Laureano de Torres y Ayala (1645–1722), Marquis of Casa Torres and Knight of Santiago,[1] was a Spanish military officer and royal governor of La Florida (1693–1699) and of Cuba (1708–1711 and 1713–1716). During his administration in Florida, he completed the construction of the Castillo de San Marcos fortress in St. Augustine (San Agustín), the provincial capital.
Laureano José de Torres Ayala a Duadros Castellanos was born in 1645 in Seville, Spain,[2] and grew up in Madrid, where his parents settled when he was still a small child. Ayala came from a noble family, being the son of Tomás de Torres y Ayala and Elvira de Quadros Castellanos.[2] His father was a judge in Seville in 1649 and mayor, governor and Captain General of Mérida and La Grita (in Venezuela). He had three brothers: Pedro Ignacio, Cristóbal and Diego Torres Ayala y Quadros. In his youth he joined the Spanish army.
Like the previous governors since 1672, Torres y Ayala oversaw construction of the Castillo de San Marcos, completed in 1695.[5] During his administration, the San Carlos de los Chacatos mission was attacked by Alibamu Indian warriors in 1696.[6] In 1698, the first European settlement (Presidio Santa Maria de Galve) and the first fort (Fort San Carlos de Austria) were founded at the site of present-day Pensacola.[7] He held the post of governor of Florida until 1699, when he returned to Spain, being replaced by José de Zúñiga y la Cerda.[4]
Spanish plan for Fort San Carlos de Austria, the first fort built (1698) at the site of Pensacola, Florida.
Between 1704 and 1707, Ayala fought in the War of the Spanish Succession in Europe.[8] On January 18, 1708, Ayala was appointed Governor General of Cuba, and worked mainly at Havana, where he was principally concerned with the island's economic problems and defenses. A Spanish official and landowner, Orri, had proposed a project to sell tobacco for the Cuban government. Ayala thought that the idea would be advantageous to Spain and lent the plan his full support, but had to contend with the opposition of the speculators who legally bypassed customs duties when they shipped tobacco to other ports in America and Spain. The government tobacco monopoly was very successful, and Ayala was rewarded with the title of Marquis de Casa-Torre, notwithstanding his disputes with Lieutenant-auditor Jose Fernandez de Córdoba.[1]
On February 18, 1711, the oidor (judge of the Real Audiencia) Pablo Cavera had Ayala temporarily suspended while the matter was investigated. After sailing to Spain to explain his case, Ayala was reinstated as governor of Cuba on February 14, 1713. The administration of Governor Ayala was a period of relative peace. On June 9, 1714, he ordered the construction of a hospital for lepers in Havana; after collecting several large donations, he began construction of the Hospital de San Lazaro and its church on a plot located near Havana city. Ayala founded the city of Santiago del Bejucal. The tobacco industry expanded greatly during his governorship, and the tobacco plant began to be widely cultivated in the Vuelta Abajo district.
Laureano de Torres y Ayala married the Cuban Catalina Gertrudis Bayona y Chacón on August 5, 1687 in Havana.[9] He had three children: Tomasa María, Laureano Antonio José, and Sor Manuela de San Laureano.
In popular culture
Laureano de Torres y Ayala appears in the 2013 video game Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, in which he is portrayed as the Grand Master of the West Indies Rite of the Templar Order and the main antagonist. Under the guise of cleaning up piracy in the Caribbean, he uses his resources to search for a mythical place called the Observatory, which would allow the Templars to spy on anyone on the globe, as well as the only man who can access it: Bartholomew Roberts. In the game, Ayala is killed by the protagonist Edward Kenway shortly after finding the Observatory in Jamaica. His recorded historical death in Havana is explained by the use of a body double, who is also killed by Kenway after being mistaken for the real Ayala.[10]
References
^ abJohnson, Willis Fletcher (1920). The History of Cuba. Vol. 1. B. F. Buck & Company. p. 334. Retrieved February 7, 2017.
^ abc"Laureano de TORRES AYALA Y QUADROS, I marqués de Casa Torres". Darrin Lythgoe. 2015. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
^"Florida Counties". State of Florida, Dept. of Agriculture, N. Mayo, commissioner. Tallahassee. 1944. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
^ abCahoon, Ben. "U.S. States F-K". Retrieved March 30, 2018.
^Aldama, Frederick Luis (2016-05-26). The Routledge Companion to Latina/o Popular Culture. Routledge. p. 90. ISBN9781317268208. Retrieved November 26, 2018.
External links
– Governor of Cuba, (in Spanish)
January 06, 2023
laureano, torres, ayala, 1645, 1722, marquis, casa, torres, knight, santiago, spanish, military, officer, royal, governor, florida, 1693, 1699, cuba, 1708, 1711, 1713, 1716, during, administration, florida, completed, construction, castillo, marcos, fortress, . Laureano de Torres y Ayala 1645 1722 Marquis of Casa Torres and Knight of Santiago 1 was a Spanish military officer and royal governor of La Florida 1693 1699 and of Cuba 1708 1711 and 1713 1716 During his administration in Florida he completed the construction of the Castillo de San Marcos fortress in St Augustine San Agustin the provincial capital Laureano de Torres y Ayala30th Governor of La FloridaIn office 21 Sep 1693 1699Preceded byDiego de Quiroga y LosadaSucceeded byJose de Zuniga y la Cerda42nd Governor of CubaIn office January 18 1707 1708 February 18 1711Preceded byPedro Alvarez de VillarinSucceeded byVicente de RajaPersonal detailsBorn1645Seville SpainDied1722 aged 77 Havana CubaSpouseCatalina Gertrudis Bayona y Chacon m 1687 wbr Children3ProfessionSoldierGovernor Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 In popular culture 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditLaureano Jose de Torres Ayala a Duadros Castellanos was born in 1645 in Seville Spain 2 and grew up in Madrid where his parents settled when he was still a small child Ayala came from a noble family being the son of Tomas de Torres y Ayala and Elvira de Quadros Castellanos 2 His father was a judge in Seville in 1649 and mayor governor and Captain General of Merida and La Grita in Venezuela He had three brothers Pedro Ignacio Cristobal and Diego Torres Ayala y Quadros In his youth he joined the Spanish army In June 1693 Ayala joined a Spanish expedition in La Florida which passed through what is now Okaloosa County 3 and crossed the natural bridge of the spring fed Chipola River On September 21 1693 Torres y Ayala was appointed Governor of Spanish Florida replacing Diego de Quiroga y Losada 4 Like the previous governors since 1672 Torres y Ayala oversaw construction of the Castillo de San Marcos completed in 1695 5 During his administration the San Carlos de los Chacatos mission was attacked by Alibamu Indian warriors in 1696 6 In 1698 the first European settlement Presidio Santa Maria de Galve and the first fort Fort San Carlos de Austria were founded at the site of present day Pensacola 7 He held the post of governor of Florida until 1699 when he returned to Spain being replaced by Jose de Zuniga y la Cerda 4 Spanish plan for Fort San Carlos de Austria the first fort built 1698 at the site of Pensacola Florida Between 1704 and 1707 Ayala fought in the War of the Spanish Succession in Europe 8 On January 18 1708 Ayala was appointed Governor General of Cuba and worked mainly at Havana where he was principally concerned with the island s economic problems and defenses A Spanish official and landowner Orri had proposed a project to sell tobacco for the Cuban government Ayala thought that the idea would be advantageous to Spain and lent the plan his full support but had to contend with the opposition of the speculators who legally bypassed customs duties when they shipped tobacco to other ports in America and Spain The government tobacco monopoly was very successful and Ayala was rewarded with the title of Marquis de Casa Torre notwithstanding his disputes with Lieutenant auditor Jose Fernandez de Cordoba 1 On February 18 1711 the oidor judge of the Real Audiencia Pablo Cavera had Ayala temporarily suspended while the matter was investigated After sailing to Spain to explain his case Ayala was reinstated as governor of Cuba on February 14 1713 The administration of Governor Ayala was a period of relative peace On June 9 1714 he ordered the construction of a hospital for lepers in Havana after collecting several large donations he began construction of the Hospital de San Lazaro and its church on a plot located near Havana city Ayala founded the city of Santiago del Bejucal The tobacco industry expanded greatly during his governorship and the tobacco plant began to be widely cultivated in the Vuelta Abajo district Ayala died in 1722 in Havana Cuba 2 Personal life EditLaureano de Torres y Ayala married the Cuban Catalina Gertrudis Bayona y Chacon on August 5 1687 in Havana 9 He had three children Tomasa Maria Laureano Antonio Jose and Sor Manuela de San Laureano In popular culture EditLaureano de Torres y Ayala appears in the 2013 video game Assassin s Creed IV Black Flag in which he is portrayed as the Grand Master of the West Indies Rite of the Templar Order and the main antagonist Under the guise of cleaning up piracy in the Caribbean he uses his resources to search for a mythical place called the Observatory which would allow the Templars to spy on anyone on the globe as well as the only man who can access it Bartholomew Roberts In the game Ayala is killed by the protagonist Edward Kenway shortly after finding the Observatory in Jamaica His recorded historical death in Havana is explained by the use of a body double who is also killed by Kenway after being mistaken for the real Ayala 10 References Edit a b Johnson Willis Fletcher 1920 The History of Cuba Vol 1 B F Buck amp Company p 334 Retrieved February 7 2017 a b c Laureano de TORRES AYALA Y QUADROS I marques de Casa Torres Darrin Lythgoe 2015 Retrieved March 30 2018 Florida Counties State of Florida Dept of Agriculture N Mayo commissioner Tallahassee 1944 Retrieved March 30 2018 a b Cahoon Ben U S States F K Retrieved March 30 2018 United States National Park Service Division of Publications 1993 Castillo de San Marcos a guide to the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument Florida U S Dept of the Interior p 22 ISBN 978 0 912627 59 5 Dox Dale Jackson County Florida Historic Sites and Research San Carlos de Chacatos Explore Southern History Retrieved April 22 2010 Fort Barrancas National Park Service 2006 Archived from the original on February 25 2015 Retrieved August 2 2015 Cox Dale 2011 The Spanish at Florida Caverns State Park A Legacy of Soldiers and Priests Explore Southern History Retrieved March 30 2018 de Cardenas Piera Emilio de Cadenas y Vicent Vicente 1994 Caballeros de la Orden de Santiago siglo XVIII Vol 5 Madrid Ediciones Hidalguia p 34 ISBN 9788487204616 Aldama Frederick Luis 2016 05 26 The Routledge Companion to Latina o Popular Culture Routledge p 90 ISBN 9781317268208 Retrieved November 26 2018 External links Edit Governor of Cuba in Spanish Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Laureano de Torres y Ayala amp oldid 1107030973, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
