New Spain

New Spain (in Spanish: Nueva España) was the name given to the incorporated territories of the Spanish Empire in North America, Central America, the Caribbean and the Philippines. Following the fall of the Aztec Empire in 1521 and the capture of its leader Cuauhtemoc, the conquistador Hernán Cortés was left in charge of vast tracts of unfamiliar land. In 1522 King Carlos V made Cortes Governor and Captain General of New Spain. In 1535, the territories were made a viceroyalty with Antonio de Mendoza the first viceroy.

Virgen de Loreto by Josep Antonio de Ayala