Laws of the Indies

The laws of the Indies (Spanish Leyes de Indias ) is the complete law books that were published by the Spanish crown for the American and Filipino parts of the Spanish colonial empire. They regulated social, political and economic life in these areas. The laws included a number of decrees that were issued within centuries and important laws of the 16th century, which should govern the relations between the settlers and natives (eg Leyes de Burgos ( Laws of Burgos, 1512 ) and the Leyes Nuevas ( new Laws of 1542) ). During the 500 years of Spanish presence in these regions, the laws have been repeatedly summarized, such as 1680, Charles II of Spain in the Recopilacion de las Leyes de los Reynos de Indias ( Collection of Laws of the Kingdoms of the Indies ), the classic collection of Laws was, even if subsequent legislation replaced parts thereof and other collections were published. However, the compilation of 1680 was the template for the way the laws were organized.

History

The Spanish colonization of America was accompanied by various conflicts between the indigenous peoples ( Native or Indians) of America and the Spanish invaders due to the Reducciones de Indios and other policies. At the same time increased the tensions between the Spanish crown and the colonists, as the royal laws and the banishment of the " New Christians " ( limpieza de sangre de Estatutos ), which settle in America included.

Two of the most important laws phrases that have been adopted in the 16th century, related to the contact with the indigenous people, a problem that the Spanish crown distressed shortly after the voyages of Christopher Columbus. The Leyes de Burgos of 1512, signed by Ferdinand II of Aragon, related to the wealth of the defeated Native Americans. The topic has been improved again after Bartolome de las Casas drew attention to the abuse by the encomenderos. The Leyes de Burgos were the Leyes Nuevas from 1542, by Charles I. (Spain ) have been adopted, but in 1552 were revised again due to the resistance of the colonists. These were followed by the Ordinances Concerning Discoveries 1573 that prohibited any unauthorized operations against independent Native ..

To regulate the establishment of presidios (military towns), missions and pueblos, King Phillip II developed the first versions of the Leyes de Indias, a comprehensive guide of 148 regulations that help the colonists during the search, the structure and population of settlements should. Be considered in relation to a society draft so there were regulations for the urban planning process and the Leyes de Indias presented the first attempts of a general plan dar. 1573 signed the Leyes de Indias one of the first far-reaching policy. The laws were heavily influenced treatises on the subject of Vitruvius Ten Books of Architecture and Alberti.

After some of the northern colonies were part of the United States, the Leyes de Indias influenced the emergence of rules that governed the development of the United States, in particular the land Ordinance of 1785, which townships and the division of land in the United States regulated.

Examples of cities for which were used Leyes

• Los Angeles ( 1781)
• Santa Fe ( New Mexico)
• San Juan Bautista, California (1797 )
• Álamos, Sonora, Mexico ( 1542)
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Tucson, Arizona
• Fernandina (Florida), Florida ( 1811)
• Laredo, Texas ( 1767)

Credentials

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• Juan Manzano Manzano. Recopilacion de leyes de los reynos de las Indias. 4 vols. Madrid: Ediciones Cultura Hispanica, 1973 ISBN 978-84-7232-204-2
• Recopilacion de leyes de los reynos de las Indias, 1681st 5 vols. Mexico: MA Porrúa, 1987 ISBN 978-968-842-091-1.
• Recopilacion de leyes de los reynos de las Indias. 3 vols. Madrid: Centro de Estudios y Políticos Constitutionales: Boletín Oficial del Estado, 1998, ISBN 978-84-340-1040-6.
• Tyler, S. Lyman. The Indian Cause in the Spanish Laws of the Indies: With an Introduction and the First English translation of Book VI, Concerning the Indians, from the Recopilacion de leyes de los reinos de Indias, Madrid, 1681, Salt Lake City. American West Center, University of Utah, 1980.
• Tyler, S. Lyman. Spanish Laws Concerning Discoveries, Pacifica Auditions, and Settlements among the Indians: With an Introduction and the First English translation of the New Ordinances of Philip II, July 1573, and of Book IV of the Recopilacion de leyes de los reinos de las Indias, Relating to thesis subjects. Salt Lake City: American West Center, University of Utah, 1980.