Buenos Aires Is Founded
Buenos Aires, the capital of Argentina, was founded on February 2, 1536, by Spanish explorer Pedro de Mendoza. Mendoza, commissioned by the Spanish Crown to seek gold and expand territories, led an expedition of over 1,000 men to the region. Upon establishing the settlement on the right bank of the Río de la Plata, he named it "Buenos Aires," meaning "good air." However, the initial settlement faced severe challenges, including hostility from indigenous peoples and food shortages, leading to its abandonment by colonists in 1539. The settlement was ultimately destroyed in 1541.
The city saw a resurgence in 1580 when Juan de Garay reestablished Buenos Aires, capitalizing on its strategic location for shipping and commerce. By the early 17th century, Buenos Aires had gained significance, leading to the establishment of its own governor and bishop. It was declared the capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata in 1776, encompassing parts of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Since Argentina’s independence in 1816, Buenos Aires has remained a vital urban center, continuing to play a crucial role in the cultural and economic landscape of South America.
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Buenos Aires Is Founded
Buenos Aires Is Founded
The city of Buenos Aires, capital of modern-day Argentina, was founded by the Spanish explorer and conquistador Pedro de Mendoza on February 2, 1536. Today the city has more than 3 million people with a greater-metropolitan population of approximately 12 million, making it one of the most important urban centers of South America.
Pedro de Mendoza, born in 1501 or 1502, came to manhood during the age of the Spanish conquistadors. In 1534 Mendoza, who had had some military experience in Europe, received a commission from the Spanish Crown to search for gold and make further conquests in the region of modern-day Argentina. He set sail with 11 ships and more than 1,000 men in 1535, arriving at the mouth of the Río de la Plata in January 1536. On February 2 he established a settlement on the right bank of the river and named it Buenos Aires (good air).
Unfortunately for Mendoza, this was the extent of his success. He found no gold, and he died during a voyage back to Spain in 1537. The colony he left behind was soon in trouble. The native peoples were hostile and food was scarce. Most of the colonists abandoned the site in 1539 for the safer settlement of Asunción, now the capital of modern-day Paraguay. The remains of Buenos Aires were burnt to the ground by natives in 1541.
In 1580 the city was reborn when Juan de Garay left Asunción to reestablish Buenos Aires. Its prime location at the mouth of a major river helped the city grow through shipping and commerce, and by 1617 the Province of Buenos Aires was important enough to merit its own governor and shortly thereafter its own bishop. In 1776 it became the capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, which contained portions of modern-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Buenos Aires has been the capital and foremost city of Argentina ever since that nation achieved independence in 1816.