Knowra Bartolomé de las Casas Bartolomé de las Casas Bartolomé de las Casas was a 16th-century Spanish Dominican friar and historian who documented and condemned Spanish violence and exploitation of Indigenous peoples in the Americas.
Francisco de Vitoria : A Spanish theologian whose writings helped establish principles of natural law and debated Spanish authority in the Americas. Vitoria and Las Casas both challenged unlimited Spanish dominion, though they developed distinct arguments.
Spanish colonization of the Americas : The expansion of Spanish political, religious, and economic control across the Americas beginning in the late 15th century. Las Casas's career unfolded within, and increasingly opposed, this imperial project.
Indigenous peoples of the Americas : The diverse peoples and societies native to the continents and islands of the Americas. Their lives, rights, and suffering are the central subject of Las Casas's advocacy and historical writing.
A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies : Las Casas's 1552 account describing Spanish violence against Indigenous peoples in the Americas. This widely circulated work condensed his indictment of Spanish colonial conduct.
Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda : A Spanish humanist who defended the conquest of the Americas and argued that Indigenous peoples could be subjected to Spanish rule. His defense of conquest directly opposed Las Casas's case for Indigenous rights.
Encomienda : A Spanish colonial grant assigning Indigenous communities to a colonist, who was expected to provide protection and Christian instruction. Las Casas first profited from this labor system before denouncing its coercion.
Requerimiento : A Spanish declaration demanding Indigenous submission to the Crown and the Church, traditionally read before conquest or settlement. Las Casas condemned its use to legitimize warfare and dispossession.
New Laws of 1542 : Spanish royal laws issued in 1542 to curb Indigenous enslavement and reform colonial governance. Las Casas's advocacy helped shape the campaign for these reforms, which faced colonial resistance.
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor : The Habsburg ruler of Spain and its overseas empire from 1516 to 1556. Las Casas appealed to Charles V and influenced debates that produced the New Laws.
Cuba : An island in the Caribbean that became a major center of early Spanish colonization. Las Casas witnessed conquest and Indigenous exploitation there as a colonist and priest.
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