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An Alternative to Encomienda: Puebla's Indios de Servicio, 1531–45

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2009

Julia Hirschberg
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Extract

Dominating the early decades of Spain's New World settlement was the question of how best to apportion the fruits of conquest. Colonists urged Repartimiento General, the division among worthy settlers of all lands in señorio and all indians in hereditary encomienda. Only aristocratic rewards, they claimed, could attract men of quality to the New World. Only caballeros could hold colonies already won and conquer more lands for Spain. Yet, if such demands were met, the Crown could expect little profit from its colonial empire, however large and secure.

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Articles
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Journal of Latin American Studies , Volume 11 , Issue 2 , November 1979 , pp. 241 - 264
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Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1979

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References

1 This article is based primarily upon material from the following archives: Archivo General de Indias (AGI), Archivo General de la Nación (México) (AGN), Archivo del Ayuntamiento de Puebla (AA), Archivo General de Notarías del Estado de Puebla (AGNEP), Archivo del Registro Público de la Propiedad de Puebla, Archivo del Sagrarío de Puebla and from the following documentary collections: Francisco del Paso y Troncoso (comp.), Epistolario de Nueva España: 1505-1818 (16 vols., Mexico City, 1939–40) (ENE) and Colección de documentos inéditos … de Indias (42 vols., Madrid, 1864–84) (DII).Google Scholar

2 See, for example, Gonzalo Salazar, Pedro Almíndez Cherino, Leonel de Cervantes and others to Crown, 10 Nov. 1525, published in ENE, i, 83: ‘Item supliquen a su majestad que por ennoblecer esta Nueva España y las cosas della porque la población della vaya en abmentación y porque en ella se dan todos los frutos y semillas Despaña por la temperanza que hay de los puertos acá manden enviar hombres casados labradores y aradores con sus mujeres y hijos para que entiendan solamente en las granjerías de la tierra y que estos pueblen en las partes donde mejor paresciere a los que gobernasen esta tierra por su majestad con tanto que de los indios de su majestad scan estos proueidos’. Later of course, note Vasco de Quiroga's pueblos-hospitales.Google Scholar

3 See de Echeverría y Veytia, Mariano Fernández, Historia de la Fundación de la Ciudad de la Puebla de los Angeles en la Nueva España: Su descripcion y presente estado (2 vols., Puebla, 1931) for a summary 1, 60–1,Google Scholar and Crown, to Audiencia, , 25 01. 1531, Audiencia de México, leg. 1088, t. 2, fols. 51–5IV for an official summation of Garcés’ position.Google Scholar

4 de Benavente, Toribio [Motolinia] History of the Indians of New Spain (trans. Steck, F. B., Washington, D.C., 1951), p. 319.Google Scholar

5 Audiencia to Crown, 30 May 1530, DII, 41:39.Google Scholar

6 Crown to Audiencia, 18 Jan. 1531, pub. in Pedro Lopez de Villasenor, Cartilla vieja de la nobilisima ciudad de Puebla (ed. Mantecon, J. I., Mexico City, 1961), p. 36.Google Scholar

7 Audiencia to Crown, 30 March 1531, ENE, 2:43.Google Scholar

8 Gibson, Charles, The Aztecs Under Spanish Rule (Stanford, 1964), pp. 221 -2.Google Scholar

9 Salmerón to Consejo, 13 Aug. 1531, ENE, 16:12–13.Google Scholar

10 Audiencia to Crown, 14 Aug. 1531, DII, 41:80–88.Google Scholar

11 Motolinía, p. 320; Audiencia to Crown, 30 March 1531, ENE, 2:43–44; Audiencia to Crown, 14 Aug. 1531, DII, 41 80–81. The discrepancy between contemporary figures may reflect contemporary labor practice, which rotated labor drafts within the larger pool of the obligated population; for estimates of size of Spanish population (heads of household) see Veytia, I:101–103; Motolinía, p. 320; testimony of Castilla, 12 March 1534, AGI, Patronato, leg. 21, no. 4, ramo I; Audiencia to Crown, 14 Aug. 1531, DII, 41:80.Google Scholar

12 Motolinía, p. 329; Audiencia to Crown, 14 Aug. 1531, DII, 41:81;Google ScholarCastilla before Consejo de Indias, 12 March 1534, AGI, Patronato, leg. 21, no. 4, ramo I.Google Scholar

13 Audiencia to Crown, 14 Aug. 1531, DII, 41:79–82; Salmerón to Consejo, 13 Aug. 1531, ENE, 16:8–15.Google Scholar

14 Ibid.

15 Motolinía, pp. 320–1; Juan de Zumárraga before Consejo de Indias, 4 April 1534, AGI, Patronato, leg. 21, no. 4, ramo I. Settlers who remained in Puebla from 1531 to 1532 are determined by comparing names of vecinos receiving land grants in 1531 according to ‘El repartimiento de tierras que por los libros dcl Cabildo paresce estan hecho …’ of 15 Oct. 1543, AAP, Libros de Cabildo (LC), supl. I, fols. 1–5, with a list of 6 Dec. 1532 naming Pueblans given land at the Second Founding,Google ScholarIbid, fols. 7v–9.

16 Puebla to Salmerón, 5 Dec. 1532, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 6–7v. Cholula's claim to having donated lands alone was made in 1539: report of corregidor, 5–6 Aug. 1539, AAP, LC, supl. I, fols. 103–6.Google Scholar

17 Audiencia to Crown, 14 Aug. 1531, DII, 41 80–81.Google Scholar

18 Agreement between Salmerón and Guardians, II Dec. 1532, AAP, LC, supl. I, fols. 10–11.Google Scholar

19 Salmerón to Crown, 9 Feb. 1533, AGI, México, leg. 68, ramo I, no. I.Google Scholar

20 Ibid; summary of Real Cédula, 20 July 1538, AGI, México, leg. 1088, vol. 4, fol. 113v.

21 Cabildo minutes, 17 March 1533, AAP, LC, no. 3, fol. 5V.Google Scholar

22 Puebla to Crown [1540], AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 195v; cabildo minutes, 12 June 1536,Google ScholarIbid, no. 3, fol. 161v; 29 July 1536, Ibid, fol. 169v.

23 México cabildo to Crown, 6 May 1533, ENE, 3:80–87.Google Scholar

24 Puebla to Crown, 12 April 1534, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 21–31. The latter annotated list is preserved in AGI, Patronato, leg. 180, no. I, ramo 58 (publ. ENE, 3:137–44).Google Scholar

25 Additional data on individuals are taken from information compiled in Hirschberg, J., ‘A Social History of Puebla de los Angeles, 1531–60’ (unpublished Ph.D. diss., Univ.of Michigan, 1976).Google Scholar

26 Faltan a los q se dan indios y a los q no dan indios, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 80v.Google Scholar

27 See above, n. 25.Google Scholar

28 Mendoza to Puebla, 15 Jan. 1537, noted in Puebla to Crown, AAP, LC, sup1. I, fol. 72.Google Scholar

29 For example, Puebla to municipal pregonero, 29 July 1536, AAP, LC, no. 3, fol. 169v; public contract, June 1536, Ibid, fol. 159 and Ibid, Reales Cédulas (RC), vol. 22, fols 1278; Puebla rents out its labor, 4 July 1544, AAP, LC, no. 4, fol. 280v.Google Scholar

30 For example, corregidor to Puebla, AAP, LC, supl. I, fols. 160–160v;Google Scholar Puebla to Mendoza, 3 Feb. 1536, Ibid, fol. 55, and 25 Feb. 1536, Ibid, fol. 182.

31 Mendoza to Puebla, 24 May 1536, AAP, RC, vol. 17, fol. 301; see above, n. 28.Google Scholar

32 Mendoza to Puebla, 20 May 1539, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 102; Mendoza to Puebla, 20 July 1543, AGN, Mercedes, vol. 2, exp. 313, fol. 124; Puebla to Mendoza, c. 28 April to 24 May 1536, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 69v.Google Scholar

33 Agreement for rent of indios de servicio, 9 Sept. 1541, AGNEP, no. 3, fols. 4078–79V; Puebla to Crown, 28 Oct.1541, AAP, LC supl. I fols. 138–V9v;Google Scholar Mendoza to Puebla, Feb. 1536,Ibid, fol. 55.

34 Cabildo minutes, Nov. 1537, AAP, LC, no. 3, fols. 281–2v.Google Scholar

35 Puebla to Crown, 20 Dec. 1537, Ibid, supl. I, fol. 92.

36 Mendoza to Caja, clarifying tribute status of Tlaxcala and Cholula, 25 Sept. 1543, AGN, Mercedes, vol. 2, exp. 411, fols. I70v–I.Google Scholar

37 Crown to Puebla (summary) 20 July, 1538, AGI, México, leg. 1088, fol. 113v;Google ScholarMendoza to Puebla, 29 May 1539, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 102.Google Scholar

38 Ibid.

39 Puebla's escribano del Cabildo estimated total municipal income at over 500 pesos común. 16 Nov. 1554, LC, no. 7, fol. 48v.Google Scholar

40 Mendoza to Caja, 25 Sept. 1543, AGN, Mercedes, vol. 2, exp. 411, fols. 170v–I.Google Scholar

41 Puebla to Crown (with viceregal annotations), 4 May 1541, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 124v;Google Scholar Puebla's información of 1545, Ibid, fols. 199–201; agreement between Puebla and Cholula, 20 Sept. 1541, Ibid, fols. 130–I.

42 Puebla to Crown, 25 June 1544, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 234.Google Scholar

43 Agreement between Puebla and Cholula, 20 Sept. 1541, Ibid., fols. 130–I.

44 Puebla to Crown (with viceregal annotations), 4 May 1541, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 124v;Google Scholarinformación of 1541, Ibid, fols. 199–201.

45 Mendoza to Puebla, 28 April 1543, AGN, Mercedes, vol. 2, exp. 183, fols. 70v–2v; see above, n. 25.Google Scholar

46 Cahildo minutes, 13 July 1546, AAP, LC, no. 5 fols. 151–IV;Google Scholarcabildo minutes, 19 June 1545, Ibid, fols. 40–40v; Anales Mexicanos: Puebla, Tepeaca, Cholula on microfilm in the Museo Nacional de Antropología e Historia, Rollo 81, fols. 3v–25v; Mendoza to Caja, II Sept. 1545, AGI, Contaduría, leg. 661; Mendoza to Puebla, 3 Aug, 1545, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 209 Pedro de Mcneses, 23 Sept. 1545, Ibid, supl. 2, fol. 434 Anales de Tecamachalco, published in Antonio de Peñafiel, Colección de documentos para la historia mexicana (Mexico City, 1897–1903), vol. 5, Mendoza to Puebla, 14 Nov. 1543, AGN, Mercedes; vol. 2, exp. 512, fol. 280v.

47 Mendoza to Caja, II Sept. 1545, AGI, Contaduría, leg. 661; agents to Puebla, 23 Sept. 1545, AAP, LC, supl. 2, fols. 433–4v.Google Scholar

48 Puebla to Crown 12 April 1534, AGI, México, leg. 340;Google Scholar Mendoza to Puebla, 15 Sept. 1536, AAP, RC, vol. 17, fol. 303; agreement between Puebla and Tepeaca, 16 Jan. 1537,Ibid, LC, supl. I, fol. 363.

49 Puebla to Crown, 28 April 1536, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 56;Google Scholar Ecclesiastical cabildo of Tlaxcala to Crown, n.d., Ibid, fol. 179; Mandas for Iglesia Mayor, 16 May 1535 to 13 Aug. 1536, fols. 38–44; Puebla to Crown, 20 Dec. 1537, Ibid, fol. 93V; Puebla to Calpa, 24 May 1536, Ibid, RC, vol. 17, fol. 299; 16 Feb. 1537, Ibid, LC, supl. I, fol. 66; Crown to Mendoza, AGI, Mexico, beg. 1088, t. 4, fols. 58V–9;cabildo minutes, 4 Nov. 1541, AAP, LC, no. 4, fol. 79.

50 Velasco to Crown, 7 Feb. 1554, AGI, México, leg. 19, ramo I, no. 13.Google Scholar

51 For example, Puebla to Mendoza, 24 May 1537, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 78;Google Scholar agents to Puebla, 26 Jan. 1545, Ibid, fol. 161; Puebla to Velasco, 12 Jan. 1551, Ibid, fol. 223v; Mendoza to corregidor of Cuautinchan, 17 June 1546, Ibid, RC, vol. 17, fols. 328–8v; corregidor of Puebla and Cuautinchan to governador of Tepeaca, 22 May 1550, Ibid, fol.344; Velasco to corregidor of Cuautinchan, 31 Jan. 1551, Ibid, fols. 353–3V.

52 Puebla's corregidor to Puebla, 31 Mar. [1535], AAP, LC, supl. I, fols. 160–60v;Google Scholar Mendoza to Puebla, 25 Sept. 1536, Ibid, RC, vol. 17, fol. 296.

53 Velasco to Puebla, 19 July 1559, AAP, RC, vol. 17, fol. 389.Google Scholar

54 Cabildo minutes, 9 Dec. 1560, AAP, LC, no. 8, fol. 116v;Google Scholarcabildo minutes, 3 Oct., 54, Ibid, no. 4, fol. 294v; cabildo minutes, 5 May 1550, Ibid, no. 6, fol. 87v; procurador to Consejo [1548], Ibid, supl. I, fols. 207–7v; regidor to cabildo, 16 Sept. 1555, Ibid, RC, vol. 22, fol. 64; cabildo minutes, 9 Dec. 1560, Ibid, LC, no. 8, fol. 116v; cabildo minutes, 5 Mar. 1567, AGI, México, leg. 1084, ramo I.

55 The encomiendas were Aueuetlan-Agueguetlan, Calpa, Chocoman, Suchitepec, Tecali, Tecamachalco, Tequepilpa, Zacotlan, and Zultepec. Complaint of governador of Tequicestepec to Mendoza, 8 April 1543, AGI, Justicia, leg. 198, ramo 2.Google Scholar

56 Mendoza to Caja, 25 Sept. 1543, AGN, Mercedes, vol. 2, exp. 411, fols. 170V–71; Cholula's tasación of 26 Jan. 1543, ENE, 6: 162–3; Puebla's agent to Puebla, 23 Sept. 1545, AAP, LC, supl. 2, fol. 433; Borah, Woodrow and Cook, S. F., Price Trends of Some Basic Commodities in Central Mexico (Berkeley, 1958), p. 16;Google Scholar (Note: 1 real = 34 maravedis; 1 tomin of oro común = 1 real; 1 peso of oro comun = 272 maravedís or 8 tomines); cabildo minutes, 4 July 1544, AAP, LC, no. 4, fol. 180v.

57 Borah and Cook, p. 44.Google Scholar

58 Cabildo minutes, 19 Nov. 1546, AAP, LC, no. 5, fol. 160v. Considering that Cholula's maiz tribute was only half that of Tlaxcala, the latter figure seems improbably high. Certainly 4,000 janegas of maiz could not have sold at six tomines per janega. Yet, according to treasury accounts, Puebla did receive Cholulan tribute at a rate of 3,400 pesos común in per year from II Sept. 1545 to 28 July 1546, and at 2,280 pesos común through 28 April 1547, then at just over 3,000 pesos común to 22 Sept. 1547, and from then till II Sept. 1549 dropping to about 1,065 pesos común per year (AGI, Contaduria, leg. 661).Google Scholar

59 Mendoza to corregidores of comarca towns, 19 Jan. 1547, AAP, RC, vol. 21, fols. 60–IV; Borah and Cook, p. 44.Google Scholar

60 Velasco to corregidores of Cholula and Huejotzingo, 53 Jan. 1551, AGN, Mercedes, vol. 3, exp. 654, fols. 233–3v;Google Scholar iVelasco to Puebla, II May 1554, Ibid, vol. 4, exp. 51, fol. 140.

61 Borah and Cook, p. 48. They found that in 1530 an unskilled laborer could purchase of fanegas of maiz with one day's labor. In 1540 the amount had dropped to .052 but it rose again to .061 in 1550 and to .095 in 1560.Google Scholar

62 Puebla's procurador to Puebla, c. 1547, AAP, LC, supl. 1, fols. 206-6v; Velasco to Puebla's corregidor, 31 Jan. 1551, AGN, Mercedes, vol. 3, exp. 638, fol. 253; Gibson, Charles, Tlaxcala in the Sixteenth Century (New Haven, 1952).Google Scholar

63 Puebla's agents to Puebla, 26 Jan. 1545, AAP, LC, supl. I, fols. 161–2, and Feb. 1545, Ibid, supl. 2, fol. 432.

64 Cabildo minutes, 25 Aug. 1545, AAP, LC, no. 5, fol. 60v;Google Scholar Pedro de Meneses to Puebla, 23 Sept. 1545, Ibid, supl. 2, fol. 433; Puebla to Mendoza, II Mar. 1545, Ibid, supl. I, fol. 164v.

65 Puebla to Mendoza, is Mar. 1545, AAP, LC, supl. 2, fol. 164v;Google Scholar Lic. Gómez de Santilan, oidor, to Puebla, 14 Mar. 1545, Ibid, fols. 168–70.

66 Puebla to Crown [1545], AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 48;Google Scholarcabildo minutes, 21 Aug. 1545, Ibid, no. 5, fol. 58V.

67 Puebla to Mendoza, 24 May 1546, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 178;Google Scholar Mendoza to Puebla, 17 June 1546, Ibid, RC, vol. 17, fols. 327–7v; cabildo minutes, 30 Mar. 1554, Ibid, LC, no. 7, fol. 20; Velasco to Puebla's corregidor, 26 Oct. 1554, Ibid, RC, vol. 17, fol. 366.

68 Mendoza to corregidores of Puebla's comarca, 19 Jan. 1547, AAP, RC, vol. 17, fol. 366.Google Scholar

69 Puebla to Crown (with viceregal annotations), 18 April 1547, AAP, LC, supl. I, fols. 186v–89V.Google Scholar

70 Puebla's procurador to Crown, 20 May 1556, AGI, México, leg. 168;Google ScholarVelasco to Puebla, 16 July 1557, AAP, LC, supl. I, fol. 244;Google Scholar Velasco to corregidores of Puebla's comarca, 30 Sept. 1557, Ibid, RC, vol. 21, fols. 62–2v; Velasco to Puebla, 25 June 1559,Google ScholarIbid, vol. 17, fol. 311; cabildo minutes, 9 Dec. 1560, Ibid, LC, no. 8, fol. 116v.