In 1543 Blasco Nunez Vela, the first Viceroy appointed by Spain, arrived in Peru, where he found de Castro in charge of the Government.  Nunez Vela’s methods proved themselves arbitrary in the extreme.  Scarcely had he landed when he sent an abrupt command to de Castro to resign his post, and to place himself forthwith in attendance on the new Viceroy.  This action roused the anger of the Pizarro faction.  Its adherents revolted and established themselves at Cuzco.

It was precisely at this moment that a totally new factor in the way of officialdom presented itself in Peru.  With the advent of the Royal Audience, a court of judges, newly founded and sent out from Spain, the situation grew still more wildly complicated.  The Royal Audience, its dignity and unanimity shattered by the turmoil in the midst of which it found itself, divided its forces equally on either side.  A battle was fought between the Viceroy and the forces of Gonzales Pizarro, in the course of which the latter obtained a decided victory, and Blasco Nunez de Vela was slain.

Having witnessed an almost continuous process of downfall of the various authorities, it is only natural that the sense of loyalty to Spain should have become somewhat obscured in the minds of the Peruvians.  As a result, many of the colonists now urged independence of government, and begged Gonzales Pizarro to accept the throne of Peru.

Spain, judging that the matter had gone too far to be dealt with by any force but one of a magnitude which would have been inconvenient in the extreme to dispatch to so great a distance, now had resource to diplomacy.  An ecclesiastic, Pedro de la Gasca, famed for his subtle methods and diplomatic strategy, was despatched to the disturbed colony.  Gonzales Pizarro refused to acknowledge this new official, although a command to this effect was impressed upon him by a letter sent by the King of Spain.

The rupture was now complete.  In the first instance the loyal troops were decisively defeated by Gonzales Pizarro; but very shortly afterwards the deep methods of La Gasca bore fruit.  He was joined by troops from Chile, and by numerous forces from various other districts, while Pizarro’s men began to desert him, continuing the process until the bold leader was left practically alone.  Seeing there was no help for it, Gonzales Pizarro surrendered, and was in turn beheaded.

It is curious to remark that in these early and disturbed days of Peru no single leader was left to die a natural death.  A second Viceroy, Antonio de Mendoza, was now appointed.  He proved himself an able ruler, but, unfortunately, he died before he had occupied his post for two years.  A further epoch of rebellion now followed, until Don Andres Hurtado de Mendoza, Marquis de Canete, was sent out from Spain to occupy the Viceroyalty.  It was undoubtedly due to the strong rule of this important noble that affairs in Peru promised to settle themselves definitely.  After his death, however, in 1561, his successor, Don Zuniga, Count de Nieva, was assassinated almost as soon as he took possession of his post.