New Granada, New Mexico, Cibola...

Our history has to be one of the most confusing things out there. Unfortunately this world does not care about our real past. Bits and pieces that we uncover here are too random and disorganized to turn into some kind of system. Nevertheless, some of the things we stumble upon are rather interesting, and possibilities of true historical developments presented by such discoveries are intriguing.

Various Granadas
I am not sure we can definitely pinpoint the location of this elusive (for me it is) Granada or New Granada. For whatever reason this Granada ended up being a very popular name to use. Judge for yourself:
The first two links above we are not interested in, within the scope of this article. It's the other three that I somewhat plan on using, at the same time they do not really cover the area in question presented below. These Wikipedia Granadas were located in South/Central America. Today we have these New Granada territories occupied by countries like Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname and such. If you remember, the article title mentions North America... we will get to it.

New Kingdom of Granada
1538–1739
The New Kingdom of Granada, or Kingdom of the New Granada, was the name given to a group of 16th-century Spanish colonial provinces in northern South America governed by the president of the Audiencia of Santa Fe, an area corresponding mainly to modern-day Colombia, Panama and Venezuela. The conquistadors originally organized it as a captaincy general within the Viceroyalty of Peru. The crown established the audiencia in 1549. Ultimately the kingdom became part of the Viceroyalty of New Granada first in 1717 and permanently in 1739. After several attempts to set up independent states in the 1810s, the kingdom and the viceroyalty ceased to exist altogether in 1819 with the establishment of Gran Colombia.

1661
1665-NG.jpg

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1630
1367px-Terra_Firma_et_Novum_Regnum_Granatense_et_Popayan_-_CBT_6621102.jpg


Viceroyalty of New Granada
1717–1821
The Viceroyalty of New Granada was the name given on 27 May 1717, to the jurisdiction of the Spanish Empire in northern South America, corresponding to modern Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. The territory corresponding to Panama was incorporated later in 1739, and the provinces of Venezuela were separated from the Viceroyalty and assigned to the Captaincy General of Venezuela in 1777. In addition to these core areas, the territory of the Viceroyalty of New Granada included Guyana, southwestern Suriname, parts of northwestern Brazil, and northern Peru.
Viceroyalty of New Granada.jpg

Notice: Lake Parime is on the map.

Republic of New Granada
1831–1858
The Republic of New Granada was a centralist unitary republic consisting primarily of present-day Colombia and Panama with smaller portions of today's Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, and Brazil. It was created after the dissolution of Gran Colombia in 1830, with the secession of Ecuador (Quito, Guayaquil and Azuay) and Venezuela (with Orinoco, Apure and Zulia). In November 1831, with the adoption a new constitution, the country was officially renamed New Grenada, but had no official currency, iconography, coat of arms or flag upon establishment. Older flags of Gran Colombia were confirmed as provisional by the National Convention of 17 December 1831. It is not clear which flag was chosen: Restrepo believes that it was the flag with the two cornucopias of Gran Colombia. While new flags were being discussed, some proposals were issued. On 9 May 1834, the national flag was adopted and was used until 26 November 1861, with the Gran Colombian colors in Veles' arrangement.
Provincias_de_la_Nueva_Granada_1851.jpg


Ancient New Granada
aka Granata Nova
At the same time prior to the kingdom, Viceroyalty and Republic of New Granada, there was a totally different territory bearing the same name. That older "New Granada" was located in the North America and it was no small chunk of land. On some of the maps it is called Granada, but it is predominantly New Granada. It appears that New Granada was considered by some to be a part of New Mexico. This New Mexico had nothing to do with the present day Mexico though. Additionally, it appears to be safe to conclude that ancient Granada, which probably was later renamed to New Granada, also had a city bearing the same name.

1737
1737 new granada.jpg

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1566 Map
1566 Granada.jpg

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1597
granata-nova.jpg

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1625
1625-Granada.jpg

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1641
1641-Granada-2.jpg

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1659
ng-3.jpg

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Anyways, there tons of these maps showing New Granada in North America. Maps can only tell us so much. Somehow, and I would guess through my education, I knew about South American, Spanish and island Granadas. But the one in North America caught me by surprise, and the info is pretty scarce.


Not a word of Columbus?
america-1.jpg

1679 Atlas Minimus

Why would we even have these Granada shenanigans? Did they not have enough other words to use, assuming that conquerors are to be credited with any original names in the New World. Whose word was "Mexico?" And what if this Granada confusion is caused by its direct relation to the Seven Lost Cities of Gold aka Seven Lost Cities of Cibola?
  • I have never heard of these 9 Provinces of New Mexico. I've seen these names on various maps, but I have never thought they would end up being broken down like that.

New-Mexico.jpg

Source
Based on this 1679 Atlas Minimus, it appears (to me) that New Mexico could have been some sort of an independent confederation.

new-Mexico-11.jpg

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I will re-post the cutout from this 1737 pub. Does it sound like they know much about the area?

1737 new granada.jpg

The North American New Granada, as well as New Mexico appear to have been no monarch's colonies. If it they were no colonies, than what were they, who named them and who lived there? Who did the West Coast of North America belong to until about 1840s?


By the way, based on this Atlas Minimus, we know what people back than called American Continents:
  • North America - Mexicana
  • South America - Peruana
KD: Figured some could be interested in this stuff. Cheers.
 
1587 Urbano Monte
NUEVA GALICIA.jpg

I also find interesting the relationship of names that can be counted historically with Galicia.
Will they have any relationship?
In Mexico there are certain areas with concentrations of light-skinned people who are historically attributed to the conquests, what if not? Xalisco = Jalisco, Guadalajare. In Mexico it is well known for its tall people and fair skin.
Historically and officially, Jalisco was the only empire that could compete with the Aztecs militarily, and if everything agrees with what I previously explained about the Aztecs: Welcome to Tenochtitlan as it was in 1520 with people from Galicia, Wales, Galicia, etc. In Xalisco (Nueva Galicia) the panorama becomes interesting.
 
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