Below is a list of (known) governors of British Minorca 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)
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1451: Pere de Bell-lloc i de Sentmenat
1467–1505: Guillem de Santcliment
1485: Guillem Ramón Dez Vall, Lieutenant of the Governor Guillem de Santcliment
1497: Francesc de Armedans, Regent
1506–1532: Frederic de Santcliment
1535–1536: Pere de Figarola
1536–1555: Francesc Girón de Rebolledo
1555–1558: Guillem de Rocafull
1558–1575: Joan de Cardona i Rocabertí
1558 (June–July): Bartolomé Arguimbau, Regent
1558 (July): Francesc des Cors, Horaci de Villalonga, Regents
1575–1583: Francesc Guimerà
1583–1587: Miquel de Pacs
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: Jeroni de Josa
1593–1594: Pedro de Heredia (first time)
1594: Antoni Fortuny, Regent
1596–1597: Cosme Climent
1597–1598: Pedro de Heredia (second time)
1598–1600: Pablo de Blas
1600–1612: Cristóbal de Prado
1604–1611: Pablo de Blas, Lieutenant of the Governor Cristóbal de Prado and Captain general
1612–1619: Gaspar de Castelvì
1619–1621: Vicent Sanchez
1621–1624: Juan de Castelvì
1624–1628: Baltasar de Borja (first time)
1628–1631: Pedro Ferrer
1631–1633: Francisco Sureda
1633–1636: Jayme Valenciano
1636 (August–October): Gregorio de Villalonga (first time)
1636–1637: Antonio de Oquendo
1637 (May–June): Francisco Diaz
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): Martin Carlos de Mencos
1638–1639: Domingo de Herrera
1639 (June–July): Gregorio de Villalonga (third time)
1639–1642: Fernando Fernandez Mazuelo
1642–1645: Pedro Santacilia
1645–1650: Josep de Rocabertí
1650 (October): Jayme de Oleza
1650–1653: Josef Esporrín
1653 (April–August): Bernardino Andreu
1653–1658: Antonio Imperial
1658 (February–October): Felipe de la Nuza
1658–1659: Bernardino Andreu
1659 (March–August): Raymundo Torrella
1659–1663: Isidoro Sanz
1663 (August–October): Sebastian Duran
1663–1664: Pedro Berga
1664 (January–May): Josef de Borja
1664 (May–August): Antonio de Verì
1664–1671: Juan de Bayarte (first time)
1671–1678: Josef Pardo (first time)
1678–1680: Juan Domenéch
1680–1681: Francisco Net (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): Francisco Martorell
1687 (April–October): Josef Sisternes
1687–1691: Valentin Sanchez
1691–1694: Francisco Net (third time)
1694–1701: Sebastian Suau de Ventimilla
1701–1703: Geronimo Torrijos
1703–1706: Francisco Falcò
1706: Geronimo Perez de Nueros
1706 (October): Diego Leonardo Davila
1706 (October): Francisco Net (fourth time)
1706–1708 Joan Miquel Saura Morell
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 .
Lieutenant-governors
French occupation (1756–1763)
British rule (1763–1782)
Governors
Lieutenant-governors
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)
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
References
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