The “Perricholi”, the woman who revolutionized Lima's 18th century customs, lover of a viceroy and mother of one of the signatories of Peruvian independence

The story of the “Perricholi” has inspired poems, dramas and novels, even TV series and movies. All from the myth of her affair with Viceroy Manuel de Amat y Junyent, 44 years her senior. Her name was Micaela Villegas Hurtado de Mendoza, she was born in 1748, to a Creole family. When she was young, she had great success as an actress, supported by actor José Estacio and businessman Bartolomé Massa. She was a working woman and entrepreneur.

In 1761, Manuel de Amat y Junyent arrived in Lima to occupy the position of viceroy of Peru. He had been to the Royal Audience of Chile where he served as governor, since 1755, and now he had the opportunity to climb one step further.

At that time, Villegas Hurtado was only 12 years old. Six years later, with the viceroy settled in Lima, they met, and with her 18 years old, they started a romance that lasted 14 years.

18TH CENTURY LIMA

The image we have of the couple was born from the chapter “Genialities of the Perricholi” of the “Peruvian Traditions” by the romantic writer and costumbrist Ricardo Palma. This book of short stories of historical fiction that was published in the 19th century in Peru collects anecdotes of popular culture at the time.

Amat and Junyent never cared to show her as their lover in the sight and patience of Lima's rumors. However, the nobility of the Peruvian capital never respected it because it supposedly overshadowed women of the upper class.

Ricardo Palma's story portrays “Perricholi” as an impulsive and capricious woman; and the viceroy as a man subject to her desires. In 1769 they had a son: Manuel Amat and Villegas 'Manuelito'. Given this, the viceroy bought them a big house in Lima.

The couple distanced themselves between 1773 and 1775, but returned together shortly before he was dismissed from his post in Peru and returned to Barcelona.

Later, Manuel de Amat y Junyent married María Francisca de Fivaller y de Bru in 1779, with whom he lived in the palace he had ordered to build on the Rambla, which is now known as the Palacio de la Virreina, in the city of Barcelona.

Whoever was the viceroy of Peru died in 1782 in Spain. He left two children: 'Manuelito', son of the “Perricholi”, and another with Josefa de León, Countess of Castile. However, the one he had with Villegas Hurtado never recognized him as heir.

For her part, Micaela continued to live in Lima. She had a daughter with someone named Martín de Armendariz and later married in 1795. She was a theater entrepreneur and married José Vicente Echarri. He died in 1819 with a respectable fortune.

In 1821, Manuel Amat y Villegas, son of the “Perricholi” and Amat y Junyent, was one of the signatories of the Peruvian Act of Independence.

WHY THE “PERRICHOLI”?

In Ricardo Palma's “Peruvian Traditions” it is said that the nickname “Perricholi” was born because when he fought with the viceroy, he called her “dog, chola”, but because of her Catalan accent she sounded “perri, choli”. Later, historical research denied this version, but offered no other information to explain the origin of the name.

The writer's work also popularized the idea that Viceroy Manuel de Amat y Junyent built some of the most beautiful architectural pieces of that time in Lima, known as 'The City of Kings', for his lover, among which are the Alameda de los Descalzos and the Paseo de Aguas.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

There is a possibility that the long memory of the “Perricholi” has to do with the political context of the viceroyalty of Amat and Junyet. In the book “History of corruption in Peru”, by historian Alfonso W. Quiroz, it was described that the viceroy “was involved in multiple corruptions” and personified “the abuse of power and private gain of the corrupted colonial system”.

In addition, he also had to execute a controversial decree by King of Spain Carlos III to expel the Jesuit order from the entire Spanish empire. They had been accused of organizing a riot and protests in Madrid against the administration of the kingdom.

In Peru, the Jesuits were expelled in 1767. This order enjoyed high popularity among the Creole elites, so the reaction of the large social sectors reacted very violently. They were all against Amat and Junyet, so they used the element of the “Perricholi” to discredit him.

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