|
Early History
European influence in Paraguay began with the early explorations of the RIo de la Plata. Juan DIaz de SolIs was the first to come (1516), and Sebastian Cabot followed him (1527) to the Paraguay River, which was thought to offer access to Peru. One of the main reasons for the voyages (c.1535) of Juan de Ayolas and Domingo MartInez de Irala was to seek a way across the continent. A colony grew up, as AsunciOn became the nucleus of the La Plata region. Irala dominated the colony until his death (1556 or 1557) and clashed with Alvar NUnez Cabeza de Vaca.
At the end of the 16th cent. Hernando Arias de Saavedra, called Hernandarias, became governor of RIo de la Plata prov., of which Paraguay was a part; it was through his efforts that the administrations of present Argentina and Paraguay were separated (1617). The Jesuit missions were founded in the days of Hernandarias (most of them in the trans-ParanA area, now in Argentina). Real independence from Spain was asserted when in 1721 JosE de Antequera led the comuneros of AsunciOn in a successful revolt and governed independently for some 10 years. In 1776 the region was made part of the viceroyalty of the RIo de la Plata.
|
