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TOLEDO, Garcia de, Spanish missionary, born in
Oropesa, Spain, about 1510; died in Talavera, Spain, about 1583. He accompanied
the viceroy, Mendoza, to Mexico in 1535. After a short but brilliant career as
statesman, he entered the convent of St. Dominic in Mexico.
On the demand of his family he was sent back to Spain,
where he became the spiritual director of St. Teresa, and his frequent
conversations with this eminent woman only made him more anxious to devote his
life to the service of the Indians.
In 1569 his cousin, Francisco de Toledo, was named
viceroy of Peru, and invited the Dominican to accompany him as spiritual
adviser. He was beginning to exercise his ministry in Lima when the viceroy
asked him to be his confidential adviser on a tour of the provinces. This
journey was followed by several others, during one of which he converted a tribe
of Indians, among whom he founded a city to which he gave the name of Oropesa.
Among the advantages that the Peruvians drew from these
visits were a number of ordinances approved by the great council of the Indies.
These ordinances were drawn up by him, and for a long time formed the basis of
the civil law and the rule of Peruvian society.
In 1577 he was elected provincial of Peru. In spite of
his great age and infirmities, he visited every part of his province, founded
several convents, and repaired old ones.
He was in a certain sense the second founder of the
University of Lima. He obtained from his cousin the funds needed for the
construction of new buildings, as the old ones had become too small for the
increasing number, of students.
In 1581 he returned to Spain.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, by John Looby Copyright © 2001
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TOLEDO, Garcia de, Spanish missionary, born in Oropesa, Spain, about 1510; died in Talavera, Spain, about 1583. He accompanied the viceroy, Mendoza, to Mexico in 1535. After a short but brilliant career as statesman, he entered the convent of St. Dominick in Mexico. On the demand of his family he was sent back to Spain, where he became the spiritual director of St. Teresa, and his frequent conversations with this eminent woman only made him more anxious to devote his life to the service of the Indians. In 1569 his cousin, Francisco de Toledo, was named viceroy of Peru, and invited the Dominican to accompany him as spiritual adviser. He was beginning to exercise his ministry in Lima when the viceroy asked him to be his confidential adviser on a tour of the provinces. This journey was followed by several others, during one of which he converted a tribe of Indians, among whom he founded a city to which he gave the name of Oropesa. Among the advantages that the Peruvians drew from these visits were a number of ordinances up-proved by the great council of the Indies. These ordinances were drawn up by him, and for a long time formed the basis of the civil law and the rule of Peruvian society. In 1577 he was elected provincial of Peru. In spite of his great age and infirmities, he visited every part of his province, founded several convents, and repaired old ones. He was in a certain sense the second founder of the University of Lima. He obtained from his cousin the funds needed for the construction of new buildings, as the old ones had become too small for the increasing number, of students. In 1581 he returned to Spain.
