Garcia, Juan Ghivao (Archives in Lorca, Murcia-Spain), part 1

Authors

• 1140 3. 016.1

Document Type

Audio

Publication Date

3-5-1998

Comments

History of Alonso Rael de Aguilar read from the baptismal records of San Mateo, the sole record that was saved during the civil war in Spain. Reference to other NM researchers who visited the archives. Provides some information about Almirante Antonio Rael de Aguilar, probably related to Alonso Rael de Aguilar. He explains that the archive to explore information on Alonso Rael de Aguilar is very extensive as it details genealogy and family relations of the nobility in Lorca. He states that information related to Alfonso Rael de Aguilar as a in important figure in the history of New Mexico is very limited in that archive. One of the interviewers explains the reason they are investigating Alonso Rael de Aguilar as he came to NM in 1695 to assist Diego de Vargas' second conquest of the Indian territories for the Spanish Kingdom. Then captain Alonso Rael de Aguilar was granted a 'Merced' [land grant] for his service to the Crown in el Cañón de la Ciénega close to Santa Fe. The archivist provides some information about Almirante Rael de Aguilar and the genealogy of Alonso Rael de Aguilar. The Rael family belonged to the nobility of  the early seventeenth century in Lorca. The archivist and the researchers make some reference to a previous visiting researcher, Stanley Hormes, who was conducting archival research related to the first Rael settler in NM, an alleged Jewish converted to catholic in the late seventeenth century. Conversation continues about historical events in Spain in the early fifteenth century and the conversions to be safe from the political and religious persecution of that time.

Recommended Citation

Anselmo Arellano collection (MSS 1140), Center for Southwest Research and Special Collections, University Libraries, University of New Mexico