Santiago Zoido

Santiago Zoido de Narbona (c. 1577 – December 22, 1639), also known as San Iago Zoido , was the third governor of New Andalusia. Zoido played a major role in the First Dan Exploration and commanded the Spanish Army during the Lotic War.
Zoido died in 1639 while in office at the age of 61-62. The city of Santiago is named after him in his honour.
Zoido is remembered for being an able leader who was respected by both Europeans and native people alike, although in recent times he has become controversial due to his treatment of native people. 
== Early life ==
Santiago Zoido de Narbona was born in 1577 in Seville, Spain to a noble family with deep roots in the area. His father worked as an administrator for King Philip II and his mother was from a wealthy family that had come from Portugal. As a young man, he accompanied his father on trips throughout Europe for royal visits. During this time he developed an interest in politics and economics which would later prove beneficial during his colonial rule. 
In 1598, at age 21, Santiago applied to join the Royal Navy of Spain but was rejected due to his lack of experience at sea. Instead, he decided to pursue a career as a soldier and joined the army where he quickly rose through the ranks due to his natural leadership abilities. In 1625, he was appointed as captain general of troops sent by King Philip IV to protect Spanish settlements in Isladania against raids by Dutch privateers. 
== Colonial rule ==
Santiago was garrisoned at New Andalusia providing security against hostile forces such as pirates or rival powers looking to expand their own territories within region. In 1626, Zoido was appointed governor of New Andalusia. During his tenure as governor he implemented reforms that improved trade relations with other European nations, expanded infrastructure, increased agricultural production, and established new settlements. 
Zoido was also tasked with securing alliances with local native tribes to ensure peaceful relations between them and Spanish settlers arriving from Europe. To this end Zoido provided weapons, food and other essential goods to local chiefs, allowing them access to European markets while also ensuring that they remained loyal to Spain’s interests.
== Dan Exploration ==
In 1630, Zoido commissioned a small fleet led by Captain Alonso Avila y de la Forsato explore the Dan River. The expedition returned two years later with reports of abundant resources such as gold and silver, prompting the King to authorize further exploration attempts under Zoido's command. In May 1633, a fleet of two ships left Persom with a crew of 200 men onboard. Near nowaday Champaxe, Zoido set up camp while sending scouting parties inland seeking information about potential mineral deposits sources that could be exploited back home or used locally for trading purposes; one such mission led by Captain Per de Lara even discovered silver deposits near modern-day Coueron. After months spent exploring the river, Zoido sailed south again and returned back to Persom. 
The First Dan Expedition marked significant progress towards furthering Europe’s understanding and exploration of the Dan River. Subsequent exploration efforts were undertaken after the completion of Zoido's expedition.
== Criticism ==
During the Spanish colonization of Isladania, Zoido and his forces were initially praised for their diplomatic approach to dealing with indigenous peoples. This included setting up friendly relationships with tribes such as the Lotic and encouraging intermarriage between Spanish settlers and local people. Nevertheless, this has recently been brought into question given how little protection or power native tribes had over Spaniards during this period as well as recent archaeological evidence uncovered around areas visited by the First Dan Expedition which suggest that Spaniards may have engaged in widespread pillaging activities without proper compensation being made afterwards. These findings add fuel onto debates surrounding colonialism's negative effects overall, leading some scholars to argue whether these actions can truly be justified considering current understanding of human rights violations existing during colonial times.
== Death and legacy ==
On 22 December 1639, Santiago Zoido died peacefully surrounded by family members at his estate outside Persom while in office.
Despite recent controversies, many historians still consider him to be one of the greatest governors ever to serve in the Spanish Empire due to the expansion of successful diplomatic missions undertaken during his tenure in office. Moreover, he had a profound impact on subsequent exploration efforts. The city of Santiago is named after him in his honour.
Category:1577 births
Category:1639 deaths
Category:Lotic War
Category:Dan Explorations
Category:Governors of Spanish Dania