Hernan Peraza the Elder

Biography

Hernán Peraza was likely born in Seville at the end of the fourteenth century, the second son of Gonzalo Pérez Martel, VI Lord of Almonaster, and Leonor Ruiz Peraza. His father held several offices including Major Collector of Seville and Procurator in the Court of Madrid in 1391. By 1410 Peraza was engaged in the olive oil trade from his olive groves in Valdeflores, where he was lord. He also served as warden of the Castle of Matrera in 1420, and was a Faithful Executor and a Knight veintiquatro of Seville. During the 1430s he acted in the Canary Islands on behalf of Guillén de las Casas and his father-in-law Juan, who owned rights to them. Through his father, Peraza owned certain rights over the lordship of the islands, thanks to a grant by King Enrique III of Castile to Gonzalo in 1391 to conquer them. From his marriage to Inés de las Casas, Peraza received dominion of Fuerteventura as a dowry from his father-in-law. In 1445 he traded his estate in Huévar with Guillén de las Casas for the rights Guillén held over Tenerife, La Gomera, La Palma, and Gran Canaria, as well as rights acquired from the Count of Niebla in 1430 for El Hierro and Lanzarote, effectively unifying control of most of the Canary Islands under Peraza. He relocated to the islands in 1447 with his son Guillén and three ships, first taking possession of Fuerteventura, where they were well received. While organizing the new government of Fuerteventura, Peraza also organized expeditions to other islands for slaves and loot. A ship led by a relative, carrying his son Guillén, made an incursion on La Palma where the natives defeated the conquerors and Guillén died. The other two ships, under Biscayan captain Juan Machín, arrived at El Hierro and captured the daughter of the island king.