MHT
LERCARO HOUSE
MHT
LERCARO HOUSE
LERCARO HOUSE In the
MHT
you can learn about the history of
Tenerife from the XV to the XX century. The way institutions, society, economy and cultural life evolved in that period. In this XVI century house you can follow these changes, and find interesting materials. Enjoy the cartography room and learn about the Lercaro family.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS: TENERIFE ISLAND SEVEN CHRISTIANIZATION EIGHT INSTITUTIONS NINE POPULATION TEN ECONOMY ELEVEN JOBS AND ACTIVITIES TWELVE XIX AND XX CENTURY THIRTEEN MAPS FOURTEEN LERCARO FAMILY FIFTEEN
IES. CANARIAS CABRERA PINTO. CLIL PROGRAMME Carmen Nieves Hernรกndez Brito. 4ยบ ESO A. CURSO 2015-16.
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TENERIFE ISLAND TENERIFE IS SIMILAR TO A PYRAMID WITH THE TEIDE AT THE TOP. IT IS A VOLCANIC ISLAND FORMED FROM CONTINUOUS ERUPTIONS FROM THE MIOCENE. MOUNTAINS CREATE DIFFERENT MICROCLIMATES; COASTAL AREAS IN THE NORTH ARE RUGGED, WITH HIGH CLIFFS. WATER IS SCARCE, MOST OF IT IS TAKEN FROM GALLERIES, WELLS, OR RESERVOIRS.
The first references to the islands can be found in Greek and Latin authors. Myths and legendary creatures appear in them: the islands are mentioned as The Elysian Fields, The Islands of the Ventured, Fortunate Islands, The Garden of the Hesperides, The legend of Atlantis, Saint Brendan, and the mysterious island that appears and then disappears in the middle of the mist.
They are described as “paradise on earth”, with amazing forests. However, the islands' vegetation changed dramatically after the conquest when colonization, agriculture, and new species were introduced. A lot of forested areas disappeared.
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CRISTIANIZATION D. Alonso Fernandez de Lugo was empowered by the Catholic kings to conquer the island and to give lands and water to the people who had helped him. At that time the island was divided in 9 groups, called menceyatos. D. Alonso Fernández de Lugo managed to make treaties with some of them, so he had some allies: Anaga, Güimar, Abona and Adeje. He fought the other groups: Tegueste, Tacoronte, Taoro, Icod and Daute; that way he managed to conquer the last island, Tenerife. You can see an añepa (stick that showed who held the power), coins and weapons from that time. Le Canarien, edited in 1630 is one of the most important pieces in the museum. It contains The History of the Conquest of the Canary Islands and a Navigation document from 1629.
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The conquest took place from 1402 -Lanzarote- to 1494 -Tenerife. Religious missions were in charge of Christianizing the population. The aborigines had a god called Achamán, (the one who holds the sky and the land). However, the local population slowly started to accept new Christian rites and religious figures, for example The Virgin of Candelaria, introduced by the Franciscans. Trade with European countries helped introducing religious figures. This means today we have interesting Flemish pieces from the XVI century in the museum.”Saint Thomas of Aquinas”, “Melquisedec Offering to Abraham”, “The Last Dinner”. They were part of a piece which had 6 paintings.The picture “Saint Jerónimo in his Study”, is a typical representation of Saint Jerome meditating about death.
INSTITUTIONS Institutions developed following the Castilian rules. Churches and monasteries were important institutions. XV CENTURY • •
The Bishopric (1485): churches and monasteries were created. The Council (1496): they were in charge of governing each island.
XVI CENTURY • • • • •
Inquisition Tribunal. It disappeared in 1820 The Adelantado (1502): Alonso Fernández de Lugo got the title of Adelantado, granted by the king. He became governor of La Palma and Tenerife. The Royal Audience (1526): The Court of Justice was the most important political institution The General Captain (1589): The government of the Archipelago is unified. D. Luis de la Cueva y Benavides is designed. The Army: It was organised because the islands suffered attacks from pirates.
XVIII CENTURY •
The University (1744): The university of San Agustín.
XIX CENTURY • • • •
Nivariense Bishopric (1819). Supreme Junta (1808): It assumed political power and represented the Archipelago. Civil Government (1812): A civil governor was designed. The University of La Laguna (1792): the University of San Fernando was founded.
XX CENTURY • Councils: (1921). They are political and economic governments on each island. Each Civil Governor represented the political power.
FATHER ANCHIETA WAS BORN IN LA LAGUNA ON 19 MARCH, 1534. AT A VERY YOUNG AGE, HE WAS SENT TO PORTUGAL TO STUDY. HE BECAME A JESUIT AND TRAVELLED TO BRAZIL AT 19. HE WORKED THERE FOR FORTY YEARS AS A MISSIONARY. HE IS COMMONLY KNOWN AS “THE APOSTLE OF BRAZIL”. HE FOUNDED SAO PAULO, AND PARTICIPATED IN THE FOUNDATION OF RIO DE JANEIRO. HE LEARNED TUPÍ LANGUAGE. THIS HELPED HIM TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE I N D I A N S . PA C I F I C AT I O N A N D EVANGELIZATION WAS EASIER. HE WAS CANONIZED BY POPE FRANCIS IN 2014.
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NEW POPULATION PLAN OF LA LAGUNA, Torriani (1588) LEONARDO TORRIANI WAS AN ITALIAN ENGINEER. AT THE END OF THE XVI CENTURY THE KING FELIPE II SENT HIM TO CHECK THE FORTIFICATIONS AND DEFENSE ON THE ISLAND. HE DREW PLANS OF THE ISLAND.
After the conquest it was necessary to find population for the island, as the local population suffered from war, epidemics or slavery. This means They had cattle and collected some products (from sea and land). Guanches, Gomeros and Canarians were a minority. The new settlers were Europeans and Africans. People from the mainland were the most abundant: Andalusians where the biggest group. They were in charge of the conquest and became owners of big areas of land. Population from Extremadura or Castile didn't play such an important role. However there were some important religious and political leaders and traders. Basque were in charge of transport and commerce. Galicians transport and agriculture. There also were quite a lot of Portuguese, but they didn't hold much power, they were mainly artisans and farmers (they introduced sugar trade). Other Europeans who moved to the islands were traders from Florence, Genoese, British, French origin. Genoese paid for the conquest, so they
became the most powerful group. They had financial inventions: bill of exchange. There were also Africans. Berber and Guinea slaves. They worked on the sugar trade and cutting trees. The conquest changed the economy: from cattle and recollection of some products to a more complex one. The conquerors received land and water* according to their contribution to the conquest. In exchange, they compromised to cut the forests and prepare land to cultivate certain products (sugar cane). The aim was to get enough products to feed the people and export goods as sugar cane, which was very appreciated at the time. Most of the land suitable for cultivating was owned by the churches, convents and mayorazgos. Small and medium properties became also abundant (they were divided when the older generation died). Big areas of land were owned by the crown, municipalities, church and noblemen: The Adeje señorío, Santiago del Teide, etc.
LUIS DE LA CRUZ AND RÍOS, A XIX CENTURY PAINTER OF PORTRAITS AND MINIATURES, FROM PUERTO DE LA CRUZ. Portrait of Antonio Lercaro Justiniani and Ponte. Portrait of the Royal Watchmaker, Manuel de Rivas.
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ECONOMY
Trade on the islands became important because they were necessary stops on the way to America. It was also necessary because of the limited products and fragmented territory. PRODUCTS Some products, usually grown in small properties, were for locals: potatoes, corn, cereals, legumes, milk, cheese. While others were for exportation, usually grown in bigger properties: potatoes, corn, sugar cane (XVI).
From the middle of XVI wine trade replaced sugar cane. It was sold at a higher price, and didn't need so much work. A lot of land was used for wine, even where cereals had been grown, especially on the North of the island, Acentejo, Tacoronte, Geneto, even coastal areas. However, in 1680 Portuguese wine replaced Canarian ones in England, and crisis hit the islands again. It meant new products were needed again. Meanwhile, a great number of people emigrated to America, “the promised land”.
TRADE WITH EUROPE: XVI century: sugar was the most important product Genoese and Flemish were in charge. Textiles, metallurgic and ornaments were imported. XVII century: wine trade, especially with Britain. Food and manufactured goods were imported.
TRADE WITH AMERICA: XVI century: strategic position to open new routes to America. XVII century: wine, liquors, textiles. Cacao, tobacco, dyes, leather were imported. Then, crisis hit on the second part of the century. Canarian products were charged with taxes. The Crown had to give permission to export products.
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JOBS AND ACTIVITIES Many products were imported as local production was insufficient. There weren't many artisans in the island. They often devoted part of their time to farming works too: blacksmiths, carpenters, shoe makers, weavers. Wood, iron, other metals, stones, leather, wool, cotton, silk, mud were used to create new products. At the end of the XIX and beginning XX century we fi n d : b l a c k s m i t h s , b r a z i e r s , s h o e m a k e r s , shopkeepers, etc.
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The gangocheras were women who walked different villages to sell their products often without shoes and carrying a big basket on their heads. Carpenters, fishermen, weavers, dressmakers, spinners, etc. Some entertainment activities were: Canarian wrestling, stick game (very old tribal game), cock fights (Flemish origin XVIII).
 
XIX AND XX CENTURY EMIGRATION
Up to 1870, there was a lucrative monopoly of cochineal. It was picked up and sent to European markets. However, when artificial colorings were invented, trading disappeared.
Political changes:
Bananas and tomatoes started at the end of the century and continued during the XX century.
1936-1939. Civil war. Franco overthrew the government. His coup started in Tenerife on 17 de July 1936.
From 1852, the islands became a free port, they could trade without intervention of Spain. Tourism started at the end of XIX, especially British population. Europe economic power and developing of planes contributed to this development. New roads were built During this period, rivalry between Tenerife and Gran Canaria became important. In 1927 the islands were divided in two provinces.
1931-1936. Second Republic: middle and lower classes participated more.
1940-1975. Franco Dictatorship. 1975-1990. Constitutional monarchy and Autonomous Communities were created. Emigration to America was a commonplace for islanders: poverty, war, lack of rain, no properties, crisis of local products. Many young Canarians looked for a better future for them and their families in Cuba, Venezuela and other countries.
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MAPS The cartography room is really interesting for map lovers. The first maps were not precise. They lacked technology. Portulano de A. Dulcert (1339) is considered the first map where the islands appear. Then parallels and meridians were discovered, latitude was determined, then longitude. Some maps in the museum are: Map of Tenerife by D. AndrĂŠs Amat de Tortosa, military engineer 1783.
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  Jean Charles de Borda (1733-1799) was an important French geometer, who visited the occidental coast of Africa, Azores, Cabo Verde and Canaries in 1774 y 1775. He measured the Teide. In the museum you can find some of his works: maps of the Islands in 1776, Lanzarote and La Gomera ports, and maps of the African coast, Madeira islands, and the Canaries in 1777.
LERCARO FAMILY THE BLASÓN,
AT THE FRONT OF
THE MUSEUM REPRESENTS THE FUSION WITH THE JUSTINIANI FAMILY IN THE XVI CENTURY, FRANCISCO LERCARO DE LEÓN AND CATALINA JUSTINIANI AND JUSTINIANI.
This house was built in 1593 by D. Francisco Lercaro de León (he belonged to a Genoese family of traders) who arrived in Gran Canaria in 1550. D. Francisco married Catalina Justiniani and Justiniani and moved to La Laguna as Lieutenant Governor in 1589. The house was expanded in XVII y XVIII. Later it was used as a military base in the forties. It was also the Faculty of Philosophy for some time. In the seventies it was bought by the Council. The building was restored in 1993.
The Lercaro were a powerful family with lots of land. This enabled them to get important posts in the institutions of the islands. The oldest son inherited the property,. “mayorazgo”. The other members were encouraged to make good marriages. They married other important families: Westerling, Urtusáustegui, Herrera-Leiva, Counts of Palmar, Baulenes The, Marquises of Adeje and Quinta Roja.
The Lercaro coat of arms, shows they were linked to other Genoese families of noblemen: the crown means they had been in power in the Genoese Republic.
The most important families were patrons of different churches and convents. They owned chapels where they could be buried and remembered. Other less powerful members were buried next to the churches in tombs until the XIX, when cemeteries were created.
The Italian republic of Genoa was one of the main ports in the Mediterranean (important trade with the East in the XIII). The Lercaro were noblemen. They were bankers and connected with the trade of spices.
The painting showing a nativity scene, was bought in Geneva by Diego Lercaro Justiniani by the end of the XVII or early XVIII century, The Adoration of the Magi and The Adoration of the Shepherds.
Many Genoese families invested money on the conquest, and then, they moved to the islands: Justiniano, Spinola, Grimaldi, Ascanio, Blasino, Gayardo, Ponte, Viña, Lercaro, etc.
Some luxurious carriages used at the time can be seen in the exposition at the back of the courtyard. Carriage used when the king Alfonso XIII visited the island.
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MHT LERCARO HOUSE