from pages 109 and 110 of Spain in the Southwest--A Narrative History of Colonial New Mexico, Arizona, Texas, and California, by John L. Kessell, University ofOklahoma Press, Norman, OK, 2002:When [Governor Luis] Rosas, the king’s representative [in New Mexico] actually struck with a cane and bloodied the heads of two friars who ventured to Santa Fe as emissaries [of the friars, who were in a state of hostilities with the governor], calling them liars, pigs, traitors, heretics, and the like, any hope of reconciliation vanished [between the Catholic Church partisans and Governor Rosas and his backers]. Each side blamed the other for the dismal state of the colony and the discontent of the Indians. The Taos people murdered their missionary, and another was killed among the Jemez, perhaps in an Apache attack. A deadly epidemic in 1640 carried off three thousand Pueblo Indians, more than ten percent of the population.Morale could hardly have been worse in the spring of 1641 as the heavy, mule-drawn covered wagons of the triennial mission supply service [from the interior of New Spain] crawled northward over the camino real accompanied by armed riders and the retinues of replacements for Rosas and [Head Friar Juan de] Salas. [The new] Gov. Juan Flores de Sierra y Valdez was sick. Trying to supervise the residencia [a sort of trial at the end of a governor’s term] of Luis de Rosas, he accepted the counsel of the former governor’s enemies. Cabildo elections, meanwhile, brought outspoken critics [of Rosas] Francisco de Salazar and Juan de Archuleta to power as regidores and Antonio Baca as an alcalde ordinario. Then[the new Governor] Sierra y Valdez died, and the anti-Rosas Cabildo [Santa Fe’s town council], outmaneuvering Lt. Gov. Francisco Gómez, assumed all interim governmental powers. Now they had Rosas just where they wanted him.A young soldier, Nicolás Ortiz, became their means of revenge. Born in Zacatecas, Ortiz had first appeared in Santa Fe about 1634 as a teenaged member of an armed escort; he stayed on and married María de Bustillo, niece of Antonio Baca. After the new Governor, Luis Rosas, arrived in Santa Fe in 1637, Nicolás was again assigned to do escort duty, departing for Mexico City with the caravan that had brought Rosas to New Mexico. He would not appear in New Mexico again until 1641 when he arrived escorting the train conveying the next governor, Sierra y Valdez. Upon Ortiz’ return to Santa Fe, he found his wife María visibly pregnant. Later she would testify that she had been Governor Rosas’ mistress for four years. Ortiz masked his rage for several months and left town for the Zuni-Hopi country on an Apache campaign. Meanwhile the anti-Rosas faction, led by Antonio Baca, grabbed control of the government, confined Rosas, seized his property, and recorded the discovery of María in a chest under Don Luis’s mattress. It was a cold January 25, 1642, when the cuckolded Ortiz finally avenged his shame. Out of the darkness with a party of masked men, he burst into the house where Rosas was being held and dispatched the notorious ex-governor with a dozen thrusts of his sword. When Baca returned from his campaign, he presided over the murderer’s acquittal and sent him with the record of the proceedings to Mexico City. Taken into custody enroute and retried by the governor of Nueva Vizcaya in Parral, the hapless Ortiz was condemned to be hanged, after which his severed head and sword hand were to be displayed on the gibbet. But he escaped. Antonio Baca did not. Along with brother-in-law Juan de Archuleta and other relatives and associates in the anti-Rosas clique, the incredulous Baca found himself in the summer of 1643 confined by order of the new governor, Alonso Pacheco y Heredia, and sentenced to be beheaded. The Custos [head friar] Hernando de Covarrubias insisted on administering the last rites to the eight men facing death. Baca could not believe that he was to be executed, but he was. Armed with secret and detailed instructions from the unbending Bishop-Viceroy Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, who considered the friars and their faction guilty of treason, Pacheco had resolved to carry out the harshest possible punishment against the lay leaders, “to get rid of them by a brief and exemplary punishment.” Father Covarrubias and the New Mexicans who carried out the gory business on the morning of July 21 must have experienced conflicting emotions. Self-serving or not, these men had stood by the Franciscans, and their executioners were kin to the condemned. Covarrubias reported that when Francisco de Salazar’s punishers tried to behead him with his own dagger, they made a bad job of it. “For God’s sake,” he screamed, “sharpen that thing and put me out of my misery!” Then, claimed Covarrubias, Salazar’s severed head recited the entire true and essential creed of the Roman Catholic faith.The crowd summoned to the plaza that afternoon included Juan de Archuleta II and other relatives of the victims. Governor Pacheco addressed them gravely, reiterating the pardon to the majority of the anti-Rosas partisans, revealing his secret instructions from Mexico City, and announcing the executions. As a mute warning to associates of the executed eight, Antonio Baca’s head was nailed to the gibbet. The governor also told the assembled people that he had ordered the traitors’ property seized; the proceeds would pay for a peacekeeping force of thirty men enlisted that very day. And when the governors and friars clashed violently again during the 1650’s and 1660’s, Juan de Archuleta II sided with the civil authorities at that time.Key Figures in the Assassination of Governor Luis Rosas in 16421. Nicolas Ortiz: Born in Zacatecas, Mexico in 1618, he came to New Mexico as a soldier in 1634, when he was sixteeen. He later married María de Bustillo, a daughter of Simón de Bustillo and Juana de Zamora, a sister of Antonio Baca. In 1637 Ortiz was sent away on escort duty with the return trip of the Santa Fe-Mexico City wagon train that had brought the new Governor Luis Rosas to New Mexico. Rosas may deliberately have kept Ortiz in Mexico City so he could romance his wife. Upon Ortiz’ return from Mexico City in 1641, accompanying yet another new governor, his wife was visibly pregnant. On January 25, 1642, Nicolás murdered ex-Governor Rosas with the assistance of other anti-Rosas men. After being acquitted in Santa Fe, he was sent to Mexico City for a final verdict. But he was arrested by the Governor of Nueva Vizcaya, (retired), and sentenced to hang. He escaped from prison and was not heard from again. It is not known what became of María and her baby after the assassination.2. Antonio Baca: Antonio was the main ring-leader in the anti-Rosas faction that brought about the Governor’s death. He was also the leader of the people who defied the Governor by barricading themselves with the Friars at Santo Domingo Pueblo. His turbulent career ended when he was beheaded along with seven others July 21, 1643, in a plaza in Santa Fe.3. Diego Márquez: The major accomplice in the death of Governor Rosas. He also was beheaded in 1643. His half-breed illegitimate son, Juan Márquez, 36 years old in 1639-40, an alferez and treasurer of the Holy Crusade was said to have been murdered by orders of Governor Rosas, which accounts for Diego’s part in the Rosas Murder. He apparently was related to co-conspirators Cristóbal Enriques, who was also executed, and Agustín Carvajal.4. Cristóbal Enríques: He was a first cousin of Agustín de Carvajal. (Pg. 15 "origins"). Their mothers were sisters. In 1660 Agustin was accused of marrying his close relative, Estefania Enriquez, Cristóbal's daughter. Estefania was a second cousin of Agustin's first wife, María Márquez. Cristobal was among the eight conspirators beheaded in 1643.5. Agustín Carvajal: He was one of the fourteen men ordered executed for sedition by Governor Pacheco in 1643 but escaped the sentence along with his Durán y Chaves brother-in-law (Fernando). He was the son-in-law of Cristóbal Enríques, who was executed.6. Juan Ruiz de Hinojos: He was another soldier beheaded in 1643 for the Rosas anti-faction affair. Beatriz Pérez de Bustillo was his mother. His brother Miguel acted as bondsman for Nicolás Ortiz.7. Nicolás Pérez de Bustillo: He was an adopted son of Simón Pérez de Bustillo and Juana de Zamora [a sister of Antonio Baca, who was executed]. He played a brief and tragic political role that ended in 1643. Along with his uncle, Antonio Baca, and his cousins, he, too, was beheaded in 1643. He was a mestizo, probably a natural son of Simon’s with an Indian woman. In 1642 he declared that he was related to Nicolás Ortiz on his father's side.8. Juan de Archuleta: He was the son of Asencio de Arechuleta and Ana Pérez de Bustillo, who was the daughter of Juan Pérez de Bustillo. He was also involved in the faction opposing Governo rand was beheaded along with the others in 1643. Antonio Baca was his uncle-by-marriage. Nicolas Ortiz was his cousin by marriage. Nicolas’ wife, María de Bustillo, was his first cousin.9. Diego Martín Barba: He was the son of Alonzo Barba and was a captain living in Santa Fe in 1642. He was one of the eight men ordered beheaded in 1643 for complicity in the death of Governor Rosas.10. Francisco de Salazar: Salazar was the Procurator General of New Mexico in 1634. He was deeply involved in the Rosas murder affair and was also beheaded in 1643. In 1642 during the trial he gave his full name as Francisco Salazar Hachero.11. Fernando Durán y Chaves: He testified against Governor Rosas in favor of the friars and attend the execution of the eight conspirators to get in good graces with the new Governor, Pacheco. But then, the Governor condemned him along with thirteen others to be executed for sedition for his support of the friars. He escaped with his brother-in-law Agustín Carvajal and the others. He later returned toNew Mexico and died about 1668.11. Pedro Durán y Chaves: He was the nephew of Antonio Baca and one of the four masked men who accompanied the assassin, Nicolas Ortiz, in the murder of Governor Rosas. For his complicity, he was banished from New Mexico by Governor Guzmán. He returned to New Mexico later and then headed to El Paso during the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. He and his family later received permission to move south into New Spain.13. Diego del Río de Losa: He witnessed the murder of Governor Rosas. At that time he was secretary of the Cabildo (City Council). Francisco del Río listed on pg. 92 of "Origins of New Mexico Families" was his son, not his brother.14. Antonio de Salas: He was a guard at the Palace of the Governors when Rosas was assassinated. 15. Francisco López de Aragon: In 1642 he acted as the attorney for Nicolas Ortiz. His wife was Ana Baca, who was an aunt or a cousin of ours.16. Francisco Luján: He was involved in the Rosas murder affair but escaped the execution of less fortunate compatriots. He was the brother of Juan Luján II below.17. Juan Luján II: He was involved in the Rosas affair somehow but avoided execution. He was the brother of the above Francisco Luján. His daughter María later married Juan de Archuleta II. Both were our direct ancestors.18. Alonzo Ramirez de Salazar: In what capacity he served in the assassination of Governor Rosas is unknown, but it would appear that, along with Juan Ramírez de Salazar (most probably a nephew), was involved with the political affairs in 1641-43. He may have been a relative of our direct ancestor Catalina Salazar, wife of Luis Martín Serrano, one of the masked men who broke down the door, January 25, 1642. And Francisco (noted above), brother of Catalina. The Salazars were from Nueva Viscaya. As a captain, he barely escaped execution for sedition under Governor Pacheco. He also came to New Mexico in the 1620's. 19. Juan Tapia: He escaped death for treason in 1643. He was a native of New Mexico.20. Manuel de Peralta: He was condemned to death for sedition, but was not among the eight captains executed. Evidently he fled from New Mexico and never returned.21. Luis Martín Serrano: Luis was accused by a later governor, Mendizábal,of having been the masked intruder who broke down the door of the home in which ex-Governor Rosas was a prisoner the night he was killed. Mendizabal did not like Luis because he was friendly with the friars during Mendizábal’s feud with them. The Governor’s claim never resulted in any prosecution of Luis.

Captain Juan de Archuleta