Diego de Torres Vargas

Diego de Torres Vargas (1615 – 1670) was a Puerto Rican Catholic priest, and the first person to write a comprehensive history of Puerto Rico.

Early years Torres Vargas was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to a prosperous family. His father, Garcia de la Torre, was a Sergeant Mayor in the Spanish Army who died while fighting alongside Captain Juan de Amézqueta against Captain Balduino Enrico (Boudewijn Hendricksz), leader of the Dutch armada, who attempted to invade the island, in the Battle of San Juan of 1625.

Academic education Torres Vargas studied and graduated from the University of Salamanca in Spain where he earned his degree in Theology and Canon law.

Description of the Island and City of Puerto Rico In 1647 he wrote "Descripción de la Ciudad e Isla de Puerto Rico" ("Description of the Island and City of Puerto Rico"). This historical book was the first to make a detailed geographic description of the island.

The book described all the fruits and commercial establishments. It also listed and described every mine, church, and hospital in the island at the time. The book contained notices on the State and Capital, plus an extensive and erudite bibliography. This is considered to be the first organized history of Puerto Rico written by a Puerto Rican.