Which treats of the foundation of the city of Leon de Huanuco, and who
was its founder.
To describe the founding of the city of Leon de Huanuco, it must be
understood, first, that when the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro founded
the rich City of the Kings in the valleys and deserts of the coasts, all
the provinces which were then within the jurisdiction of that city had
to do service, and the citizens held _encomiendas_ over the chiefs. And
the tyrant Yllatopa, with other Indians of his tribe, waged war against
the natives of the district, and ruined the villages, so that the
_repartimientos_ became excessive. At the same time many of the
conquerors were without any _encomienda_ of Indians. The Marquis was,
therefore, desirous of gratifying these Spaniards, especially some who
had followed the Adelantado Don Diego de Almagro, and had afterwards
become his friends, by giving them Indians. He wished to satisfy those
who had laboured for his Majesty by giving them some profit from the
land; and, notwithstanding that the municipality of the City of the
Kings protested against what they thought might be to their detriment,
he named the captain Gomez de Alvarado, brother to the Adelantado Don
Pedro de Alvarado, as his lieutenant to found a city in the province
called Huanuco, with a small force of Spanish soldiers. Thus Gomez de
Alvarado set out, and, after some encounters with the natives, he
founded the city of Leon de Huanuco, and named persons to hold offices
in it. After some years the new city was abandoned on account of the
general insurrection throughout the kingdom. Pedro Barroso returned to
build this city again. Finally, with powers from the licentiate
Cristoval Vaca de Castro, after the bloody battle of Chupas, Pedro de
Puelles completed the settlement, Juan de Varagas and others having
previously captured the tyrant Yllatopa. It may, therefore, be said that
Gomez de Alvarado founded the city, for he gave it the name it now
bears, and if it was abandoned afterwards, this was more from necessity
than from inclination. It was founded in the name of his Majesty, by the
authority of the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro, his governor and
captain-general in this kingdom, in the year of the Lord 1539.