List of governors of Menorca
Below is a list of (known) governors of Menorca from the time of the British occupation in 1708 until the British relinquished control of the island for the last time in 1802.
Background[]
It was commonplace for governors to be absent from the island, and several never set foot there. Menorca changed hands several times in the 18th century. It was ruled by Britain from its initial capture in 1708 until 1756, then occupied by France for seven years until the Peace of Paris (1763) when it was returned to Britain. In 1781, the island fell to a Spanish invasion, and in 1783, Britain ceded the island to Spain. It was captured by the British for a final time in 1798 and occupied until it was returned in 1802 to Spain.
Spanish rule (15th century – 1707)[]
- ?
- 1451:
- 1467–1513:
- 1485: Guillem Ramón Dez Vall, Lieutenant of the Governor Guillem de Santcliment
- 1497: Francesc de Armedans, Regent
- 1513–1535:
- 1535–1536:
- 1536–1555:
- 1555–1558:
- 1558–1575:
- 1558 (June–July): Bartolomé Arguimbau, Regent
- 1558 (July): Francesc des Cors, Horaci de Villalonga, Regents
- 1575–1583:
- 1583–1587:
- 1584: Francesc de Vives, Lieutenant of the Governor Miquel de Pacs
- 1586: Pere de Lozano, Lieutenant of the Governor Miquel de Pacs
- 1586 (October): Rafael Squella, Lieutenant of the Governor Miquel de Pacs
- 1587: Antoni Fortuny, Regent
- 1587–1593:
- 1593–1594: (first time)
- 1594: Antoni Fortuny, Regent
- 1596–1597:
- 1597–1598: Pedro de Heredia (second time)
- 1598–1600:
- 1600–1612:
- 1604–1611: Pablo de Blas, Lieutenant of the Governor Cristóbal de Prado and Captain general
- 1612–1619:
- 1619–1621:
- 1621–1624:
- 1624–1628: (first time)
- 1628–1631:
- 1631–1633:
- 1633–1636:
- 1636 (August–October): (first time)
- 1636–1637: Antonio de Oquendo
- 1637 (May–June):
- 1637 (June–October): Gregorio de Villalonga (second time)
- 1637(July): Pedro de Gavara, Lieutenant of the Governon Gregorio de Villalonga
- 1637–1638: Baltazar de Borja (second time)
- 1637(October): Domingo de Herrera, Regent
- 1638 (July–October):
- 1638–1639:
- 1639 (June–July): Gregorio de Villalonga (third time)
- 1639–1642:
- 1642–1645:
- 1645–1650:
- 1650 (October):
- 1650–1653:
- 1653 (April–August):
- 1653–1658:
- 1658 (February–October):
- 1658–1659:
- 1659 (March–August):
- 1659–1663:
- 1663 (August–October):
- 1663–1664:
- 1664 (January–May):
- 1664 (May–August):
- 1664–1671: (first time)
- 1671–1678: (first time)
- 1678–1680:
- 1680–1681: (first time)
- 1681–1684: Juan de Bayarte (second time)
- 1684 (July–October): Josef Pardo (second time)
- 1684–1687: Francisco Net (second time)
- 1687 (March–April):
- 1687 (April–October):
- 1687–1691:
- 1691–1694: Francisco Net (third time)
- 1694–1701:
- 1701–1703:
- 1703–1706:
- 1706:
- 1706 (October):
- 1706 (October): Francisco Net (fourth time)
- 1706–1708
British rule (1708–1756)[]
Governors[]
- 1708–1711: James Stanhope, who captured Menorca from Spain
- 1712–1713: John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
- 1713–1714: Charles Mordaunt, 3rd Earl of Peterborough
- 1714–1716: John Campbell, 2nd Duke of Argyll
- 1716–1718: George Carpenter
- 1718–1719: George, Lord Forbes
- 1733–1736: Richard Kane
- 1737–1742: Algernon Seymour, Earl of Hertford
- 1742–1747: John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair
- 1747–1756: James O'Hara, 2nd Baron Tyrawley; he never visited Menorca and from 1747 to June 1756, control was exercised by the Lieutenant-Governor, William Blakeney.[1]
Lieutenant-governors[]
- 1733-1747 Philip Anstruther [2]
French occupation (1756–1763)[]
- 1756–1758: Hyacinthe Gaëtan de Lannion (first time)
- 1758–1759: Jean Toussaint de la Pierre, marquis de Frémeur
- 1759–1760: (first time)
- 1760–1762: Hyacinthe Gaëtan de Lannion (second time)
- 1762–1763: Louis-Félicien de Boffin d'Argenson et Pusignieu (second time)
British rule (1763–1782)[]
Governors[]
- 1763: Sir Richard Lyttelton[3]
- 1766: George Howard
- 1768: John Mostyn
- 1778: James Murray
Lieutenant-governors[]
- 1763: James Johnston[3]
- 1774: James Murray[4]
- 1779: Sir William Draper[5]
During the absence of the Governor or Lieutenant-Governor, the island was governed by the military commandant: Colonel John Crawford until his death in 1765, and Major-General John Barlow from 1770.[6]
Returned to Spain (1782–1798)[]
British occupation (1798–1802)[]
- 1798–1800: Charles Stuart
- 1800–1802: Henry Edward Fox
Restored to Spain (1802–present)[]
As part of the Balearic Islands, Menorca was later governed by insular councils before devolved government came into effect in 1977.
See also[]
- Great Britain in the Seven Years War
- Menorca – History section
- Mordaunt Cracherode
References[]
- ^ Stephens, Harding 2008.
- ^ Simpson, Lea 1970.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "No. 10306". The London Gazette. 23 April 1763. p. 2.
- ^ "No. 11511". The London Gazette. 22 November 1774. p. 1.
- ^ "No. 11983". The London Gazette. 1 June 1779. p. 2.
- ^ Robert Beatson, A political index to the histories of Great Britain and Ireland, volume II (London, 1806) page 167
Sources[]
- Simpson, JM; Lea, RS (1970). ANSTRUTHER, Philip (c.1680-1760), of Airdrie, Fife in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1715-1754. Boydell & Brewer. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
- Stephens, HM; Harding, Richard (2008). "Blakeney, William, Baron Blakeney". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2591. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
- Rulers.org, B. Schemmel
- Serie cronologica de los gobernadores de Menorca desde 1287 hasta 1815 inclusive
- (in Catalan)La projecció política catalana a Mallorca a l'època dels Àustries, els governadors de les illes de Menorca i Eivissa
- British Empire-related lists
- History of Menorca
- Balearic Islands-related lists
- Lists of office-holders in the British Empire