New Laws

The Leyes Nuevas ( New Laws ) are a part of the Indian law.

Prehistory

Shortly after the discovery of America, the Spanish crown was informed by the monks of the Dominican Order of the grievances of the indigenous population in the colonies. Subsequently, the Spanish king ordered the so-called Leyes de Burgos observed, which were adopted on 27 January 1512. But the slave trade was operated by the conquistadors on.

The Dominican Bartolomé de Las Casas was one of the first and most important persons who began targeting in the colonies against the brutal and inhuman enslavement of the Indians. 1516, he reached the setting up of a Commission of Inquiry on Haiti, which was, however corrupted spot.

Adoption and consequences

De Las Casas prompted a debate over the treatment of the Indians, who moved to the King of Spain to set up a board of examiners, which should bring about a solution to the ills. This Commission presented in 1542 the so-called Leyes Nuevas ( New German laws), delegate the Indians the protection of the Spanish crown. On November 20, 1542 Laws of Emperor Charles V in Barcelona were announced.

In particular, the prohibition of the enslavement of the Indians and the prohibition to make war, met with strong opposition from the Spanish settlers in the colonies. It was applied the rumor among other things, that had broken out because of the laws in Mexico, Chiapa, Honduras and Peru rebellions against the king. In the new world, the new laws were not applied in practice. Blasco Núñez de Vela was one of the few who tried to enforce them if necessary even by force.

On October 20, 1545, finally, the most important of the new law was repealed by the Emperor, namely, forbidding the reallocation of Indians.