico on January 13, 1847 at Campo de Cahuenga in what is now Universal City, Los Angeles, California.

Ruiz was born in Santa Barbara, California, United States,[1] the daughter of a sergeant and an heiress.

Lt. Col. John C. Frémont, along with a band of 400 men, took over Santa Barbara, and made their base a hotel near Ruiz's home, from which they were planning an attack on Los Angeles.

The 10 minutes became several hours, while she laid out a plan for "a 'generous peace' that would include Pico's pardon, release of prisoners, equal rights for all Californians, respect of property rights, and the opportunity for Mexican citizens to peaceably return to Mexico if they wanted".

[citation needed] The story of Bernarda Ruiz is based largely on two short paragraphs and a footnote in Fremont's memoirs, first published in 1887.