12/08/2025
The Devotion and Fortune of Don Manuel de la Canal
In the heart of the Mexican Bajío, in the vibrant town of San Miguel el Grande, one name resonated above all others: Manuel Francisco Tomás de la Canal y Bueno de Baeza. The son of a prosperous Cantabrian merchant, Manuel not only inherited a vast business empire but also the ambition and foresight to expand it, becoming one of the most powerful men of the 18th century.
His story began in Mexico City, where from a young age he held positions as a councilman and ordinary mayor, and was admitted into the prestigious Order of Calatrava. But it was in San Miguel that his life and fortune took definitive root. In 1731, Manuel moved to the town and wove strategic alliances that would cement his power. His marriage to María Gabriela de Hervás y Flores, the daughter of a wealthy Guanajuato miner, was key. This union connected him to the lucrative world of mining in Guanajuato and Zacatecas. In turn, his vast cattle ranches in San Miguel provided the tallow and meat that the mines needed, demonstrating his vision for integrating different businesses.
Manuel's fortune was so immense that it exceeded half a million pesos. He owned everything: agricultural haciendas, a textile workshop, mining benefit haciendas, shops, and houses, distributed from San Miguel to León and Querétaro. With such power, it's no surprise that in 1737 he founded a mayorazgo (entailed estate), a family legacy that, although it didn't materialize into a noble title due to the outbreak of the Independence movement, allowed him to forge blood ties with the most illustrious families of the era, such as the Marquises of Valle de la Colina and the Counts of San Mateo de Valparaíso.
However, behind the astute merchant and influential politician was a man of deep faith. His primary passion was his devotion to the Virgin of Loreto. Manuel de la Canal became a tireless patron of the Church, leaving his mark in places as distant as Mexico City and Tepotzotlán. But it was in San Miguel el Grande where his fervor was most splendidly displayed. Investing over 100,000 pesos, he built the Santa Casa de Loreto, a work attached to the Oratory of San Felipe Neri that became the center of his piety.
This devotion was a legacy that endured in his family. His daughter, María Josefa Lina de la Canal, inherited not only a portion of her father's fortune but also his religious fervor. Thanks to her paternal resources, María Josefa was able to realize Manuel's last unfinished dream: the construction of the majestic Temple and Royal Convent of the Purísima Concepción, an architectural jewel that today adorns the landscape of San Miguel de Allende, a lasting testament to the power, wealth, and unwavering faith of the De la Canal family.