Luis de Horruytiner was born in
Zaragoza,
Spain, to Mosén Gilbert Benedit de Huessa and María de Horruytiner. He had a brother, Mosén Gilbert Benedit y Horruytiner. His family was prominent in
Saint Augustine, the capital of
La Florida, and operated several cattle ranches on their land along the
Rio San Juan (
St. Johns River). In 1630, Horruytiner was appointed
alcaide, or commander, of the
Castillo del Morro in
Havana,
Cuba. On July 29, 1633, Horruytiner began his term as governor of the province of
La Florida. In autumn of 1633, Hurruytiner and Friar Lorenzo Martinez agreed to send to Florida two Franciscan friars who knew the Indian language and would work to convert the indigenous population of Apalachee to Catholicism. The native village that preceded the mission settlement of San Luis as capital of the Apalachee was called
Anhaica Apalache, a name mentioned in the chronicles of the
Hernando de Soto expedition. Mission San Luis was likely named in honor of Luis Horruytiner. Hurruytiner sent ships from St. Augustine to find a port on the Gulf coast of Florida to replace the long and difficult land route supplying the mission; the expedition found a suitable port at the mouth of the
St. Marks River. Hurruytiner dispatched sergeant major Antonio de Herrera López y Mesa to the western mission provinces to negotiate a peace with the leaders of the warring parties: the unchristianized
Chacato who lived to the west of Apalachee, the towns of
Apalachicola Province to the northwest, and the Amacano to the southeast. López summoned the leaders of each of the warring parties and brokered a treaty between all the combatants. Luis de Horruytiner finished his term as governor of Florida on November 26, 1638, and was succeeded by Damián de Vega Castro y Pardo. == References ==