SALINAS Y CÓRDOVA, BUENAVENTURA DE

Franciscan Peruvian author; b. Lima, 1592; d. Cuernavaca, Mexico, Nov. 15, 1653. Buenaventura was the younger brother of Fray Diego Córdovay Salinas, but his personality was very different. He became the first great voice of Peruvian Creoles; Fray Diego remained aloof from such questions. Buenaventura served as page for three viceroys (1601–16) and secretario mayor for the Marqués de Montesclaros (1615–16). He was educated in the Jesuit Colegio de San Martiín and joined the Franciscan Order in 1616.

From 1621 to 1635 Buenaventura was engaged primarily in teaching in various Franciscan schools in Peru, but his early experiences at the viceregal court had awakened an interest in social, economic, and political affairs that could not be confined to the classroom. His brother, Fray Diego, requested him to write a foreword for his life of Francis solano, but the effort resulted in a volume of almost 400 pages in which praise for the virtues and achievements of the Peruvians, especially in Lima, alternated with many examples of several abuses that Buena-ventura had witnessed. The foreword became a book (Memorial de las historias del Nuevo Mundo, Lima 1630 and 1957). In 1635 a sermon in the cathedral of Cuzco on the same general theme caused the bishop, Diego de Vera, to denounce Buenaventura to the Crown.

Although the viceroy cleared Buenaventura, at the bishop's unwise insistence Buenaventura was sent to Spain for a hearing; he took with him such honorable commissions as delegate of the archbishop of Lima to make his ad limina visit to the Holy See, representative of the Franciscan province of Lima in the general chapter (Rome 1639), and procurator for the cause of Francis Solano. In Spain, Buenaventura was quickly cleared; he then went to Italy, where he remained until 1644, to fulfill his numerous commissions. While there, he helped defend the work of his old friend Solórzano Pereira (De jure indiarum ) against the censures of the Roman Inquisition and Lelius. Even though his efforts did not completely free the work from censure, Buenaventura's learning and eloquence won favorable comments from the pope. To these Buenaventura replied: "Your Holiness, my teachers remain in Peru."

Although appointed regent of studies at Santa Maria la Nova of Naples, Buenaventura found time to become so involved in the Catalan and Portuguese separatist movements that in Rome he was considered a spy for the king, and in Madrid, a spy for the pope. He was recalled to Spain in November of 1643, and subsequently his friend, José Maldonado, Commissary General of the Indies, had him appointed commissary general of New Spain, an office that he filled with great distinction and efficiency (1646–53). He was noted in particular for his interest in studies and in the missions. At the same time, his personal prestige enabled him to act as a mediator in the difficulties between Bishop palafox and the viceroy of New Spain.

Bibliography: w. cook, "Fray Buenaventura de Salinasy Córdova: Su viday su obra," in b. de salinas y cÓrdova, Memorial de las historias del nuevo mundo Pirú (Lima 1957) xxixlxxiii; Revista del Museo Nacional 24 (Lima 1955) 19–49. m. c. kiemen, "A Document concerning the Franciscan Custody of Rio Verde, 1648," Américas 11 (1954–55) 295–328.

[l. g. canedo]