Micaela Villegas

Who was Micaela Villegas?

Maria Micaela Villegas Hurtado, known as La Perricholi, was arguably the most famous Peruvian woman of the eighteenth century. She was a celebrated entertainer and the famous mistress of Manuel de Amat y Juniet, Viceroy of Peru from 1761 to 1776. Their son, Manuel de Amat y Villegas, was one of the signers of Peru’s declaration of independence from Spain on July 28, 1821.

La Perricholi was the sixth child born to Don José Villegas and Doña Teresa Hurtado de Mendoza. Born in either Tomayquichua or the capital city of Lima, she was baptized at the Lima Cathedral on December 1, 1748.

She debuted on the stage of Coliseo de Comedias in 1763 and became a popular star within romance and comedy. She retired in 1788, and married in 1795.

Ricardo Palma in his most famous book: Tradiciones Peruanas, writes about her life and describes her as charming woman, he also provides historical information about her relationship with Amat. According to what he says, she inspired him to build some of the most beautiful buildings in the colonial city of Lima such as: La Alameda de los Descalzos, La Quinta de Presa, el Templo de las Nazarenas or El Paseo de Aguas.