The Province of Yucatan ( ; es, Provincia de Yucatán ), or the Captaincy General, Governorate, Intendancy, or Kingdom of Yucatan, was a first-order administrative district of the
Viceroyalty of New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Ame ...
in the
Yucatan peninsula.
[The Yucatecan Mayan orthography in this article follows that of . At least two other orthographic systems exist , neither of which is used in this article.][Various dates for periods of the ]Mesoamerican chronology
Mesoamerican chronology divides the history of prehispanic Mesoamerica into several periods: the Paleo-Indian (first human habitation until 3500 BCE); the Archaic (before 2600 BCE), the Preclassic or Formative (2500 BCE –&nbs ...
have been given. This article uses those provided by —
# Lithic – 8000 BC and prior dates,
# Archaic – 8000 to 2000 BC,
# Preclassic – 2000 BC to 250 AD,
# Classic – 250 to 900 AD, and
# Postclassic – 900 AD and posterior dates.
Furthermore, dates prior to 12 October 1492 constitute the pre-Columbian era
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, ...
, and all others the Columbian era.
Geography

The
Yucatan peninsula is a low-lying,
tropical
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referred to ...
,
karstic platform of circa 300,000 km
2 (115,831 sq mi), bound by the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United S ...
and the
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
.
[Including the Bay of Campeachy to the west and the Bay of Honduras to the southeast.]
History
Sixteenth century
Prior to the Spanish conquest
The Yucatan peninsula encompassed various
''kuchkabalo'ob'' or Postclassic Mayan states.
[The number and nature of the Postclassic Mayan states is still debated (, ).
] At least some of these are believed to have previously been administrative districts of
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza , es, Chichén Itzá , often with the emphasis reversed in English to ; from yua, Chiʼchʼèen Ìitshaʼ () "at the mouth of the well of the Itza people" was a large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people of the Termi ...
and
Mayapan.
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza , es, Chichén Itzá , often with the emphasis reversed in English to ; from yua, Chiʼchʼèen Ìitshaʼ () "at the mouth of the well of the Itza people" was a large pre-Columbian city built by the Maya people of the Termi ...
was established by Itza Itza may refer to:
* Itza people, an ethnic group of Guatemala
* Itzaʼ language, a Mayan language
* Itza Kingdom (disambiguation)
* Itza, Navarre, a town in Spain
See also
* Chichen Itza, a Mayan city
* Iza (disambiguation)
* Izza (disambiguat ...
settlers in circa 750–800 AD. It was the most powerful city-state in the Yucatan peninsula until circa 1050–1100 AD (, , ). It is believed to have sustained a successful programme of conquest during the tenth century, thereby bringing neighbouring inland settlements and key coastal ports under its dominion (, , ). It is commonly credited with (coercively) sponsoring the cult of ''K'uk'ulkan'' or Kukulkan, and the Postclassic peninsular coasting trade (, , ). The city-state of Mayapan succeeded Chichen Itza during ''k'atun 8 ahaw'' (either 1080–1104 AD or 1185–1204 AD), and ruled the peninsula for thirteen ''k'atuno'ob'' (either to 1392–1416 AD or 1441–1461 AD) (, ).
Peninsular residents are thought to have first learnt of the Spanish in late 1502, after
Christopher Columbus's landing at Guanaja in late July or early August 1502.
Guanaja
Guanaja is one of the Bay Islands of Honduras and is in the Caribbean. It is about off the north coast of Honduras, and from the island of Roatan. One of the cays off Guanaja, also called Guanaja or Bonacca or Low Cay (or just simply, Th ...
was a port of call in the peninsular coasting trade .
Spaniards are thought to have first reached the peninsula in the latter half of 1508, during a reconnaissance voyage by
Juan Díaz de Solís
Juan Díaz de Solís ( – 20 January 1516) was a 16th-century navigator and explorer. He is also said to be the first European to land on what is now modern day Uruguay.
Biography
His origins are disputed. One document records him as a Portuguese ...
and
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón
Vicente Yáñez Pinzón () (c. 1462 – after 1514) was a Spanish navigator and explorer, the youngest of the Pinzón brothers. Along with his older brother, Martín Alonso Pinzón (''c.'' 1441 – ''c.'' 1493), who captained the '' Pinta'', he ...
.
[The ''Magdalena'', master Gonzalo Ruíz, and the ''Isabelita'' or the ''San Benito'', master Pedro de Ledesma, sailed from ]Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Sanlúcar de Barrameda (), or simply Sanlúcar, is a city in the northwest of Cádiz province, part of the autonomous community of Andalucía in southern Spain. Sanlúcar is located on the left bank at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River oppo ...
on 29 June 1508 (, ). The latter captain was the expedition's chief pilot, and had previously accompanied Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
during his third and fourth voyages in 1498–1500 and 1502–1504 (, ).
[This voyage is known to have reached ]Guanaja
Guanaja is one of the Bay Islands of Honduras and is in the Caribbean. It is about off the north coast of Honduras, and from the island of Roatan. One of the cays off Guanaja, also called Guanaja or Bonacca or Low Cay (or just simply, Th ...
in the Bay of Honduras, but there is disagreement as to whether the expedition then headed north to Cape Catoche or east to Cape Gracias a Dios (, ).
The first Spanish residents of Yucatan were
Jerónimo de Aguilar
Jerónimo (European Portuguese and Spanish) or Jerônimo (Brazilian Portuguese) may refer to:
* Jerónimo (name), a given or surname, Jerome in English
** Jeronimo (singer) (born 1990), Dutch pop singer and actor
* Jeronimo (band), German band of ...
and
Gonzalo Guerrero, who in 1511 had been swept towards the peninsula from their shipwreck at the
Pedro Bank (southwest of
Jamaica
Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of Hispan ...
), and thereafter impressed or enslaved by a
''batab'' or mayor of the
Ekab Province.
Hispano-Mayan hostilities broke out on 5 March 1517, when a Cuban expeditionary force, led by
Francisco Hernández de Córdoba Francisco Hernández de Córdoba may refer to:
* Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (Yucatán conquistador) (died 1517)
* Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (founder of Nicaragua) :''There were two Spanish '' conquistadores'' at the start of the 16th- ...
, was ambushed by the military or militia of the Ekab Province near that state's eponymous capital.
[The expedition of three ships and over 100 men had been commissioned by ]Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
Diego Velázquez de CuéllarPronounced: (1465 – c. June 12, 1524) was a Spanish conquistador and the first governor of Governorate of Cuba, Cuba. In 1511 he led the successful conquest and colonization of Cuba. As the first governor of t ...
, first Spanish governor of Cuba. It seems to have been destined to the Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the archi ...
or the Bay Islands, in search of slaves, but instead set course towards the Yucatan peninsula on the prompting of chief pilot Antón de Alamilla, who had sailed with Christopher Columbus on his fourth voyage of 1502–1504 . The expeditionaries' reports of grand Mayan cities lead to further Cuban expeditions to Yucatan and the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United S ...
, notably bringing about the
1519–1521 conquest of the Aztec Empire.
Spanish conquest
On 8 December 1526,
Charles I of Spain
Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain ( Castile and Aragon) f ...
granted
Francisco de Montejo a ''capitulación de conquista'' or
letters patent
Letters patent ( la, litterae patentes) ( always in the plural) are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch, president or other head of state, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, t ...
for the conquest of the Mayan states in the Yucatan peninsula.
[The same had first been granted to ]Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
Diego Velázquez de CuéllarPronounced: (1465 – c. June 12, 1524) was a Spanish conquistador and the first governor of Governorate of Cuba, Cuba. In 1511 he led the successful conquest and colonization of Cuba. As the first governor of t ...
on 13 November 1518 . Both ''capitulaciones'' granted their recipients the titles and offices of '' adelantado'', governor, and captain general
Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.
History
The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Comma ...
of Yucatan (, ).
The
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a city in western Spain and is the capital of the Province of Salamanca in the autonomous community of Castile and León. The city lies on several rolling hills by the Tormes River. Its Old City was declared a UNESCO World Her ...
n
conquistador was thereby granted the titles and offices of ''
adelantado'', governor,
captain general
Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.
History
The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Comma ...
, and
''alguacil mayor'' of Yucatan. Montejo, with four ships and over 250 men, embarked from
Seville
Seville (; es, Sevilla, ) is the capital and largest city of the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the River Guadalquivir, in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsul ...
in late June 1527, reaching
Cozumel
Cozumel (; yua, Kùutsmil) is an island and municipality in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, opposite Playa del Carmen. It is separated from the mainland by the Cozumel Channel and is close to the Yucatán ...
(in the
Ekab Province) in late September 1527.
[The ships were– (i) the ''San Jerónimo'', Miguel Ferrer master, (ii) ''Nicolasa'', Ochoa master, (iii) ''La Gavarra'', master not named, and (iv) a fourth unnamed ship, master likewise not named. Montejo's principal subordinates were Alonso Dávila (second-in-command), Antón Sánchez Calabrés, Pedro de los Ríos, Pedro de Añasco, Pedro de Lugones, Pedro González, Hernando Palomino, Pedro Gaitán, and possibly Andrés de Calleja and Roberto Alemán. Crown representatives Pedro de Luna and Hernando de Cueto accompanied the expedition, as did frays Juan Rodríguez de Caraveo, Pedro Fernández, and Gregorio de San Martín. The flotilla was thoroughly refitted at ]Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
, population_density_km2 = auto
, timezone = AST (UTC −4)
, area_code_type = Area codes
, area_code = 809, 829, 849
, postal_code_type = Postal codes
, postal_code = 10100–10699 ( Distrito Nacional)
, webs ...
.
The Spanish conquest began in 1527, upon the founding of
''Salamanca de Xelha'' (in the Ekab Province), and protracted itself to 1544, ending with the founding of
''Salamanca de Bacalar'' (in the
Waymil Province).
[There had been Hispano–Mayan engagements prior to the conquest, eg during the 1517 Hernández de Córdoba expedition . Additionally, the conquest did not bring all peninsular Mayan polities under Spanish rule, eg the Peten Itza Kingdom was not defeated until 13 March 1697 .
][By 31 December 1544, the (Spanish) Province of Yucatan consisted of four municipalities–
# ''San Francisco de Campeche'' or Campeachy– est. 4 October 1540 ,
# Merida, the provincial capital– est. 6 January 1542 ,
# ]Valladolid
Valladolid () is a municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. It has a population around 300,000 peo ...
– est. 28 May 1543 ,
# ''Salamanca de Bacalar''– est. 1544 .
Posterior to the Spanish conquest
=Great Mayan Revolt, 1546–1547
=
In 1546, state and local officers, and priests, of the (recently defeated) pre-Columbian province of
Kupul began organising a coalition force for a swift military strike on
Merida,
Valladolid
Valladolid () is a municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province of the same name. It has a population around 300,000 peo ...
, and
Bacalar. Six neighbouring (former) provinces joined Kupul in the operation, which was scheduled for the full moon night of 8–9 November 1546.
[Namely, Koch Wah, Sotuta, Tases, Waymil, ]Chetumal
Chetumal (, , ; yua, label= Yucatec Maya, Chactemàal , ) is a city on the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico. It is the capital of the state of Quintana Roo and the municipal seat of the Municipality of Othón P. Blanco. In 2020 ...
, and Chik'in Che'el .
On said night, circa 500–600 non-allied Mayans, and fifteen to twenty
''encomenderos'' were massacred.
[Casualties included persons not deemed fit for combat, eg women and children. At least some victims were ritualistically tortured and killed. Additionally, Spanish-owned cattle and pets, and non-native plants, were destroyed .
] The planned offensive on Merida faltered, while that on Valladolid devolved into a siege, broken circa two weeks afterwards by a military detachment from Merida. The strike on Bacalar likewise devolved into a blockade, broken in early 1547. The defeated coalition forces nonetheless determined on guerrilla warfare. By March 1547, most coalition troops had been defeated, exhausted by attrition, or otherwise convinced to lay down their arms. Afterwards–
# five or six of the principal instigators were tried and killed,
[At least some instigators were burnt at the stake, including the Kupul ''chilam'' or priest, Anbal, who had been named the foremost principal instigator by Spaniards and defeated Mayans .
]
# circa 2,000 prisoners of war were (illegally) enslaved,
[The ]New Laws
The New Laws ( Spanish: ''Leyes Nuevas''), also known as the New Laws of the Indies for the Good Treatment and Preservation of the Indians ( Spanish: ''Leyes y ordenanzas nuevamente hechas por su Majestad para la gobernación de las Indias y buen ...
of 20 November 1542 forbade the enslavement of natives . Francisco de Montejo, ''adelantado'', governor and captain general of Spanish Yucatan, enforced this prohibition in the latter half of 1547, or in 1548 .
# a number of Spanish military captains were charged with and convicted of war crimes.
[It is not clear what sentences the convicts received .
]
Seventeenth century

The Captaincy General of Yucatán was created in 1617 to provide more autonomy for the
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula (, also , ; es, Península de Yucatán ) is a large peninsula in southeastern Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north ...
, previously ruled directly by a simple governor under the jurisdiction of
Audiencia of Mexico. Its creation was part of the, ultimately futile,
Habsburg attempt in the late 16th century to prevent incursion into the
Caribbean by foreign powers, which also involved the establishment of Captaincies General in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
,
Cuba
Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
, and neighboring
Guatemala. With the addition of the title of
captain general
Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.
History
The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Comma ...
to the governor of Yucatán, the province gained greater autonomy in administration and military matters. Unlike in most areas of Spanish America, no formal ''
corregidor
Corregidor ( tl, Pulo ng Corregidor, ) is an island located at the entrance of Manila Bay in the southwestern part of Luzon in the Philippines, and is considered part of the Province of Cavite. Due to this location, Corregidor has historicall ...
es'' were used in Yucatán, and instead the governor-captain general relied on other subordinate officials to handle the oversight of local districts. The Captaincy General remained part of the
Viceroyalty of New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Ame ...
, with the viceroy retaining the right to oversee the province's governance, when it was deemed necessary, and the Audiencia of Mexico taking judicial cases in appeal. The province and captaincy general covered the territory that today are the States of
Campeche
Campeche (; yua, Kaampech ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Campeche), is one of the 31 states which make up the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by ...
,
Quintana Roo
Quintana Roo ( , ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Quintana Roo ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Quintana Roo), is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, constitute the 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into 11 mu ...
,
Tabasco
Tabasco (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Tabasco), is one of the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa.
It is located in ...
,
Yucatán
Yucatán (, also , , ; yua, Yúukatan ), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Yucatán,; yua, link=no, Xóot' Noj Lu'umil Yúukatan. is one of the 31 states which comprise the federal entities of Mexico. It comprises 106 separate mun ...
, and nominally the northern areas of
Petén and
Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wa ...
.
Law IV ("Que el Governador de Yucatan guarde las ordenes del Virrey de Nueva España") of Title I ("De los Terminos, Division, y Agregación de las Governaciones") of Book V of the ''Recopilación de
Leyes de Indias'' of 1680 reproduces the November 2, 1627 royal decree (''real cédula'') of
Philip V Philip V may refer to:
* Philip V of Macedon (221–179 BC)
* Philip V of France (1293–1322)
* Philip II of Spain
Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September ...
, which established the nature of the relationship between the Governor of Yucatán and the Viceroy of New Spain: "It is convenient that the governors and captain generals of the Province of Yucatán, precisely and in a timely manner fulfill the orders that the viceroys of New Spain give them. And we order that the governors obey them and fulfill them."
Eighteenth century
In 1786, as part of the
Bourbon Reforms the Spanish Crown established an
Intendancy
An intendant (; pt, intendente ; es, intendente ) was, and sometimes still is, a public official, especially in France, Spain, Portugal, and Latin America. The intendancy system was a centralizing administrative system developed in France. In ...
of Yucatán covering the same area as the Province. The intendancy took control of government and military finances and had broad powers to promote the local economy.
Nineteenth century
On September 15, 1821, in the Hall of Councils of the City of Mérida, Yucatán declared its independence from Spain. Almost immediately, Governor Juan María Echeverri sent two representatives to negotiate the incorporation of Yucatán into the
Mexican Empire. The incorporation into the Mexican Empire took place on November 2, 1821.
[Jaime Oroza Diaz (1982) ''Historia de Yucatán'', Ed. UADY, ]
Society
Religion

The letters patent of 8 December 1526, granted to
Francisco de Montejo for the
conquest of the Yucatan peninsula, incorporated various provisions designed to ensure the successful conversion of Mayan residents to (Roman Catholic) Christianity.
[Among these were the–
# imposition of ''diezmos'' or tithes for the maintenance of the Roman Catholic Church ,
# appointment of a bishop within five years ,
# enslavement of Mayan residents who refused compliance with the '' Requerimiento'' ,
# prohibition from entry to Spanish Yucatan by non-Christians and Christian heretics, including Jews, Moors and Lutherans ,
# appointment of at least two ]secular clergy
In Christianity, the term secular clergy refers to deacons and priests who are not monastics or otherwise members of religious life. A secular priest (sometimes known as a diocesan priest) is a priest who commits themselves to a certain geogra ...
to accompany reconnaissance, trade, conquest, and settlement expeditions .
Christian proselytising efforts in the
Yucatan peninsula were begun in late September 1527 by
secular
Secularity, also the secular or secularness (from Latin ''saeculum'', "worldly" or "of a generation"), is the state of being unrelated or neutral in regards to religion. Anything that does not have an explicit reference to religion, either negativ ...
friars
A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the o ...
Juan Rodríguez de Caraveo, Pedro Fernández, and
Carmelite friar
, image =
, caption = Coat of arms of the Carmelites
, abbreviation = OCarm
, formation = Late 12th century
, founder = Early hermits of Mount Carmel
, founding_location = Mount Car ...
Gregorio de San Martín, who accompanied the
Montejo ''entrada'' of 1527–1528.
Jerónimo de Aguilar
Jerónimo (European Portuguese and Spanish) or Jerônimo (Brazilian Portuguese) may refer to:
* Jerónimo (name), a given or surname, Jerome in English
** Jeronimo (singer) (born 1990), Dutch pop singer and actor
* Jeronimo (band), German band of ...
, a Franciscan
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
friar, had been resident in the pre-Columbian Ekab Province from 1511 to late February 1519, but is not known to have engaged in missionary work, having been a slave or servant of the ''batab'' or mayor of Xaman Ha' .
The first known Christian baptisms in the peninsula occurred in Ekab, capital of the
eponymous Postclassic Mayan province, during or shortly after an assembly of the province's
''batabo'ob'' or mayors, held at some point during December 1527 and March 1528.
Franciscans
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
began missionary work in
Chak'anputun, capital of a
Postclassic Mayan province of the same name, sometime during 1535 and 1537.
[Reputedly, at the initiative of ]Jacobo de Testera
Fray Jacobo de Testera or Jacobo de Tastera was a Franciscan Friar of the 16th century who worked as a missionary to the indigenous peoples of New Spain. Born into a noble family in Bayonne, France he entered the Franciscan order around 1500 and ...
, custodian of the Franciscan Order in New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...
. The first mission, believed to have been composed of Testera and four companions, was expelled by a military expedition under Lorenzo de Godoy . Testera sent a second mission to Spanish Yucatan in 1542. This latter mission, composed of four friars (Luis de Villalpando, Lorenzo de Bienvenida, Melchor de Benavente, and Juan de Herrera), arrived in 1545, and proved more enduring than the first . An additional four Franciscan friars (Nicolás de Albalate, Angel Maldonado, Miguel de Vera, Juan de la Puerta) arrived in 1546 or 1547, and a further eight (including Francisco de Bustamante and Diego de Landa
Diego de Landa Calderón, O.F.M. (12 November 1524 – 29 April 1579) was a Spanish Franciscan bishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Yucatán. Many historians criticize his campaign against idolatry. In particular, he burned almost ...
) in 1549 . The Franciscans held their first chapter meeting on 29 September 1549, and were established as a province in 1561 (with Landa as the first provincial superior) . Non-Franciscan regular clergy
Regular clergy, or just regulars, are clerics in the Catholic Church who follow a rule () of life, and are therefore also members of religious institutes. Secular clergy are clerics who are not bound by a rule of life.
Terminology and history
The ...
were prohibited from missionary work in Spanish Yucatan sometime thereafter .
Education
Hispano–Christian schooling or indoctrination of Mayan children and adults was begun by
Franciscan friars
, image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg
, image_size = 200px
, caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans
, abbreviation = OFM
, predecessor =
, ...
at the Provincial Convent of St. Francis,
Merida, in 1547.
[An assembly of the municipality's ''batabo'ob'' or mayors was held in Merida in early 1547, during which these were invited to send their children to the Franciscan school in town, though at least some children were rather sent to said school by ''encomenderos'' .
][The convent, ''Convento Provincial de San Francisco'', was demolished in 1869 .
] Instruction included–
# Roman Catholic doctrine for all Mayan children and adults,
[Attendance for doctrinal studies was compulsory at least for Mayan adults .
]
# (Latin) reading and writing for children of pre-eminent Mayan families,
# choral music for Mayan adults.
At least some ''chilamo'ob'' or priests (of
Mayan polytheism), and members of ''ch'ibalo'ob'' or noble houses, are known to have vigorously opposed Franciscan indoctrination.
Government
''Capitulaciones de conquista'' of 1526
The ''capitulaciones de conquista'' or letters patent for the conquest of Yucatan, granted on 8 December 1526 by
Charles I of Spain
Charles V, french: Charles Quint, it, Carlo V, nl, Karel V, ca, Carles V, la, Carolus V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain ( Castile and Aragon) f ...
to
Francisco de Montejo in
Granada
Granada (,, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the c ...
, set out the first constitution of Spanish Yucatan.
[In addition to Spanish ]civil law
Civil law may refer to:
* Civil law (common law), the part of law that concerns private citizens and legal persons
* Civil law (legal system), or continental law, a legal system originating in continental Europe and based on Roman law
** Private la ...
, including a ''real provisión'' or royal ordinance of 17 November 1526 regulating New World conquests (incorporated by reference in Montejo's latters patent), and the Spanish ''Requerimiento'' .
[A digitised copy of these letters patent is available at .
]
Absolute authority was vested in the
Spanish sovereign, advised and assisted by the ''
Casa de Contratación
The ''Casa de Contratación'' (, House of Trade) or ''Casa de la Contratación de las Indias'' ("House of Trade of the Indies") was established by the Crown of Castile, in 1503 in the port of Seville (and transferred to Cádiz in 1717) as a cr ...
'' and the
Council of the Indies
The Council of the Indies ( es, Consejo de las Indias), officially the Royal and Supreme Council of the Indies ( es, Real y Supremo Consejo de las Indias, link=no, ), was the most important administrative organ of the Spanish Empire for the Am ...
.
[Though absolute power over ''spiritual'' matters rested with the Roman Catholic pontiff .
] Directly subordinate was the ''
adelantado'', governor,
captain general
Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.
History
The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Comma ...
, and
''alguacil mayor'' of Yucatan, who was afforded executive, legislative and judicial authority over the province.
[Though ''oficiales reales'' or royal officers, appointed by and responsible to the Spanish sovereign, administered part of the province's treasury .
] Spanish Yucatan was partitioned into
''municipios'' or municipalities, each administered by a designated
''cabildo'' or municipal-and-town council.
[See, for instance, the October 1527 founding of ''Salamanca de Xelha'' in .
] Said municipalities were further subdivided into–
# Mayan or ''
encomienda
The ''encomienda'' () was a Spanish labour system that rewarded conquerors with the labour of conquered non-Christian peoples. The labourers, in theory, were provided with benefits by the conquerors for whom they laboured, including military ...
'' settlements, administered by an
''encomendero'' and a resident
''batab'', ''cacique'' or mayor,
[See, for instance, the October 1527 designation of Xelha and Zama, pre-Columbian Mayan towns in the Ekab Province, as ''encomienda'' towns in .
]
# Spanish or non-''encomienda'' settlements, administered by a ''cabildo''.
Early developments
The
Real Audiencia of Mexico, established by ''real cédula'' or royal decree on 13 December 1527, was thereby set up as a superior court of judicature for Spanish Yucatan.
[The ]Real Audiencia of Guatemala
The Real Audiencia of Santiago de Guatemala ( es, Audiencia y Cancillería Real de Santiago de Guatemala), simply known as the Audiencia of Guatemala or the Audiencia of Los Confines, was a '' Real Audiencia'' ( appellate court) in the Imperial S ...
, established by ''real cédula'' or royal decree on 20 November 1542, held jurisdiction over Spanish Yucatan from–
# 13 September 1543 to 23 April 1548 (, ),
# 7 July 1550 to 8 September 1563 (, ),
# 16 October 1814 to 27 September 1821 ().
Furthermore, it exercised ''de facto'' authority over Spanish Yucatan from 24 April 1548 to 6 July 1550 .
The province was made an administrative district of the
Viceroyalty of New Spain
New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Ame ...
upon or shortly after the latter's formation on 17 April 1535.
Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco
Antonio de Mendoza y Pacheco (, ; 1495 – 21 July 1552) was a Spanish colonial administrator who was the first Viceroy of New Spain, serving from 14 November 1535 to 25 November 1550, and the third Viceroy of Peru, from 23 September 1551, ...
was appointed viceroy of New Spain
The following is a list of Viceroys of New Spain.
In addition to viceroys, the following lists the highest Spanish governors of the Viceroyalty of New Spain, before the appointment of the first viceroy or when the office of viceroy was vacant. ...
on 17 April 1535, but did not assume office until 14 November 1535 .
[Spanish Yucatan was made a province of New Spain prior to 1553 . A ''real cédula'' or royal decree of 23 April 1548 directed the viceroy to oversee the adoption of a number of measures regarding Mayan residents of the province .
] The
New Laws
The New Laws ( Spanish: ''Leyes Nuevas''), also known as the New Laws of the Indies for the Good Treatment and Preservation of the Indians ( Spanish: ''Leyes y ordenanzas nuevamente hechas por su Majestad para la gobernación de las Indias y buen ...
of 20 November 1542 rendered null and void some parts of the ''adelantados letters patent. The latter were further derogated from on 13 May 1549, upon the ''adelantado's'' suspension from the offices of governor, captain general, and ''alguacil mayor'' of Spanish Yucatan.
Economy
''Capitulaciones de conquista'' of 1526
Francisco de Montejo's letters patent of 8 December 1526 incorporated a number of provisions designed to attract Spanish settlers to the Yucatan peninsula, including–
# assignment of conquered Mayan settlements in
''encomiendas'',
# authorisation for a limited
slave trade in Mayan prisoners,
[The ]New Laws
The New Laws ( Spanish: ''Leyes Nuevas''), also known as the New Laws of the Indies for the Good Treatment and Preservation of the Indians ( Spanish: ''Leyes y ordenanzas nuevamente hechas por su Majestad para la gobernación de las Indias y buen ...
of 20 November 1542 forbade said trade .
# partial tax breaks from the ''
quinto real
The ''quinto real'' or the quinto del rey, the "King's fifth", was a 20% tax established in 1504 that Spain levied on the mining of precious metals. The tax was a major source of revenue for the Spanish monarchy. In 1723 the tax was reduced to 10% ...
'', ''almojarifazgo'', and salt tax,
# grants of two
''caballerías'' and two
''solares'',
# authorisation to employ court fines for local public works,
# authorisation to employ the ''
diezmo'' for local missionary work.
Early developments
''Conquistadors'' had initially hoped to find significant deposits of gold and precious metals in the Yucatan peninsula. As the conquest wore on, it became increasingly apparent that none such were to be had. Consequently, agriculture was settled on as the primary economic activity of Spanish Yucatan.
[Old World flora and fauna were introduced during the Spanish conquest, notably including draught and farm animals, crops (eg cabbages, lettuces, turnips, onions, sugar cane), and fruit trees (eg citruses, figs, pomegranates, dates, coconuts, plantains, sapodillas) . These did not displace the Mesoamerican staples (eg turkeys, cotton, maize, squash, beans, peppers) . See, for instance, the ]Columbian exchange
The Columbian exchange, also known as the Columbian interchange, was the widespread transfer of plants, animals, precious metals, commodities, culture, human populations, technology, diseases, and ideas between the New World (the Americas) in ...
.
Some commerce, especially in dye woods, similarly developed.
[At least some Postclassic Mayan industries (including salt, beeswax, and cotton textile production) were maintained . Regarding dye woods, ''conquistador'' Marcos de Ayala is believed to have introduced the native logwood dye to the Spanish market, while Hernando de Bracamonte is credited with the introduction of the Old World ]indigo dye
Indigo dye is an organic compound with a distinctive blue color. Historically, indigo was a natural dye extracted from the leaves of some plants of the ''Indigofera'' genus, in particular '' Indigofera tinctoria''; dye-bearing ''Indigofera'' p ...
to the peninsula .
Mayan cotton ''mantas'' were made legal tender in late 1542.
Legacy
See also
*
History of Belize
*
History of Central America
*
History of Mexico
The written history of Mexico spans more than three millennia. First populated more than 13,000 years ago, central and southern Mexico (termed Mesoamerica) saw the rise and fall of complex indigenous civilizations. Mexico would later develop ...
*
Republic of Yucatan
A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
– nineteenth-century sovereign state in the Yucatan peninsula
*
Caste War of Yucatan – nineteenth–century Hispano–Mayan conflict in the Yucatan peninsula
Notes
Citations
References
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Further reading
*
Farriss, Nancy M. ''Maya Society Under Colonial Rule''. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1984. .
* Moseley, Edward H. "From Conquest to Independence: Yucatan Under Spanish Rule, 1521-1821" in ''Yucatan: A World Apart''. Tuscaloosa, AL: University of Alabama Press, 1980. .
* Patch, Robert W. ''Maya and Spaniard in Yucatan, 1648-1812''. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1993. .
{{DEFAULTSORT:Captaincy General of Yucatan
New Spain
Colonial Mexico
Yucatan
1617 establishments in New Spain
History of the Yucatán Peninsula
Spanish-speaking countries and territories