Juan de Onate was born in 1549 in Mexico. His father, Cristóbal de Oñate, became governor of Nueva Galicia in 1538, and during the next ten years, through the discovery of mines in Zacatecas, became one of the richest men in America. Juan's mother, Doña Cathalina de Salazar, was the daughter of the royal factor, Gonzalo de Salazar, who was the bitter enemy of Cortés. Little is known of Juan's youth.
On the northern frontier, where Juan de Onate early became active for his king, his general services covered "bloody encounters with the Chichimecs, and the discovery of the rich mines of Zichú, Charcas, and San Luis Potosí, which he peopled with Spaniards. " His chief claim to fame rests upon his services as founder of New Mexico. A revival of interest in that region after 1583 resulted in a spirited competition for the right to conquer it. Royal authorization for the appointment of a suitable person for this purpose was received by the viceroy of New Spain in 1583. Delays ensued, but on September 21, 1595, the coveted contract, calling for the "exploration, pacification, and conquest of New Mexico, " was awarded to Oñate. Disappointments awaited him. A new viceroy modified his contract, but, despite attendant delays, by September 1596 Oñate's large and well-equipped expedition was at the Nazas River, in the present Durango, prepared to enter the more than six hundred miles of unoccupied territory between there and the upper Rio Grande Valley.
Meanwhile, in Spain, the Council of the Indies had shown interest in the New Mexico venture being entrusted to Pedro Ponce de León of Spain, and in July 1596, Viceroy Monterey had received instructions to cancel Oñate's contract. To this, Oñate offered vigorous protest - at the same time endeavoring to keep his expedition intact, pending an appeal - for he "had spent 100, 000 ducats in equipping the expedition, while the captains and soldiers who were to accompany him had spent an additional 200, 000 ducats. " Confidence in De León being shaken, Oñate finally was authorized to proceed, and in August 1597 the expedition, somewhat depleted in men and supplies, advanced northward. On April 30, 1598, a few miles south of the present El Paso, Texas, Onate took formal possession "of all the kingdoms and provinces of New Mexico. " By early autumn the upper Rio Grande pueblos had been reached, a capital had been founded at San Juan, missionary work had been begun, and the submission of the Native Americans received. This submission, save for the rebellion of 13 coma, which was suppressed with great cruelty early in 1599, was definitive for nearly a hundred years.
Onate's contract - partly because of the king's interest in anticipating other European nations in the discovery of the supposed northwest passage - called for exploration, and in September 1598 the first of a series of expensive exploring expeditions was dispatched from San Juan. Others followed in rapid succession, notably one to Kansas in 1601, and one to the Gulf of California in 1605. In protest against these expeditions, which sapped the energy and resources of the colony, some of the settlers fled to Santa Barbara but they were arrested and returned. Meanwhile Oñate had been obliged to ask for reinforcements. Royal interest in New Mexico was still high and in 1605 twenty-four additional soldiers and two missionaries were sent. This aid proved insufficient, and for the next three years New Mexico's fate hung in the balance.
Apparently for the purpose of bluffing the viceroy into sending reinforcements, Oñate resigned in August 1607, and notified the viceroy that if reinforcements were not forthcoming by June 1608 the province would be abandoned. The viceroy called Oñate's bluff and accepted his resignation, but instructed him to remain in the province. Soon thereafter the cabildo at the new capital, San Gabriel, elected him governor ad interim, and upon his refusal to serve, chose his son, Cristóbal. Since Cristóbal was an unsatisfactory choice, the viceroy in Mexico sent Don Pedro Peralta as governor, with sixteen soldiers, and orders were given for Oñate to return within three months. Oñate went back to Mexico, and was tried on charges of misrepresenting the value of New Mexico, mistreatment of his soldiers and the Native Americans, and disobedience to vice-regal orders. He was found guilty on some of the charges in 1614 and sentenced to perpetual banishment from New Mexico, and from Mexico city for four years, and fined 6, 000 ducats. In 1622 he appealed against the judgment, but though he had the support of the Council of the Indies, he failed to obtain the pardon of the king. He may have been successful later, for in 1624 he was in Spain trying to obtain a position in Mexico, Guadalajara, or the Philippines. His endeavor was not successful, but he was entrusted with the visitation of mines in Spain. His death, therefore, must have occurred in or after that year.
Juan de Onate married Isabel Tolosa, a descendant of both Cortés and Montezuma. Of this union two children were born.
