TheDebateatValladolid,1550(1) Lawsofconquest(2) The“NewLaws,”1542(3)JuanGinésdeSepúlveda,thelawyer(4)Theproblemof“justwar”(5)ThedebateatValladolid(6)AOerValladolid

(1)LawsofConquestderechoindiano:“lawoftheIndians”assembledfromroyaldecreesandjudges’decisions

vs.requerimientoor“requirement” toannounceadeclaraVonofsovereigntyencomiendaor“giOintrust”:therighttoexacttribbutefromconqueredpeoplesrepar0mientoor“parVVon”:arotaVnglabourdraOtomeetpublicneeds.

(2)The“NewLaws,”1542BartolomédelasCasas1484-1566religiouschallenge?moralchallenge?legalchallenge?

Chiapas

CharlesVofSpain,InstrucVonsforValladolid:(1)“todetermineasfarasyoucanwhethertheatrociVesreportedtomearetrue”(2)“torecommendasuitableplanbywhichsuchevilsmightbeavoided”(3)“toinquireintoanddeveloptheformsandlawstopreachourHolyCatholicFaithintheNewWorld”(4)“toexaminehowthosepeoplemaybesubjectedtoUs,withoutdamagetoOurconscience,accordingtothebullofAlexander.”

Excerptsfromthe“NewLaws”Item,Weordainandcommandthatfromhenceforwardfornocauseofwarnoranyotherwhatsoever,thoughitbeunderVtleofrebellion,...cananIndianbemadeaslave...Also,Wecommandthatwithregardtothelading[carryingofburdens]ofthesaidIndianstheAudiencias[courts]takeespecialcarethattheybenotladen,orincasethatinsomepartsthiscannotbeavoidedthatitbeinsuchamannerthatnoriskoflife,healthandpreservaVonofthesaidIndiansmayensuefromanimmoderateburden...WecommandthatfromallthosepersonswhoholdIndianswithoutproperVtle,...suchIndiansbetakenawayandbeplacedunderourRoyalCrown....

(3)JuanGinesdeSepúlveda,1490-1573authorof:Democratesalter,siveDejus0sbellicausisapudIndios[ASecondDemocritus,orOntheJustCausesofWaragainsttheIndians]

(4)TheQuesVonof“JustWar”jusadbellum“therighttogotowar”jusinbello“rightconductinwar”

(5)TheDebateatValladolidJuanGinesdeSepúlveda’sfourarguments:(1)“thatthesepeoplearebarbaric,uninstructedinleiersandtheartofgovernment,andcompletelyignorant,unreasoning,andtotallyincapableoflearninganything...;aresunkinvice,arecruel...“thattheIndiansareobligedbynaturallawtoobeythosewhoareoutstandinginvirtueandcharacter...“thatiftheIndians,oncewarned,refusetoobeythislegiVmatesovereignty,theycanbeforcedtodosofortheirownwelfare.

JuanGinesdeSepúlveda’sfourarguments:(2)“thattheIndians,eventhoughunwilling,mustaccepttheSpanishyokesothattheymaybecorrectedandbepunishedfortheirsinsandcrimesagainstdivineandnaturallaw...,especiallytheiridolatryandtheimpiouscustomofhumansacrifice...(3)“thattheinjuriesandextrememiserywhichtheIndiansusedtoinflictand...sVllinflicttodayonagreatnumberofpersons,whomtheyusedtosacrificeeachyeartotheevilspirit,shouldbestopped....“thatallwhocandosoareheldbynaturalanddivinelawtodefendanyandallpersonsfromsuchinjuries,forallmenareneighbourstooneanotherandbrothers....

JuanGinesdeSepúlveda’sfourarguments:(4)“thatoncethoseregionshavebeenbroughtundercontrol,thegospelofChristcanbepreachedbyconsecratedmensafelyandwithoutdanger....“thatitistotallyjust,aswellasmostbeneficialtothesebarbarians,thattheybeconqueredandbroughtundertheruleoftheSpaniards,whoareworshippersofChrist....“thatAlexanderVI...declaredarmedexpediVonsagainsttheIndianstobejust,thatheallowedtheKingsofCasVletoconquerthemandaddthemtotheirempire....

BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:(1)“thatitisunlawfultoforcetheIndianstothefaithbywar,orbythemisfortunesofwartomakethemhatetheChrisVanreligion,bywhosepreachingtheyseesomanyregreiableevilsinflictedonthem.

BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:(2)“thatAlexanderVIcommendedFerdinandandIsabella’sproposaltosubjectthenaVveandinhabitantstothemselvesandtoleadthemtotheCatholicfaith,...“thattheysubjugatethemforthefaithinawayinwhichoneshouldsubjugateamostcivilized,sincere,naked,docile,decent,andpeacefulpeople...“that‘subjugate’shouldbeinterpretedas‘dispose’...foritwasveryeasyforourrulerstosubjectthatpeopletotheirauthoritywithoutthedisturbancesofwar.

BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:(3)“ThekingsarecommandedtohaveastheirpurposeleadingtheIndianstothefaith.ItisgrantedthatsubjecVontotheirruleisfipngandhelpfulforaiainingthispurpose;sVllitmustbeproporVonateandsuitedtothatpurpose,whichisspecificallythespreadofthegloryofthedivinenameandtheconversionofthosepeoples....(4)“WarisnotasuitablemeansforspreadingChrist’sgloryandthetruthofthegospel....“SincewarshouldnotbewagedunlesstherehasfirstbeenaprovocaVonbythepersonagainstwhomwarfareisbeingpreparedtowardtheonewhoiswagingthewar,itfollowsthatwaragainsttheIndiansisunlawful.

BartolomédelasCasas’counter-arguments:(5)TheKingsofCasVlecanneitherdirectlynorindirectlydoanythingthatisopposedtothespiritualoreventhetemporaldevelopmentofthosepeoples.Thereforetheword“subject,”ascontainedinthepapalbull,hastobeunderstoodinacivilizedandChrisVanway....ThePope’sintenVonwasthatthosepeoplesbeledtothefaithbymeekness,charity,holyconduct,andthewordofGod,notbywar,ofwhichthePopeneverdreamed....

*

TheArgumentsatValladolidSEPULVEDAarguedfortheneedfor:(1)externalmoralauthority(2)correcVveacVon(3)responsibilitytoprotect(4)beneficialconquestLASCASASarguedfortheneedfor:(1)illegalityofwarwithoutprovocaVon(2)equaltreatment(3)proporVonality(4)rightofindependentdevelopment

BrevísimarelacióndeladestruicióndelasIndias[ShortaccountofthedestrucVonoftheIndies],1552

LasCasas’handcopyofColumbus’diaryoffirstvoyage

(6)AOerValladolid

IllustraVonsof“TheBlackLegend”byJoostdeWinghe,publishedinHollandbyTheodordeBry(1596)