List of governors of dependent territories in the 16th century

This is a list of territorial governors in the 16th century (1501–1600) AD, such as the administrators of colonies, protectorates, or other dependencies. Where applicable, native rulers are also listed.

A dependent territory is normally a territory that does not possess full political independence or sovereignty as a sovereign state yet remains politically outside of the controlling state's integral area. The administrators of uninhabited territories are excluded.

England

 * Kingdom of England: English overseas possessions
 * Monarchs

British Isles


 * Guernsey, Crown dependency
 * British monarchs are the Dukes of Normandy
 * Governors
 * Edward Weston, Governor (1486–1509)
 * Richard Weston, Governor (1509–1541)
 * Francis Weston, co-Governor (1533–1536)
 * Richard Long, Governor (1541–1545)
 * Peter Mewtis, Governor (1545–1553)
 * Leonard Chamberlain, Governor (1553–1561)
 * Francis Chamberlain, Governor (1561–1570)
 * Thomas Leighton, Governor (1570–1609)
 * Bailiffs
 * John Martin, Bailiff (1499–1510)
 * James Guille, Bailiff (1511–1537)
 * Thomas Compton, Bailiff (1538–1544)
 * John Haryvell, Bailiff (1545–1549)
 * Hellier Gosselin, Bailiff (1549–1562)
 * Thomas Compton, Bailiff (1562–1570)
 * Guillaume de Beauvoir, Bailiff (1571–1581)
 * Thomas Wigmore, Bailiff (1581–1588)
 * Louis de Vic, Bailiff (1588–1600)


 * Lordship of Ireland, a papal fief of England
 * English monarchs are the Lords of Ireland
 * Lord Deputy of Ireland
 * Gerald FitzGerald, 8th Earl of Kildare (1496–1513)
 * Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare (1513–1518)
 * Sir Maurice Fitzgerald
 * Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey (1520–1522)
 * Piers Butler, 8th Earl of Ormonde (1522–1524)
 * Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare (1524–1529)
 * Sir William Skeffington (1529–1532)
 * Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare (1532–1534)
 * Sir William Skeffington (1534–1535)
 * Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane (1536–1540)


 * Kingdom of Ireland, effectively a client state of England
 * English monarchs are the Monarchs of Ireland
 * Lord Deputy of Ireland
 * Anthony St Leger (1540–1548)
 * Edward Bellingham (1548–1549)
 * Lord Justices (1549–1550)
 * Anthony St Leger (1550–1551)
 * James Croft (1551–1552)
 * Lord Justices (1552–1553)
 * Anthony St Leger (1553–1556)
 * Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex (1556–1558) (Lord Lieutenant 1560–1564)
 * Sir Nicholas Arnold(1564–1565)
 * Sir Henry Sidney (1565–1571) (1575–1578)
 * William FitzWilliam (1571–1575) (1588–1594)
 * Arthur Grey, 14th Baron Grey de Wilton (1580–1582)
 * Sir John Perrot (1584–1588)
 * William Russell, 1st Baron Russell of Thornhaugh (1594–1597)
 * Thomas Burgh, 7th Baron Strabolgi (1597)
 * Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex (Lord Lieutenant of Ireland 1599)

North America


 * Roanoke Colony
 * Governors
 * Walter Raleigh, Lord and Governor (1585–c.1590)
 * Ralph Lane, Acting Governor (1585–1586)
 * John White, Acting Governor (1587)

France

 * Ancien Régime of France: French colonial empire
 * Heads of state

North America


 * New France
 * Lieutenant generals
 * Jean-François Roberval, Lieutenant general (1541–1543)
 * vacant (1543–1598)
 * Marquis de la Roche-Mesgouez, Lieutenant general (1598–1603)

Portugal

 * Kingdom of Portugal: Portuguese colonial empire
 * Monarchs

Africa

 * Portuguese Angola
 * Governors
 * Paulo Dias de Novais, Donatario (1575–1589)
 * Luís Serrão, Governor (1589–1591)
 * André Ferreira Pereira, Governor (1591–1592)
 * Francisco de Almeida, Governor (1592–1593)
 * Jerónimo de Almeida, Governor (1593–1594)
 * João Furtado de Mendonça, Governor (1594–1602)


 * Portuguese Cape Verde
 * Santiago
 * Rodrigo Afonso, Captains (1473–1505)
 * Ribeira Grande
 * Captains
 * Sebastião Álvares de Landim, Captain (1508–?)
 * Fernão Mendes, Captain (1515–c.1516)
 * João Alemão, Captain (1517–?)
 * João Correia de Souza, Captain (1536–?)
 * António Correia de Souza, Captain (1544–?)
 * Manuel de Andrade, Captain (1555–?)
 * Constantino de Bragança, Captain (1562–?)
 * Boa Vista
 * Captains
 * Rodrigo Afonso, Captain (1497–1505)
 * Pêro Correia, Captain (1505–?)
 * António Correia, Captain (?–1542)
 * Maria Correia, Captain (1542–?)
 * Alcatrazes Islands
 * Captains
 * Afonso Ribeiro, Captain (1504–?)
 * Rodrigi Varela, Captain (1508–?)
 * Praia
 * Captains
 * André Rodrigues dos Mosquitos, Captain (1526–1527)
 * Gomes Balieiro, Captain (1527–?)
 * Manuel Correia, Captain (1570–?)
 * Fogo
 * Captains
 * João de Meneses Vasconcellos, conde de Penela, Captain (1528–1529)
 * Afonso de Meneses, conde de Penela, Captain (1528–?)
 * Sal, Santa Luzia and Brava
 * Captains
 * Luís Pereira, Captain (1542–?)
 * Martinho Pereira, Captain (1553–?)
 * Santo Antão
 * Gonçalo de Sousa, Captains (1548–?)
 * Governors of Cape Verde
 * Pêro de Guimarães, Corregedor (?–1517)
 * João Alemão, Corregedor (1517–1521)
 * Leonis Correia, Corregedor (1521–1527)
 * Gaspar Correia, Corregedor (1527–1534)
 * Estêvão de Lagos, Corregedor (1534–1536)
 * André Feio, Corregedor (1536–1541)
 * Simão Afonso, Corregedor (1539–1541)
 * Pêro Moniz, Corregedor (1541–1544)
 * António Ferreira, Corregedor (1544–1547)
 * Pêro de Araujo, Corregedor (1547–1550)
 * Jorge Pimentel, Corregedor (1550–1556)
 * Manuel de Andrade, Corregedor (1556–1559)
 * Luís Martins de Evangelho, Corregedor (1559–1560)
 * Gregório Martins Caminha, Corregedor (1560–1562)
 * Bernardo de Alpoim, Corregedor (1562–1571)
 * António Velho Tinoco, Corregedor (1571–1577)
 * Cristóvão Soares de Mello, Corregedor (1577–1579)
 * Diogo Dias Magro, Corregedor (1579–1584)
 * Gaspar de Andrade, Corregedor (1584–1588)
 * Amador Gomes Raposo, Corregedor (1588–1588)
 * Duarte Lobo da Gama, Governor (1588–1591)
 * Brás Soares de Melo, Governor (1591–1595)
 * Francisco Lobo da Gama, Governor (1597–1603)


 * Portuguese São Tomé
 * Captains, Governors
 * Fernão de Melo, Captain (1499–c.1510)
 * unspecified (c.1510–c.1516)
 * Diogo de Alcáçova, Captain (c.1516–c.1517)
 * João de Melo, Captain (c.1517–1522)
 * Vasco Estevens, Captain (1522–?)
 * unspecified (?–1531)
 * Henrique Pereira, Captain (1531–c.1535)
 * unspecified (c.1535–1541)
 * Diogo Botelho Pereira, Captain (1541–1545)
 * Francisco de Barros de Paiva, Captain (1546–c.1554)
 * Pedro Botelho, Captain (c.1558–?)
 * unspecified (?–1560)
 * Cristóvão Dória de Sousa, Captain (1560–1564)
 * Francisco de Gouveia, Captain (1564–1569)
 * Francisco de Pavia Teles, Captain (1569–1571)
 * Diogo Salema, Captain (1571–1575)
 * António Monteiro Maciel, Captain (1575–c.1582)
 * unspecified (c.1582–c.1584)
 * Francisco Fernandes de Figueiredo, Captain (c.1584–1586), Governor (1586–1587)
 * Miguel Teles de Moura, Governor (1587–1591)
 * Duarte Peixoto da Silva, Governor (1591–1592)
 * Francisco de Vila Nova, Acting Governor (1592–1593)
 * Fernandes de Meneses, Governor (1593–1597)
 * Vasco de Carvalho, Governor (1597–c.1598)
 * João Barbosa da Cunha, Acting Governor (c.1598–1601)


 * Portuguese Moçambique
 * Captains major, Captains general


 * Captaincy of Sofala under Viceroy of India
 * Sancho de Tovar, Captain major (1501–1505)
 * Pêro de Anaia, Captain major (1505–1506)
 * Manuel Fernandes de Meireles, Acting Captain major (1506)
 * Nuno Vaz Pereira, Captain major (1506–1507)
 * Captaincy of Sofala and Moçambique under Viceroy of India
 * Vasco Gomes de Abreu, Captain major (1507–1508)
 * Rui de Brito Patalim, Acting Captain major (1508–1509)
 * António de Saldanha, Captain major (1509–1512)
 * Simão de Miranda de Azevedo, Captain major (1512–1515)
 * Sancho de Tovar, Acting Captain major (1512–1515)
 * Cristóvão de Távora, Captain major (1515–1518)
 * Sancho de Tovar, Captain major (1518–1521)
 * Diogo de Sepúlveda, Captain major (1521–1525)
 * Lopo de Almeida, Captain major (1525–1528)
 * António da Silveira de Meneses, Captain major (1528–1531)
 * Vicente Pegado, Captain major (1531–1538)
 * Alexio Chicorro, Captain major (1538–1541)
 * João de Sepúlveda, Captain major (1541–1548)
 * Fernão de Sousa de Távora, Captain major (1548–1551)
 * Diogo de Mesquita, Captain major (1551–1553)
 * Diogo de Sousa, Captain major (1553–1557)
 * Sebastião de Sá, Captain major (1557–1560)
 * Pantaleão de Sá, Captain major (1560–1564)
 * Jerónimo Barreto, Captain major (1564–1567)
 * Pedro Barreto Rolim, Captain major (1567–1569)
 * Captaincy-general of Moçambique
 * Francisco Barreto, Captain general (1569–1573)
 * Vasco Fernandes Homem, Acting Captain general (1573–1577)
 * Fernando Monroi, Acting Captain general (1577)
 * Simão de Silveira, Acting Captain general (1577)
 * Pedro de Castro, Captain general (1577–1582)
 * Nuno Pereira, Captain general (1582–1586)
 * Jorge Telo de Meneses, Captain general (1586–1589)
 * Lourenço de Brito, Captain general (1589–1590)
 * Pedro de Sousa, Captain general (1590–1595)
 * Nuno da Cunha Ataíde, Captain general (1595–1598)
 * Álvaro Abranches, Captain general (1598–1601)


 * Portuguese Tangier
 * Governors
 * Lopo Vaz de Azevedo, Governor (1490?–1501)
 * João de Meneses, Governor (1501–1508)
 * Duarte de Meneses, Governor (1508–1521)
 * Henrique de Meneses, Governor (1521–1522)
 * Duarte de Meneses, from Évora, Governor (1522–1533)
 * Gonçalo Mendes Sacoto, Governor (1533–1536)
 * Duarte de Meneses, Governor (1536–1539)
 * João de Meneses, Governor (1539–1546)
 * Francisco Botelho, Governor (1546–1548)
 * Pedro de Meneses, Governor (1548–1550)
 * João Álvares de Azevedo, Governor (1550–1552)
 * Luís de Loureiro, Governor (1552–1553)
 * Fernando de Menezes, Governor (1553)
 * Luís da Silva de Meneses, Governor (1553–1554)
 * Bernardim de Carvalho, Governor (1554–1564)
 * Lourenço de Távora, Governor (1564–1566)
 * João de Meneses, Governor (1566–1572)
 * Rui de Carvalho, Governor (1572–1573)
 * Diogo Lopes da Franca, Governor (1573–1574)
 * António of Portugal, Governor (1574)
 * Duarte de Meneses, Viceroy of Portuguese India, Governor (1574–1578)
 * Pedro da Silva, Governor (1578)
 * Jorge de Mendonça, Governor (1578–1581)
 * Francisco de Almeida, Governor (1581–1590)
 * Belchior da França, Simão Lopes de Mendonça, Governor (1590–1591)
 * Aires de Saldanha, Governor (1591–1599)
 * António Pereira Lopes de Berredo, Governor (1599–1605)

Asia

 * Portuguese India

South America

 * Colonial Brazil
 * Governors general
 * Tomé de Sousa, Governor general (1549–1553)
 * Duarte da Costa, Governor general (1553-1558)
 * Mem de Sá, Governor general (1558-1572)
 * Luís de Brito de Almeida, Governor general (1573-1578, Bahia)
 * Cristóvão de Barros, Governor general (1572-1574, Rio de Janeiro)
 * Lourenço da Veiga, Governor general (1578-1581)
 * António Barreiros, Interim Governor general (1581-1583)
 * Manuel Teles Barreto, Governor general (1583-1587)
 * António Barreiros, Interim Governor general (1587-1591)
 * D. Francisco de Sousa, Governor general (1591-1602)

Spain

 * Habsburg Spain: Spanish colonial empire
 * Monarchs

Caribbean

 * Colony of Santiago
 * Governors
 * Juan de Esquivel, Governor (1510–1514)
 * Francisco de Garay, Governor (1514–1523)
 * Pedro de Mazuelo, Governor (1523–1526)
 * Juan de Mendegurren, Governor (1526–1527)
 * Santino de Raza, Governor (1527–1531)
 * Gonzalo de Guzman, Governor (?–1532)
 * Manuel de Rojas, Governor (1532–?)
 * Gil González Dávila, Governor (1533?–1534?)
 * Manuel de Rojas, Governor (1536–?)
 * Pedro Cano, Governor (1539?)
 * Francisco de Pina, Governor (1544?)
 * Juan González de Hinojosa, Governor (1556?)
 * Pedro Cano, Governor (1558?)
 * Blas de Melo, Governor (1565?)
 * Juan de Gaudiel, Governor (1567?–1572?)
 * Hernán Manrique de Rojas, Governor (1575?)
 * Iñigo Fuentes, Governor (?–1577)
 * Rodrigo Núñez de la Peña, Governor (1577–1578)
 * Lucas del Valle Alvarado, Governor (1578–1583?)
 * Diego Fernández de Mercado, Governor (1586?)
 * Lucas del Valle Alvarado, Governor (1591?)
 * García del Valle, Governor (1596?)
 * Fernando Melgarejo Córdoba, Governor (1596–1606)

Europe

 * Spanish Netherlands
 * Governors
 * Engelbert II of Nassau, Governor (1501-1504)
 * William de Croÿ, Governor (1504-1507)
 * Margaret of Austria, Governor (1507-1530)
 * Mary of Austria, Governor (1531-1555)
 * Emmanuel Philibert of Savoy, Governor (1555-1559)
 * Margaret of Parma, Governor (1559-1567)
 * Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, Governor (1567-1573)
 * Luis de Requesens y Zúñiga, Governor (1573-1576)
 * John of Austria, Governor (1576-1578)
 * Alexander Farnese, Governor (1578-1592)
 * Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld-Vorderort, Governor (1592-1594)
 * Ernest of Austria, Governor (1594-1595)
 * Pedro Henriquez de Acevedo, Governor (1595-1596)
 * Albert of Austria, Governor (1596-1598)

North America

 * Azcapotzalco part of the Triple Alliance of the Aztec Empire (1428-1521)
 * Don Carlos Oquiztzin, Tlatoani (English: "Ruler" or "King") (1499-1520?)
 * Cuauhnahuac dependency of Aztec Empire (1403=1520)
 * Tehuehuetzin, Tlatoani (ruler or governor) (before 1491–1504)
 * Itzohuatzin (or Yoatzin), Tlatoani (?-1520)
 * Ecatepec
 * Part of the Triple Alliance of the Aztec Empire (1428-1521)
 * Chimalpilli II, 4th Tlatoani (1498-1520)


 * Dependency of New Spain (1521-1547)
 * Diego de Alvarado Huanitzin, 5th Tlatoani (1520–1539)
 * Don Diego Quauhpotonqui, 6th Tlatoani (1539-1547)


 * New Spain complete list —
 * Governor of the West Indies
 * Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, governor-general of Cuba (1518–1524)
 * Governors of New Spain
 * Hernán Cortés, governor and captain-general (1521, 1521–1524, 1526)
 * Cristóbal de Tapia, governor (1521)
 * Alonso de Estrada, Rodrigo de Albornoz, Alonso de Zuazo, Triumvirate (1524)
 * Gonzalo de Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Chirino, Alonso de Zuazo, Triumvirate (1524–1525)
 * Gonzalo de Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Chirino, Alonso de Estrada, Rodrigo de Albornoz, Alonso de Zuazo, Triumvirate (1525)
 * Gonzalo de Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Chirino, Alonso de Zuazo, Triumvirate (1525)
 * Gonzalo de Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Chirino, Triumvirate (1525–1526)
 * Alonso de Estrada, Rodrigo de Albornoz, Triumvirate (1526)
 * Luis Ponce de León, Triumvirate (1526)
 * Marcos de Aguilar, Governor (1526–1527)
 * Alonso de Estrada, Gonzalo de Sandoval, Luis de la Torre, Triumvirate (1527)
 * Alonso de Estrada, Luis de la Torre, Triumvirate (1527–1528)
 * Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, Juan Ortiz de Matienzo, Diego Delgadillo, Triumvirate (1528–1529)
 * Juan Ortiz de Matienzo, Diego Delgadillo, Triumvirate (1529–1531)
 * Sebastián Ramírez de Fuenleal, Vasco de Quiroga, Juan de Salmerón, Alonso de Maldonado, Francisco Ceinos, Triumvirate (1531–1535)


 * Viceroys
 * Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy (1535–1550)
 * Luís de Velasco, Viceroy (1550–1564)
 * Gastón de Peralta, Viceroy (1566–1567)
 * Alonso Muñoz and Luis Carrillo, Viceroys (1567–1568)
 * Martín Enríquez de Almanza, Viceroy (1568–1580)
 * Lorenzo Suárez de Mendoza, Viceroy (1580–1583)
 * Pedro Moya de Contreras, Viceroy (1584–1585)
 * Álvaro Manrique de Zúñiga, Viceroy (1585–1590)
 * Luis de Velasco, Viceroy (1590–1595, 1607–1611)
 * Gaspar de Zúñiga, Viceroy (1595–1603)

Tenochtitlan (dependency of New Spain)
 * Juan Velázquez Tlacotzin, 13th Tlatoani (1525-1526)
 * Andrés de Tapia Motelchiuh, 14th Tlatoani (1525–1530)
 * Pablo Xochiquentzin, Cuauhtlatoani (Eagle Captain) (1536)
 * Diego de Alvarado Huanitzin, 15th Tlatoani of Mexico-Tenochtitlan and 1st governor of San Juan Tenochtitlan (1539–1541)
 * Diego de San Francisco Tehuetzquititzin, 16th Tlatoani of Mexico-Tenochtitlan and 2nd governor of San Juan Tenochtitlan (1541-1554)
 * Esteban de Guzmán, judge of San Juan Tenochtitlan (1554-1557)
 * Cristóbal de Guzmán Cecetzin, 17th Tlatoani of Mexico-Tenochtitlan and 3rd governor of San Juan Tenochtitlan (1557-1562)
 * Luis de Santa María Nanacacipactzin, 18th Tlatoani of Mexico-Tenochtitlan and 4th governor of San Juan Tenochtitlan (1563–1565)

South America

 * Governorate of New Castile
 * Governors
 * Francisco Pizarro, Governor (1528–1541)
 * Cristóbal Vaca de Castro, Governor (1541–1544)
 * Gonzalo Pizarro, usurper Governor (1544–1548)


 * Viceroyalty of Peru
 * Viceroys
 * Blasco Núñez Vela, Viceroy (1544–1546)
 * Pedro de la Gasca, Viceroy (1546–1549)
 * Antonio de Mendoza, Viceroy (1550–1551)
 * Melchor Bravo de Saravia, Viceroy (1552–1556)
 * Andrés Hurtado de Mendoza, Viceroy (1556–1561)
 * Diego López de Zúñiga, Viceroy (1561–1564)
 * Juan de Saavedra, Viceroy (1564)
 * Lope García de Castro, Viceroy (1564–1569)
 * Francisco de Toledo, Viceroy (1569-1581)
 * Martín Enríquez de Almanza, Viceroy (1581–1583)
 * Cristóbal Ramírez de Cartagena, Viceroy (1584)
 * Fernando Torres de Portugal y Mesía, Viceroy (1584–1589)
 * García Hurtado de Mendoza, Viceroy (1590–1596)
 * Luis de Velasco, Viceroy (1596–1604)