Sebastián de Eslava
Sebastián de Eslava y Lazaga (January 19, 1685 in Enériz, Navarre – June 21, 1759 in Madrid) was a Spanish general and colonial official. From April 24, 1740 to November 6, 1749 he was viceroy of the newly reestablished Viceroyalty of New Granada. He was governing the viceregal at the time of the defeat of British Admiral Edward Vernon at the Battle of Cartagena de Indias. After his death he was named marqués de la Real Defensa de Cartagena de Indias. The reestablishment of the Viceroyalty of New Granada In 1740 the Viceroyalty of the Nuevo Reino de Granada (New Granada) was reestablished. This part of South America, including what are today the countries of Venezuela, Colombia, Panama and Ecuador, had originally been part of the Viceroyalty of Peru. It was removed from Peru and established as the separate viceroyalty of New Granada in 1718. However, this first viceregal establishment lasted only from 1718 to 1724. In 1724 it was returned to Peru. There were difficulties governing this large territory from Lima, however. In 1740 New Granada was reestablished as a viceroyalty, for the same reasons as it had originally been established — large distances, growing population, tax collection, defense,