Editing History of Paraguay (section)

=== Young colony ===
[[File:Paraguay - O Prov de Rio de la Plata - cum regionibus adiacentibus Tvcvman et Sta. Cruz de la Sierra - ca 1600.jpg|thumbnail|right|Map of Paraguay province around 1600 CE]]
Uncertainties over the departure of Pedro de Mendoza led Charles V to [[Promulgation|promulgate]] a ''cédula'' (decree) that was unique in colonial [[Latin America]]. The ''cédula'' granted colonists the right to elect the governor of Río de la Plata Province either if Mendoza had failed to designate a successor or if a successor had died. Two years later, the colonists elected Irala as governor. His domain included all of present-day Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay, most of [[Chile]], as well as large parts of Brazil and Bolivia. In 1542 this province became part of the newly established [[Viceroyalty of Peru]], with its seat in [[Lima]]. Beginning in 1559 the [[Real Audiencia of Charcas]] based in present-day [[Sucre, Bolivia|Sucre]] controlled the province's legal affairs.<ref name=tyc>Sacks, Richard S. "The young colony". In Hanratty & Meditz.</ref>

Irala's rule set the pattern for Paraguay's internal affairs until Independence. In addition to the Spaniards, Asunción's population included immigrants, mostly men, from present-day France, Italy, Germany, England, and Portugal. This community of about 350 chose wives and [[Concubinage|concubine]]s from Guaraní women. Paraguay soon became a colony of [[mestizos]]. Continued arrivals of Europeans resulted in development of a [[Criollo people|criollo]] elite.<ref name=tyc/>

The peace that had prevailed under Irala ended in 1542 when Charles V appointed [[Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca]], one of the most renowned [[conquistador]]s of his age, as governor of the province. Cabeza de Vaca arrived in Asunción after having lived for eight years among the natives of [[Spanish Florida]]. Almost immediately the Rio de la Plata Province – now consisting of 800 Europeans – split into two warring factions. Cabeza de Vaca's enemies accused him of [[cronyism]] and opposed his efforts to protect the interests of native tribes. Cabeza de Vaca tried to placate his enemies by launching an expedition into the [[Gran Chaco|Chaco]] in search of a route to Peru. This antagonized [[Gran Chaco people|Chaco tribes]] so much that they started a two-year war against the colony, which threatened its survival. In the colony's first of many revolts against the crown, the settlers seized Cabaza de Vaca, sent him back to Spain in [[fetters]], and returned the governorship to Irala.<ref name=tyc/>

A Guaraní woman from the early-colonial era, known as [[India Juliana|Juliana]], is regarded as one of the most prominent female figures in the history of Paraguay.<ref name="50mujeres">{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimahora.com/50-mujeres-que-hicieron-historia-n773305.html|title=50 mujeres que hicieron historia|date=March 4, 2014|accessdate=September 14, 2021|language=es|work=[[Última Hora (Paraguay)|Última Hora]]|location=Asunción|first=Andrés|last=Colmán Gutiérrez}}</ref><ref name="valerosa">{{cite web|url=https://www.lanacion.com.py/pais/2020/02/24/mujer-paraguaya-valerosa-desde-siempre/|language=es|accessdate=January 16, 2021|title=Mujer paraguaya, valerosa desde siempre|date=February 24, 2020|work=[[La Nación (Paraguay)|La Nación]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.com.py/edicion-impresa/suplementos/comercial/dia-de-la-mujer-paraguaya/las-mujeres-que-hicieron-historia-en-paraguay-1677945.html?outputType=amp|work=[[ABC Color]]|accessdate=January 18, 2022|title=Las mujeres que hicieron historia en Paraguay|date=February 24, 2018|language=es}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://cultura.asuncion.gov.py/direccion-general/teatro-documental-huellas-petalo-metal-sube-escena-la-alianza-francesa|title=Homenaje a mujeres protagonistas de la historia paraguaya en Teatro Documental "Huellas de pétalo y metal"|date=15 November 2019|language=es|accessdate=January 18, 2022|publisher=Municipalidad de Asunción|archive-date=18 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118183050/https://cultura.asuncion.gov.py/direccion-general/teatro-documental-huellas-petalo-metal-sube-escena-la-alianza-francesa|url-status=dead}}</ref> She is famous for killing her Spaniard master or husband between 1539 and 1542 and inciting other Indigenous women to do the same.<ref name="busca">{{cite web|url=https://www.ultimahora.com/en-busca-la-india-juliana-n2917140.html|title=En busca de la India Juliana|accessdate=December 12, 2021|language=es|first=Andrés|last=Colmán Gutiérrez|location=Asunción|date=December 5, 2020|work=[[Última Hora (Paraguay)|Última Hora]]}}</ref><ref name="pensar">{{cite book|via=[[Google Books]]|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RprUDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT72|chapter=La india Juliana: el enemigo dentro de la casa|title=Pensar América desde sus colonias: Textos e imágenes de América colonial|first=Silvia|last=Tieffemberg|publisher=Editorial Biblos|location=Buenos Aires|year=2020|language=es|isbn=978-987-691-787-2}}</ref><ref name="ea">{{cite web|url=http://ea.com.py/blogs/relatos-sobre-la-india-juliana-entre-la-construccion-de-la-memoria-y-la-ficcion-historica/|language=es|accessdate=December 12, 2021|title=Relatos sobre la India Juliana. Entre la construcción de la memoria y la ficción histórica|first=Gabriela|last=Schvartzman|date=September 19, 2020|work=Periódico E'a|location=Asunción|publisher=Atycom}}</ref> Despite having confessed to the crime, Juliana was set free, although Cabeza de Vaca had her arrested and executed upon taking command of Asunción in 1542.<ref name="busca"/><ref name="ea"/><ref name="pensar"/>

[[File:Chaco Paraguay,cattle ranch, Presidente Hayes Province.JPG|thumbnail|right|Grazing cattle, Paraguay]]
Irala ruled without further interruption until his death in 1556. His governorship was one of the most humane in the Spanish [[New World]] at that time, and marked the transition among the settlers from conquerors to landowners. Irala maintained good relations with the Guaraní, pacified hostile tribes, explored the Chaco, and began trade relations with Peru. He encouraged beginnings of a textile industry and the introduction of cattle, which flourished in the country's fertile hills and meadows. Father [[Pedro Fernández de la Torre]] arrived on 2 April 1556, as the first bishop of Asunción, marking the official establishment of the [[Roman Catholicism in Paraguay|Roman Catholic Church in Paraguay]]. Irala presided over the construction of the [[cathedral]], two churches, three [[convent]]s, and two schools.<ref name=tyc/>

Irala eventually antagonized the native peoples. In the last years of his life he yielded to pressure from settlers and established the ''[[encomienda]]'' system, under which Spanish settlers received estates of land along with the right to the labor and produce of natives living on this land. Although ''encomenderos'' were expected to care for the spiritual and material needs of natives, the system quickly degenerated into virtual [[Slavery in the Spanish New World colonies|slavery]]. 20,000 natives were divided among 320 ''encomenderos,'' which sparked a full-scale tribal revolt in 1560 and 1561.

Political instability began troubling the colony and revolts became commonplace. Given his limited resources and manpower, Irala could do little to check the raids of Portuguese marauders along his eastern borders. Irala left Paraguay prosperous for the Europeans and relatively at peace.<ref name=tyc/>