with her in what is now the city of Puebla, becoming one of the city's founders and first governors. Popular culture Alonso Valiente is also known to have purchased a slave, who was baptized and received the Christian name of Juan Valiente. The slave had originally been acquired by the Portuguese in Northwestern Africa. Alonso took Juan to Spain and eventually allowed him to travel to South America, so that he could also try his chances as a conqueror. Juan Valiente first travelled to Perú from Guatemala, with Pedro de Alvarado. He then joined Pedro de Almagro's company and finally Pedro de Valdivia. Juan Valiente contributed to establish Santiago, Chile. He is thus known in popular culture as one of the few African-conquerors in the New World. Juan Valiente lived as a free man in Chile. He never got to pay for his freedom, although he tried to do so. Alonso Valiente insisted in recovering the money, but it became virtually impossible for Juan Valiente to dispatch the payments to New Spain. Juan Valiente finally died in Tucapel, Chile in 1553. Alonso Valiente is also known for having been the first owner of La Casa del Conde (the count's house) in one of his encomiendas in Tecamachalco. Upon Alonso Valiente's death, the house was taken over by Valiente's widow and second wife, Melchora de Aberrucia. She remarried with Rodrigo de Vivero y Velasco, a relative of Luís de Velasco, the second Viceroy of New Spain. Their son, Rodrigo de Vivero y Aberrucia, became the first Count of the Valley of Orizaba. Since then, the house has been popularly known as La Casa del Conde (the count's house). The Spanish comic book series of 1957 Capitán Valiente (the brave captain), illustrated by Manuel Gago García, with dialogues by Pedro Quesada, was loosely based on Alonso Valiente's character. Sources People from Zafra-Río Bodión Extremaduran conquistadors People of New Spain Spanish city founders Encomenderos 1482 births 1564 deaths 16th-century Spanish people