Laws of Burgos and Valladolid (Collection)

On December 27th, 1512 in Burgos, Crown of Castile, the first laws governing Spaniards in the New World were passed, the Leyes de Burgos or "Laws of Burgos". Specifically, the law addressed the mistreatment of the indigenous peoples there and set to regulate the behavior of Spanish colonists in relation to them. The Indios were to be converted, and as Christians their rights would be enshrined in law. Attempts were made to accommodate local authorities while outlawing practices deemed unacceptable by the Spaniards, such as bigamy. The Encomienda system, whereby groups of Indios ranging from 40 to 150 people worked for pay under a colonial head, was formalized. Furthermore, regulations were specified regarding their work regimen, pay, living quarters, and hygienic standards.

For the Protection of the Indios

This legal document was later appended with four more laws, which were enacted on July 28th, 1513, known as the Leyes Complementarias de Valladolid 1513 or “Complementary Laws of Valladolid 1513”. These changes reflected the objections of Spanish theologians and the Catholic clergy to the handling of women and children in particular. Despite the good intentions of these laws, they were not always enforceable due to the great power that the ruling Conquistadores had over the respective local populations. This led to protests and claims that in turn led to more reforms to protect the rights of the Indios with stricter regulations concerning life in the New World. Nonetheless, they represent the earliest attempt to protect the rights of the newly-conquered peoples of the Americas.