Revilla Gigedo, Juan Francisco de Güemes y Horcasitas, conde de

Revilla Gigedo, Juan Francisco de Güemes y Horcasitas, conde de (hwän fränthēs`kō thā gwā`mās ē ôrkäsē`täs kōn`dā thā rāvē`lyä hēhā`thō), 1682?–1766, Spanish colonial administrator, viceroy of New Spain (1746–55). He encouraged the conquest and settlement of N Mexico, particularly under José de Escandón. His son,

Juan Vicente Güemes Pacheco de Padilla, conde de Revilla Gigedo, 1740–99, b. Havana, was viceroy of New Spain (1789–94). He gave to the viceroyalty one of the finest administrations of the colonial era. He put the new administrative system of intendancies into working order, improved Mexico City, sent out an expedition that carried the Spanish territorial claims N of the California coast, and brought the revenues of the viceroyalty to their highest point.