By the end of the 16th century, Cartagena entered an important period of urban development pro- moted by the governor Pedro Ferna?ndez de Busto, a period that coincides with the nomination of Fray Dionisio de Sanctis as the new bishop of the diocese. Six months after his arrival in the city, in May 1575, the prelate begged the king to pronounce in the case of the administration of the San Sebastian Hospital, which had been in the hands of his predecessors, but after a long period of vacancy in the bishopric, this was assumed by the Cabildo of the city. Without having received any response from the Crown, the bishop decided to file a legal appeal with the governor of the province to try to recover the rights of patronage and administration of the said hospital.