Royal Audiencia of Lima

The Real Audiencia of Lima (in Spanish complete: Audiencia y Cancillería Real de Lima, also: Ciudad de los Reyes ) was a court in Lima, an institution of the colonial administration and also a Judicial District (Real Audiencia ) of the Spanish crown. It consisted 1543-1821 as part of the Viceroyalty of Peru.

The role of the Real Audiencias in the colonies

After the conquest of Central and South America ( Conquista ) by the Spanish King Charles V issued the " laws on India " (Spanish: Leyes de Indias ), and the " New Laws " (Spanish: Leyes Nuevas ), in which he manage the the overseas colonies in the " Viceroyalty of New Castile " organized and regulated.

For the implementation of the laws and the support of the military governors of the real Audiencias were responsible. Means that they fulfilled tasks in administration and finance, which went far beyond that of a Court of Justice according to current understanding, especially since a separation of powers was unknown. In addition to a chairman and four judges usually (Spanish: Oidores ) there was a prosecutor (Spanish: fiscal ), but also subordinate executive powers as a constable (Spanish: alguacil mayor ), police forces, translators, etc.

The founding in 1542

As such an appeal court and the administrative center, the Real Audiencia of Lima was founded at the same time with the Viceroyalty of Peru in November 1542. She was thus the first Audiencia on the South American mainland, before Audiencias 've been to Santo Domingo ( 1511), Mexico ( 1527) and Panama (1538 ) emerged.

About the same time with the Audiencia of Lima also a Audiencia was founded in 1543 in Guatemala.

Area of ​​responsibility

The Audiencia of Lima was initially responsible for the entire South American continent. With the establishment of further Audiencias responsibility but was increasingly divided.

From 1548 took over the Real Audiencia of Santa Fé de Bogotá, the area of present-day Colombia. 1559, the Real Audiencia of Charcas was established in present-day Sucre, which was responsible for the highlands in present-day Bolivia and, initially, the area on the Rio de la Plata. 1563 was followed by the Real Audiencia of Quito and a Real Audiencia of Chile, and later in Santiago de Chile had its seat only in Concepción.

1568 King Philip II decreed that the area around Cuzco fall in the jurisdiction of the Audiencia of Lima and not to the Audiencia of Charcas.

Specifying the responsibilities in 1680

With the Recopilacion de Leyes de Indias summarized the Spanish crown in 1680, the individual provisions in the New World, which had been adopted over the years to a legislative text together. For the Audiencia of Lima was determined that the Viceroy of Peru is also the Chairman (Spanish: Presidente ) should be. Due to their importance and their area of ​​responsibility, the Audiencia was staffed stronger occupied by Lima than the other Audiencias in South America: the chairman were eight judges (Spanish: Oidores ) to the side, a prosecutor (Spanish: fiscal ) for civil cases, one for criminal law. There were also other supporting forces.

The Audiencia had also to represent the Viceroy in their absence.

Reforms of 1776

On March 28, 1768 the territory of the island of Chiloé was first separated from the jurisdiction of the Audiencia of Chile and reports directly to the Vizeklönig and the Audiencia in Lima.

With the establishment of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, the areas came about in today's Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay from 1783 to the administration and jurisdiction in Buenos Aires.

Resolution

1821 conquered the independence movement led by José de San Martín Lima. Since that time, the territory of the Intendency of Arequipa was transferred to the jurisdiction of the Real Audiencia of Cuzco was founded in 1787. The Audiencia of Lima was transferred to the Peruvian administration and jurisdiction in the course of Peruvian independence.

Sources and links

• Background articles on the real Audiencias ( Spanish)
• The Leyes de Indias of 1680 (Spanish ) (PDF, 3.7 MB)
• José De la Puente Brunke: Los Cabinet Ministers de la Audiencia de justicia y la administración en Lima ( 1607-1615 ). In: Revista de estudios histórico - jurídicos (Spanish), 23 2001, pp. 24-39 (accessed 25 June 2010 ).

Bogota | Buenos Aires | Caracas | Charcas | Chile | Cuzco | Guadalajara | Guatemala | Lima | Manila | Mexico | Panama | Quito | Santo Domingo

• History of Law (Spain )
• History of Peru
• Viceroyalty of Peru