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Manuscript/Mixed Material Hans Peter Kraus Collection: Royal cedula to [Pedro Moya de Contreras], archbishop of Mexico

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About this Item

Title

  • Hans Peter Kraus Collection: Royal cedula to [Pedro Moya de Contreras], archbishop of Mexico

Names

  • The King [Philip II of Spain]

Created / Published

  • Lisbon, May 27, 1582

Headings

  • -  Latin America--History
  • -  Indians, Treatment of--New Spain
  • -  New Spain--Politics and government
  • -  Catholic Church--Discipline
  • -  Slavery
  • -  Manuscripts

Genre

  • Manuscripts

Notes

  • -  The King has been informed of the decline in the Indian population through mistreatment by their encomenderos. In some places they have decreased by a third, but they still have to bear the full burden of taxation. The encomenderos treat them worse than slaves; some are bought and sold as slaves, some killed by beatings; women have died or been injured from heavy burdens; other women and their children are made to work and have to sleep in the field, some women giving birth and rearing children there, where they are subjected to poisonous insects. Many hang themselves or starve themselves to death, or take poisonous herbs. There are some women who kill their children at birth to save them from the burdens of work. As a result the Indians hate the name of Christians, consider the Spaniards deceivers, and do not believe what they are taught, so that everything has to be done by force. The situation is reportedly worse among Indians who are under royal corregidores. The King, having made many attempts to bring about good treatment of the Indians, believed his ministers were carrying out his desires; he was saddened to hear otherwise. He chides the archbishop for not having kept him informed that matters were reaching such a bad state. He is writing to the Viceroys, audiencias, and governors to warn them that if they are at fault they will be punished. He charges the archbishop to have the decrees already issued carried out so that the Indians may enjoy rest and quiet and be saved by divine grace and the preaching of the Gospel. He obligates the archbishop in conscience to inform him of any shortcomings in this regard so that they can be corrected.

Medium

  • 1 leaf

Source Collection

  • Hans Peter Kraus collection of Spanish American documents, 1433-1877

Repository

  • Manuscript Division

Digital Id

Online Format

  • pdf
  • image

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The materials in Parallel Histories: Spain, the United States, and the American Frontier are in the public domain and are free to use and reuse.

Credit Line: Library of Congress, Parallel Histories: Spain, the United States, and the American Frontier.

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Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

The King Philip Ii Of Spain. Hans Peter Kraus Collection: Royal cedula to Pedro Moya de Contreras, archbishop of Mexico. Lisbon, 1582. Manuscript/Mixed Material. https://www.loc.gov/item/mss31013-10100/.

APA citation style:

The King Philip Ii Of Spain. (1582) Hans Peter Kraus Collection: Royal cedula to Pedro Moya de Contreras, archbishop of Mexico. Lisbon. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mss31013-10100/.

MLA citation style:

The King Philip Ii Of Spain. Hans Peter Kraus Collection: Royal cedula to Pedro Moya de Contreras, archbishop of Mexico. Lisbon, 1582. Manuscript/Mixed Material. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/mss31013-10100/>.