The foundation of the city of Corrientes 
On April 3 recalled in Corrientes City the day of its foundation. Paradoxically, this day is festive and the routine of the city goes completely normally until 3 May, which commemorates the Cross in conjunction with the Miracle. To understand why this issue, one must resort to the background so disposed. In the chapter minutes of 1 April 1773, council officials, anticipating a day of commemoration of the foundation expressed as follows:
... the three of the current [April] is celebrating the Feast of the Holy Cruz de los Milagros, function established since the founding of this city, in commemoration of this day being that the Royal Standard was hoisted, and took over the English arms of these lands and notable miracles that Santa Cruz has said that his protection ...
The document clearly states that on April 3 were held two events, the foundation of the city and the Miracle of the Cross, made from the earliest times, as shown by other documents. The first amendment of the date of this festival would take place in 1805 when the bishop of Buenos Aires Lue and Water visited our city and was not satisfied the way they developed the festivities, because it mixed the spiritual with other entertainment and joy for the foundation and the win over the natives considered incompatible with the spiritual sense of the church. As a result, issued a decree dated 23 July 1805 which provided that the commemoration of the Miracle Cross perpetually be moved to May 3, so it away from the commemoration of the foundation, when the Catholic Church Celebrates the Invention of the Cross on which Jesus Christ to redeem us. This decree was submitted to the council of the city on February 10, 1806 and from that moment commemorating the Miracle of the Cross on May 3, until the year 1815, Governor Joseph Silva decreed that the commemoration of the Miracle Cross was back to its original date "in remembrance and reverence of the miracle wrought that day, the year of the population of the city." The date was changed again during the administration of Gov. Pedro Ferré that makes it to May 3, according to the decree of Bishop Lue and Water. This date will be confirmed later in the year 1849 by a concordat signed between Fray Bernardo Ten ecclesiastical delegate in the province of Corrientes, and Gov. Benjamin Virasoro, in establishing the religious holidays for our province and is set on 3 May to celebrate the day of the Miracle Cross. As we see, always controversy revolved around the date of the celebration of the Cruz del Milagro.
Corrientes is one of the oldest cities of Argentina who has the privilege of knowing in detail the day of his birth, because it has a license to be established, the Foundation Act of initialed by the authorities of its first council. It is common ground that was founded on Sunday April 3, 1588 by the pioneer Juan de Torres de Vera y Aragón on behalf of His Majesty the King of Spain, is why it is absurd that this holiday is declared and the postponement date its celebration until May 3 to commemorate the Miracle Cross.
This
practice of linking the day of the founding of the city with the celebration of the Cruz del Milagro is deeply rooted in the community, however, one thing should not be confused with the other, as they refer to two totally different things, the first , April 3, to commemorate a solemn act of an administrative nature by which it originated and was legally constituted our city, and the second on May 3, the holding of a religious festival that has its origins in the religious celebration of The Invention of the Holy Cross, which date is used because it is uncertain on the day the Miracle of the Cross. It is therefore necessary that some day the municipal authorities to recognize the symbolic value on April 3 for our city and is incorporated into the schedule of holidays.
almost 500 years ago, the territory comprising the present province of Corrientes fell within the limits of the government of the provinces of Río de la Plata, as established in the capitulation that the King of Spain signed in Toledo on 21 May, 1534 with Don Pedro de Mendoza. As regards the territory of present Republic of Argentina and the former governor of Rio de la Plata, the first cities were founded by him were: Santa Fe (1573), Buenos Aires (1580), Concepción Bermejo (1585) and Corrientes (1588), all were settled by English and mestizo who left the city of Asunción (Paraguay), which was then the capital city of the governorate. These founding schools began to take shape during the governorship of Juan Ortiz de Zárate advance, as it was forced upon them by the contract which was signed with King. However, Ortiz de Zarate was unable to meet its commitment, for he died soon after reaching their gubernatorial and only went on to found the city of San Salvador that had very little luck and prosper. He resumed
advance this commitment successor, Juan de Torres de Vera and Aragon, by his marriage to Dona Juana de Zarate, daughter and heiress of the advance universal Juan Ortiz de Zarate. His rule was marked by setbacks that caused his marriage to the heiress, as were several who aspired to the governorship and property, including, stood the Viceroy Francisco de Toledo, who was in charge of making life impossible for the new advance, depriving him long to move into the territory of its governance. For this reason, the advance Juan Torres de Vera y Aragón command should delegate his lieutenants, to exercise them on behalf of the government. Thus, per your instructions and on behalf of Gen. Juan de Garay founded in 1580 the city of Trinidad and port of Buenos Aires and in 1585 Captain Alonso de Vera y Aragon founded the city of Concepción del Río Bermejo (now defunct).
While political persecution he was under the front end began with the removal from office of viceroy Toledo, the situation would not improve immediately, because it fell on lawsuits and claims cumbersome concocted by his rivals. In 1587 improved the legal situation and are allowed to visit the cities of his government immediately addresses from the city of La Plata (now Sucre) in which was withheld for the city of Concepción del Río Bermejo, where he is greeted by his nephew, Captain Alonso de Vera y Aragón, dubbed the dog's face, he was later escorted to the city of Asuncion. In this city dedicated to take account of the administration of royal officials to pacify the city limits that were continually harassed by Indians Guaicurú and preparations for the founding of a city on the site of the Seven Streams, company in which was already working his other nephew, Captain Alonso de Vera y Aragón, dubbed the Tupi.
At this point I should make some clarifications about the climate in the governorate. On the death of Gen. Juan de Garay, lieutenant general of the governorate, it was succeeded by Gen. Juan de Torres Navarrete, cousin of the advance, which was faithfully assisted by three nephews of the advance, the three named Alonso de Vera y Aragón. This situation caused some discomfort among some conquerors who saw a dim view that all power is concentrated in front of the family, but what really bothered them most was the strength they had to carry out and enforce business without discussion instructions advance. The conquistador Juan Caballero de Bazán, a fugitive from the army of Sotomayor was going to Chile, was the one who led the conspiracy to remove the remote relatives of the advance, for it appealed to the Audiencia of the city of La Plata and got some decisions to his credit, he later would have a different effect in the cities of the governorate, as only time its intention to prosper later in Asuncion.
In January 1588, dispatched by road advance Captain Saavedra Hernandarias of cattle that would provide support to the new population, very difficult to achieve company and could only be crowned with success Hernandarias and who was also a leader among the settlers and youths of Asuncion. It was precisely because as the leader that his speech must have required advance to recruit people for the new city. Already working in parallel since at least the month June 1587 at the site of the Seven Streams Captain Alonso de Vera y Aragón, the Tupi, a group of about 28 soldiers.
Captain Alonso de Vera y Aragón was the true forerunner of this population, the instructions for performing the general had received the Juan de Torres Navarrete then serving as lieutenant governor's general advance. The first things needed for the people brought them from the coast of Brazil on a vessel owned, it informed the king in his letter of June 15, 1587. Then instructed to explore the place and make contact with tribes that inhabited neighboring towns, with whom he made peace. Was instructed to prepare the ground and choose the appropriate site for the trace of the city, where probably did some work clearing since the arrival of the advance across the site was outlined. This advanced conquerors had its base in a fence that had been built near the beach Arazaty, when they called Pucara, expression of the Quechua language means strength, a name that was probably placed by the Tupi, since he was born in Cuzco, and his mother was an Inca Indian nation.
In late March, the advance and his entourage departed Asuncion on board a caravel, in other boats were other people with their families and their belongings. On March 28 were made by the clerk Juan Stonemasons carrying a provision of the Royal Court which is determined by the command to cease the relatives of the advance, the advance with good sense but the excuse was to obey for the time because he considered unjust charges are separate from those who had worked in both populations and were being carried forward. Continued his journey and had to get to the place of the seven currents few days prior to the foundation. Finished
preparations, was launched a solemn ceremony on the morning of Sunday April 3, 1588, the advance, following the procedure required by law, proceeded with the usual formalities and declared the city of Vera in the name of the king of Spain, then elected officials of its first council and noted the layout of the city, the site for the plaza and the church. Then he proceeded to the distribution of land to settlers who remained seated in a pattern of distributions of land, a document that is now lost.
advance
Signature Juan de Torres de Vera y Aragón On 4 April the first meeting of the Cabildo advance with the assistance of leaving stamped his signature on a document that protects in the historical archives of the city. This meeting identified the things which were necessary for the city and appointed an attorney to go to the city of Asunción in pursuit of them, including a religious requested that meets the spiritual needs of residents. The city remained in front until the morning of April 7, at which he sailed to the city of Santa Fe left as his lieutenant governor to his nephew, Captain Alonso de Vera y Aragón, the Tupi, who then of removing the front was presented to the council with his appointment to take the city government, a position he held until 1596.
The provision of the Royal Court which sought to prevent the advance relatives held positions had no effect on the City of Vera, as the people themselves were responsible for requiring by a prosecutor to remain in office Tupi because was a good president and exercised his office with full approval of all residents. I reproduce below a section of the letter from the City Council of Vera to the Royal Court in seeking to remain in charge of Captain Alonso de Vera y Aragón where a brief and beautiful account of what happened so far and suggests the occurrence Miracle of the Cross:
... The Juan de Torres de Vera y Aragón, your governor of these provinces, he founded this city on behalf of Vera Your Majesty, and she left when she went to the realms Spain to give notice to your Majesty the state of these provinces, Alonso de Vera y Aragón, his nephew, captain-general and chief justice of the city and provinces of the Paraná and Uruguay, and Tape, for having settled with him soldiers settlers and conquerors who came to this stock and conquest when he proclaimed in the city of Asunción this population in your real name, and since then I have always managed and brought justice nine Indian nations in the service of God our Lord and your Majesty, for his good skill and industry, putting them in police knowledge of our Lord God and obedience and servitude to Your Majesty, and by the said Indians that the city is in increase, because we are serving in the conquest and settlement of this city, and so was our Lord who had served for victory with the Guarani Indians, who made many navigation and road disasters, in a battle that was with them and obtained victory, because as belicosísimos Indians, has secured this way since before usually go with people back, now men are walking alone. Expecting that is one of the most fertile population that has occurred in this province and more necessary to be among the cities in this province, where was the ladronera of warlike Indians, and maintain the conservation of it. This city and inhabitants of it, begs your Majesty be pleased to send reform provision that brought Juan Caballero chapter of magistrates, because the said Alonso Vera governs us in great uniformity of all soldiers and neighbors of it, with no injury to anyone, much meditation, without having given notice of his person, because that suits the service of your Majesty's Royal ...
Letter August 20, 1588 at the Royal Court
The early years of the population were the most difficult, soon began to feel the hostility of the Guarani Indians of the Parana River Parana up being called, very warlike and wild Indians. This led to long-time residents could not be established in their yards and held live at the fort from the beach Arazaty. The first misfortune befell people in an area of \u200b\u200bthe Parana River where he went up a detachment in pursuit of food, there came the call killing of cassava in a natural mandiocal where they were ambushed by Indians who staged a mass killing . This victory emboldened the Indians on Paraná, which in agreement with other chiefs decided to go to destroy the city and kill all its inhabitants. Happened then the siege to the fort where the people suffered for several days the needs caused by isolation, the struggle was hard and eventually the Indians gave up and withdrew.
Sketch Killing Cassava
Unfortunately many lives were lost and all cattle that had been brought to the people escaped and went into the bush. To address the needs caused by the fence, the Tupi went to Asuncion for help and cattle brought to the coast. Ruled at the time in advance of the Assumption another nephew also named Alonso de Vera y Aragón, who commissioned Hernandarias to go with a group of soldiers defending the city. Tupi come to the City of Vera, was determined to go in punishing the Indians who had surrounded the fort, and as Hernandarias not come to the aid is found out anyway with the soldiers who had, as expected if more time internarían Indian attackers in the mountains and would be very difficult to find them. The contemporary documents tell us that the punishment was exemplary and the city because he could develop and the settlers could take their land and build them houses.
Valga
this humble tribute dedicated to all those brave early settlers who ventured out with their families in this inhospitable place to start our city.
