▁a ▁brother ▁- ▁Greg orio ▁López ▁de ▁M end iz á bal . ▁ ▁López ▁studied ▁arts ▁and ▁canon ▁law ▁in ▁Jes uit ▁college ▁at ▁P ue bla , ▁but ▁finished ▁his ▁studies ▁at ▁the ▁university ▁in ▁Mexico ▁City . ▁M end iz á bal ▁also ▁joined ▁the ▁Spanish ▁Army , ▁where ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁G ale ón ▁de ▁la ▁Arm ada ▁and ▁was ▁station ed ▁for ▁a ▁period ▁of ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁Pres id io ▁of ▁Cart ag ena ▁de ▁Ind ias ▁( in ▁modern ▁Colombia ). ▁López ▁occupied ▁many ▁government ▁positions ▁in ▁Nueva ▁Gran ada , ▁Cuba , ▁and ▁New ▁Spain . ▁López ▁was ▁also ▁al cal de ▁mayor , ▁or ▁royal ▁administrator , ▁in ▁Gu ay ac oc ot la , ▁on ▁the ▁Sierra ▁Mad re ▁Oriental , ▁n ortheast ▁of ▁Mexico ▁City . ▁ ▁Government ▁in ▁New ▁Mexico ▁ ▁López ▁de ▁M end iz á bal ▁was ▁appointed ▁New ▁Mexico ´ s ▁governor ▁in ▁ 1 6 5 8 ▁to ▁replace ▁Juan ▁Mans o ▁de ▁Con tr eras . ▁López ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁arrived ▁in ▁Santa ▁Fe ▁late ▁that ▁year , ▁although ▁apparently ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁assume ▁the ▁position ▁until ▁July ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 1 6 5 9 . ▁During ▁this ▁period ▁he ▁also ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁cust os , ▁a ▁religious ▁administrator ▁for ▁the ▁Francis c ans ▁in ▁this ▁province . ▁ ▁López ▁chose ▁the ▁Sp ani ard ▁Miguel ▁de ▁Nor ie ga ▁( native ▁of ▁Burg os , ▁Spain , ▁but ▁resident ▁in ▁Mexico