Real Audiencia of Mexico

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The Real Audiencia of Mexico was located in what is now the Palacio Nacional

The Real Audiencia of Mexico (in Spanish in full: Audiencia y Cancillería Real de México ) was a court in Mexico City , an institution of colonial administration and at the same time a judicial district ( Real Audiencia ) of the Spanish crown. It existed from 1528 to 1822 as part of the viceroyalty of New Spain .

The role of the Real Audiencias in the colonies

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

The Real Audiencias were responsible for the implementation of the laws and the support of the military governors . They fulfilled tasks in administration and finance that went far beyond that of a court according to today's understanding, especially as a separation of powers was unknown. In addition to a chairman and usually four judges (Spanish: Oidores ), there was a public prosecutor (Spanish: fiscal ), but also subordinate executive forces such as a bailiff (Spanish: alguacil mayor ), police officers, translators, etc.

The foundation in 1527

When the Spaniards under Hernán Cortés conquered the Aztec empire in 1521 after the fall of Tenochtitlán , they set up a headquarters first in Coyoacán and later a little further north in Mexico City , which gradually grew into the government and administrative center for the colony.

Since Cortés concentrated on the subjugation of further areas, there was no room for the administration of the conquered peoples and countries. The complaints at the Spanish court increased, and so King Charles V ordered the Real Audiencia of Mexico to be set up as a court of appeal and administrative center in a deed of November 29, 1527 . This happened even before the viceroyalty of New Spain was founded.

It was the first Audiencia on the American mainland, before an Audiencia in Santo Domingo (1511) had already been established . The Audiencias of Panamá (1538), Lima and Guatemala (1543) followed later.

Jurisdiction

The Audiencia of Mexico was initially responsible for the entire mainland in Spanish hands. With the establishment of further audiences, the responsibility was increasingly shared. From 1547 the Audiencia was responsible for what is now Central Mexico , while the north and the Spanish possessions in California and New Mexico were handled by the Real Audiencia of Guadalajara .

First occupation

In order to set limits to the unauthorized rule of Cortés, Madrid named the conquistador Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán as the first chairman in 1528 . Rivalry quickly developed between the military leader Cortés and the President of the Audiencia, Beltrán de Guzmán. Reports of corruption and abuse of office also reached the court in Madrid.

Second occupation

As a consequence, the India Council replaced the head of the Audiencia and named Sebastián Ramírez de Fuenleal , the bishop of Santo Domingo , as chairman , who was to be supported by four Oidores , including the later Bishop of Michoacán , Vasco de Quiroga . The second Audiencia prevailed with greater moderation, but it too did not succeed in pacifying the conquered area in the long term.

Audiencia in the Viceroyalty

So the court decided to set up a viceroyalty and named Antonio de Mendoza as viceroy in 1530 , who was to take over the office of governor and chair of the audiencia at the same time. Only the military command in the rank of captain general remained with Cortés until his death. The successors of Mendoza should combine all three titles.

As the colony grew and the division of labor increased, the presidency of the Audiencia became more and more of a formal title held by the viceroy. The actual chairmanship of the meetings was held by the senior Oidor , who served as dean of the Audiencia and at the same time represented the viceroy.

Concretization of the tasks 1680

With the Recopilación de Leyes de Indias in 1680, the Spanish Crown summarized the individual provisions in the New World that had been enacted over the years into one legal text. A number of eight oidores was set for the Audiencia of Mexico .

resolution

In 1821 the leader of the independence movement, Agustín de Iturbide, signed the Treaty of Cordoba with the last Spanish viceroy, Juan O'Donojú , which sealed the independence of Mexico. At that time, the rule of the Spaniards was limited to the cities of Acapulco , Mexico City and Veracruz . The Audiencia of Mexico passed to the Mexican administration and jurisdiction in the course of independence .

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