Nuevo Santander

New Santander
Nuevo Santander (Spanish)
1746–1821
Cross of Burgundy,
flag of New Spain.
StatusSpanish colony
CapitalSantander Jiménez
Common languagesSpanish
Religion
Roman Catholicism
GovernmentMonarchy
King of Spain 
 July 9, 1746 – August 10, 1759
Ferdinand VI
 December 11, 1813 – September 29, 1833
Ferdinand VII
Royal Governor 
 May 31, 1748 - April 8, 1767
José de Escandón
 July 7, 1821 - September 22, 1822
Felipe de la Garza Cisneros
Historical eraColonial era
 Established
1746
 Disestablished
1821
Population
 1790
43,739
CurrencySpanish colonial real
Succeeded by
First Mexican Empire
Today part ofMexico (Nuevo León & Tamaulipas)
United States (Texas)

Nuevo Santander (New Santander) was a region of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, covering the modern Mexican state of Tamaulipas and extending into modern-day southern Texas in the United States.

Nuevo Santander was named after Santander, Cantabria, Spain, and settled by Spanish American colonists in a concerted settlement campaign peaking in 1748–1750. It fell under the jurisdiction of the Real Audiencia of Guadalajara in judicial matters, and in 1776, Nuevo Santander became part of the semi-autonomous Provincias Internas.

José de Escandón founded the colony in 1747. In 1755, Jiménez was founded, which became the major town and capital of the colony. The state was subsequently renamed to Tamaulipas once Mexico gained its independence in 1821.