Note 185 — Chapter XLIV

Diego Maldonado, a native of Salamanca, was one of the first conquerors of Peru, and one of the richest. He had a house in the great square of Cuzco. When the hospital was founded there, he, as senior Regidor, placed a plaque of silver with his arms engraved on it, under the first stone. He was put in prison by Almagro, with many others; and fought on the side of Vaca de Castro, at the battle of Chupas, when Almagro the lad was defeated; and he fled from the army of Gonzalo Pizarro, to keep himself and his riches on the loyal side. But he found it safer to feign submission and follow Gonzalo’s camp. Then news came that his life was forfeited, so he fled from his tent near Lima in the dead of night; though over sixty-eight years of age, ran all night on foot, and hid himself in a cane brake. Next day an Indian took pity on him, made up a bundle of reeds and pushed out to sea, the two sitting across the bundle as on a horse. They were just able to reach one of the ships of Lorenzo de Aldana in Callao bay, which were on the loyal side. He eventually returned to Cuzco and once more became a leading citizen there, taking a part in making the peace between the authorities and Francisco Hernandez Giron. He was with Alonzo de Alvarado in his campaign against Giron, and strongly dissuaded him from giving battle at Chuquinga, where he was defeated. Maldonado was wounded at Pucara, in the last fight with Giron, but survived for twelve years afterwards, living at Cuzco and on his Andahuaylas estates.