Which treats of the foundation of the city of Leon de Huanuco, and who was its founder.

TO describe the founding of the city of Leon de Huanuco, it must be understood, first, that when the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro founded the rich City of the Kings in the valleys and deserts of the coasts, all the provinces which were then within the jurisdiction of that city had to do service, and the citizens held encomiendas over the chiefs. And the tyrant Yllatopa, with other Indians of his tribe, waged war against the natives of the district, and ruined the villages, so that the repartimientos became excessive. At the same time many of the conquerors were without any encomienda of Indians. The Marquis was, therefore, desirous of gratifying these Spaniards, especially some who had followed the Adelantado Don Diego de Almagro, and had afterwards become his friends, by giving them Indians. He wished to satisfy those who had laboured for his Majesty by giving them some profit from the land; and, notwithstanding that the municipality of the City of the Kings protested against what they thought might be to their detriment, he named the captain Gomez de Alvarado, brother to the Adelantado Don Pedro de Alvarado, as his lieutenant to found a city in the province called Huanuco, with a small force of Spanish soldiers. Thus Gomez de Alvarado set out, and, after some encounters with the natives, he founded the city of Leon de Huanuco, and named persons to hold offices in it. After some years the new city was abandoned on account of the general insurrection throughout the kingdom. Pedro Barroso returned to build this city again. Finally, with powers from the licentiate Cristoval Vaca de Castro, after the bloody battle of Chupas, Pedro de Puelles completed the settlement, Juan de Varagas and others having previously captured the tyrant Yllatopa. It may, therefore, be said that Gomez de Alvarado founded the city, for he gave it the name it now bears, and if it was abandoned afterwards, this was more from necessity than from inclination. It was founded in the name of his Majesty, by the authority of the Marquis Don Francisco Pizarro, his governor and captain-general in this kingdom, in the year of the Lord 1539.