Early Letters to Crown and the Council for the Reformation of the Indies, 1516-1531: Primeras Cartas a La Corona Y Al Consejo Para La Reforma De Las Indias (Early Modern Catholic Sources)

Bartolomé de las Casas began his transatlantic career in 1502.Experiences of conquest and penitential discipline led him to renounce his Indian slaves and holdings.He dedicated his life to reforming Spain’s colonial project, eventually joining the Dominicans, and later serving as bishop.His works are foundational for our understanding of early colonialism. This volume’s seven letters-all but one in English for the first time-span the initial stage of his long career as "Protector of the Indians." Las Casas harangues corrupt officials, denounces perverse incentives, and lays out detailed plans for Spain’s presence in the Americas.He calls for direct crown control with moral oversight by mendicant bishops, proposes alternatives to Indian labor, and demands restitution for stolen property.These letters led to legal changes in the Indies, influencing later Jesuit reducciones in the Río de la Plata and Franciscan missions in California.They also reveal an entrepreneurial Las Casas with mora