Descendants of Juan de Ursua

  Eighth Generation  

Baron of Oticoren.

Inherited from his father as Señor of Ursúa, of Naz in Baztan, and of Gentheyne in Soule and had his own right to the Cortes of Navarra. A brave and feared General who served King Don Fernando "the Catholic" in that unfortunate war that put an end to the independence of of the Old Kingdom. Stood his ground in Castilla de Maya in its resistance and heroic defense against the enemy.

Tristán married Leonor Díez Aux de Armendáriz, daughter of Jaime Díez Aux de Armendáriz and Leonor de Barraiz.

Their children were:

+ 18 M    i. Miguel de Ursúa , died on 14 February 1532.

   19 M    ii. Pedro de Ursúa was born about 1525 in Arizcun, Baztan and died about 1560 in Machifaro.

Señor de Ursúa. (Of "El Dorado" fame).
Baron of Oticoren. Commander in chief and Governor of the New United kingdom of Granada.

At the calling of his uncle, Miguel Diez de Arizmendariz, went alone to America when he was only seventeen years old and received the order to fix the messy matters of the Government of Cartagena. He applied with great tact and prudence the new laws promulgated by Carlos V, although favorable to the Indians, some were incited to rebel, forcing Pedro de Ursúa to launch against them a campaign that finished with the submission of the rebels after having captured their King Chianclán.

He was barely twenty one when he left with a small force to explore new territories; he arrived at a fertile valley where he founded a population that he called Pamplona (named after the capital of his home province of Navarra), and resided there for a year but soon after organising its defenses left, entrusting it to the monitoring and government of his able lieutenant, Ortun Velázquez.

When he returned to Santa Fe, he requested and obtained the control of another military expedition, with which he defeated and subdued the Sabayá Indians, leaving after founding on its ground another city, to which he gave the name Tuleda.

Named Justica Mayor of Santa Marta, he launched a campaign against the Traironas Indians; but the disease that almost annihilated his small army forced him to back down when faced with more than three thousand Indians against the sixty men that he had left. Cornered, he was forced to attack the enemy making a frightful slaughter between the natives. With each enemy killed ten rose to take its place. They were able to retreat backwards after two hours of desperate fighting. Upon returning to the city many of them were wounded with poisoned arrows and Pedro was between life and death for many days.

In 1556 he marched to Panama in search of new challenges and adventures, and was assigned to a position of command of another military expedition against the wild Indians incited to rebellion. In the pursuit of this they walked through forests and unexplored regions for two years until the enemies eventually surrendered giving him their leader, Bayano, who he sent to Spain to be judged.

He then proceeded to Lima in Peru, where he was to prepare for the discovery and conquer of the famous Dorado, a wonderful country which according to legends existed towards the Amazon river. Pedro begun by founding a population on the riverbank which served him as a shipyard: soon he constructed the ships that he judged necessary, and enlisted his army, and in September 1560, after a year of preparations, undertook the march with four hundred selected soldiers, some Spanish women and a great number of Indians. Not having found the gold that were expected and after the hardships that the expedition suffered, it displeased the men and they became unruly. One of his officers, a Captain Lope de Aguirre, tried to test his faithfulness by offering him that everyone would acclaim him as Prince of the territories that were discovered if he allowed him to take his lover, Ines de Atienza. Having his dishonourable proposal rejected, Aguirre conspired with another officer, Fernando de Guzman, and together these two traitors caused a riot in which they will assassinate the illustrious General. In the Indian town of Machifaro where they were encamped to celebrate Christmas Eve, the daring General Ursúa was murdered traitorously, and is well known that although his body suffered, filled with wounds and surrounded by a dozen or so assassins, still made a stand, brandishing his sword, while he tried to protect his lover with his own body. He had hardly turned thirty five years old when he died.

Pedro de Ursúa was of medium stature, formed well and elegant, although thin; of fair complexion, and bearded. Kind, cultured, well spoken, he detested quarrels and arguments. Pedro, although gallant and a ladies man did not approve of rowdy pleasures. He never feared anything or anybody, to the extent that, despite being warned several times of the conspiracies against him, ignored it with the explanation that he has not given anybody any reason to hate him.

If the conquest of the Muzos was manifested cruel, and if his first arrival to Santa Fe were imprudent, his later campaigns do not mention any objectionable act. He left in Santa Fe illegitimate descendants that conserved until the end of the eighteenth century in the families who took the surnames of Zamora, Medero, Menacho and Barbosa.

His brother succeeded him in the headquarters of his House and as Señorio and Baron.

+ 20 M    iii. Tristán de Ursúa , died on 25 May 1571.

   21 F    iv. Graciana de Ursúa .

Graciana married Pedro de Arizcun y Beaumont, Baron of Beorlegui.

+ 22 M    v. Juan de Ursúa .

   23 F    vi. Maria de Ursúa .

Maria married Luis de Tardets in 1568.

Pedro married María Apeztegui y Iturbide, daughter of N. de Apeztegui and María de Iturbide, in 1527.

Their children were:

   24 M    i. Pedro de Ursúa y Apezegui .

Received the Minor Order, was Patron of Errazu, and designated Rector of Errazu. Ordained as Deacon and remained so during his life without having arrived at the Presbytery.

+ 25 F    ii. María de Ursúa y Apeztegui was born in 1530 in Arizcun, Baztan.

   26 M    iii. Gracián de Ursúa y Apeztegui .

Señor of the Palace of Cabo de Armeria of Apezteguia and watches over the border with France.

Señor de Ursúa by Royal Decree of the Escorial in 16 August 1576. Tutor of the King's young children by Testament in 1571. Gracián and his brother Pedro made a will, by arbitration of Tristan, Señor de Ursua, giving the palace of Apezteguia to their sister Juana Agneses.

   27 F    iv. Juana Agneses de Ursúa y Apeztegui .

Received the Palace of Apezteguia on 22 September 1576, and later Olza and Errazu on 9 March 1587, and bequeathed Apezteguia and its honors to her elder brother Pedro and later to his daughter Maria.

   28 F    v. Leonor de Ursúa y Apeztegui .

Moved to Pamplona to join her husband.

Leonor married Santiago de Lizazu.

Señor of the Palace Jaureguizar of Arrayoz.

Juan married María.

Their children were:

+ 29 M    i. Juan de Ursúa (The Elder) , died on 4 May 1571.

   30 M    ii. Martin de Ursúa .

+ 31 M    iii. Juan de Ursúa (The Younger) .