Un capitán en el «ejército» de Indias en el siglo XVI: Juan de Ribamartín (1521-1576)

The discovery and conquest of the American continent attracted a part of the Spanish population that still saw the life of a knight as an ideal. A case in point is Juan de Ribamartin, a gentleman born in the Tobalina Valley (Burgos), who embarked on the voyage to New Spain to pursue a military career with a view to maintaining his family’s social rank and acquiring wealth commensurate with his social status. Despite his great endeavours in the Crown’s service for 35 years and travelling virtually all over the continent, putting both his person and his property at risk, Ribamartin was not rewarded as he deserved. He is an example of how, despite its awareness of the effort required to defend the new continent’s territories, the Spanish monarchy was unable to reciprocate in equal measure.