Quick Facts
Biography
Enrique de Olavide y Michelena was the Governor of New Mexico (1746–1809) and the Mariana Islands (1749–1756 and 1768–1771).
Career
Enrique de Olavide y Michelena was appointed Governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México in 1736.
Michelena, accepting a petition of Alferez Juan Josh Moreno, designated seven grazing lands (Cara Del Rio, Santa Cruz or San Marcos), to be exclusively used to graze herds of horses. Owners of herds of cattle and flocks of sheep were notified that these lands would now be designated for horse grazing only. They were ordered to move from these newly designated lands in fifty days or pay a fine of fifty pesos.
Toward the end of his term of appointment, in 1738, Olavide y Michelina visited Albuquerque. Nicolas Duran De Chavez asked him for a grant that would allow him to maintain his large family (9 children) and to graze non-equine livestock on the newly designated lands. Michelina refused, but gave him permission to use the lands temporarily, until a new governor was appointed to New Mexico to officially grant the request.
He was replaced by Gaspar Domingo de Mendoza in the New Mexico government in 1738.
On 8 September 1749, Olavide y Michelina was appointed governor of the Mariana Islands. As the new governor, he promoted the settlement of voluntary families on the Guam island, allowing development. The law was based on the law of the Spanish Crown. At least 6 families came to the islands. Olavide y Michelena ended his term as Governor on 6 November 1756. Andrés del Barrio y Rábago replaced him. He was appointed Governor of the Mariana Islands a second time on 9 June 1768, ending this term on 15 September 1771. Mariano Tobias was appointed the next Governor of the islands.