Argentina at the 17th century

This century is characterized by the consolidation of the various embryonic cities and the installation of organizations intended to structure the social life of the colonists.

If it is common today of saying that there are 2 Argentinas, Buenos Aires and the remainder of the country, this difference appears in fact as per the 17th century.

The small port develops with the arrival of the Spanish and Portuguese colonists. The breeding allows those which settled in the countryside (the Pampa) to grow rich quickly. For those which further ventured, the daily needs force the rise of a vital craft industry for them.

Until 1617, Asunción is the capital of Gobernacion of Paraguay and Rio of Plata. The governors have the role up to that point of governing the social and economic practices somewhat anarchistic. Diego Marin de Negron promulgates thus in 1609 an ordinance intended to fight against the abuses whose the Indian workmen with the service of certain colonists are victims.

Hernanderias de Saavedra, under the threat of French corsairs entered in the Rio de la Plata, realizing of his impossibility of controlling and of making safe the entirety of the grounds of which it has the responsability, requires of King of Spain, Philippe III to divide Gobernacion, emancipating Buenos Aires of the supervision of Asunción.

In 1624, Francisco de Cespédes reinforces the system of defense of the city. His successor Pedro Estaban Davila must face the Dutchmen and the Portuguese who want to sit their sovereignty on this area. Organized bands (bandeiras) capture the Indians like slaves and terrible confrontations oppose them to the Jesuits between 1628 and 1632.

In 1658 of new boats of French corsairs come to threaten Buenos Aires, and the governor Baigoni does not manage to break the blockade which they set up only at the end of several months with the support of Spanish ships.

His successor Don Allonso de Mercado owes, during his mandate, to fight against the Indians Diaguitas and Cachaquis, raised by a megalomaniac adventurer, Pedro Bohorques, Andalusian who was made pass for the descendant of the INCA. One period of "denaturalization" and exile of the Indian populations follow.

In 1663, the governor, José Martinez de Salazar, make build the fort of Buenos Aires and install in the city the Royal Audience. His mandate is marked by the rise of the maritime trade. In 1678, José de Garro must once again face inclinations of expansion of the Portuguese, whom he demolishes in Colonia de Sacramento (current Uruguay).

The century finishes under the jurisdiction of Augustin de Robles, whose principal concerns remain the fight against sporadic risings of Indian tribes, the safeguarding of the Spanish authority on the grounds asserted by the Portuguese (in Uruguay in particular), and smuggling.

Ref : "Le guide de l'Argentine" of Graciela Cutuli and Pierre Dumas