Laying the Groundwork

On November 20, 1542, in the city of Barcelona facing east towards the Mediterranean world, the Emperor Charles V signed a decree for the governance of his colonies far to the west across the Atlantic Ocean. The “New Laws of 1542” legislated on the treatment of Indians and replaced the “old” laws issued in the cities of Burgos and Valladolid in 1512 and 1513.

The New Laws of 1542 became milestones in Spain’s attempt to reform and control the devastating consequences of the conquest in the Americas. They were more than the decrees of a monarch, Charles V, bent on bringing the unruly and independent-minded conquistador class and encomenderos to heel. The laws represented the practical application of newly emerging theories on the nature of man, of freedom, of rights, and even of international law. As such, they stand as monuments to man’s spirit and desire to do what is right, on the basis of both Scripture and natural law. That Las Casas was more closely associated with the laws than anyone else makes them central in his life. They were, in fact, the highlight of his long career. The New Laws, along with his authorship of the Brief History of the Destruction of the Indies, which fueled the Black Legend, are, indeed, what he is best known for in the history of western civilization.