The first colonies were from the Chahcapoyas culture, but
the modern city of Moyobamba was established by Juan Pérez de Guevara on 25
July 1540, who named it Santiago de los Ocho Valles de Moyobamba
(Santiago of the eight Moyobamba Valleys). It was founded on the site of an
Inca settlement and was the first city founded by the Spanish in the Peruvian
Amazon. It is the second oldest Spanish town east of the Andes.
During the Spanish Conquest, Moyobamba was a base from
which incursions were made into the surrounding areas.
