Babel Volume XXI
Indigenous Versus Inquisitors: Relation between the Mexican Inquisition and Pre-colonial Communities Ireland Wright As Catholicism spread around the world through missionaries, explorers, and immigrants, certain political conditions were required for Europeans to create valuable political and economic alliances.1 In the case of the Americas, specifically central countries like Mexico, the objective of Spanish conquests in the New World was to cultivate the Catholic faith.2 Following the Papal Bull of 1493 which gave the Spanish dominion over territories discovered by Columbus, individuals flocked to the colonies in order to exploit newly found resources, and convert pre-Colonial individuals to Christianity.3 With the arrival of Hernán Cortés, Mexico became subject to colonization at the hands of multiple inquisitions through 1522 to 1601, with the official implementation of the Holy Tribunal being 1559.4 Throughout transitions from inquisition to inquisition, the subject of what should be done about the “Indians” was a prime concern of the early Mexican Church. Indigenous individuals were subjected to the Catholic Reformation era ideals by missionaries, and later inquisitors. They were required to adapt pre-colonial spiritual and religious beliefs in order to survive; thus some pre-contact practices survived amongst the native people of Mexico. The Mexican Inquisition only became possible due to previous political conditions. In the early Sixteenth century, Conquistadors took advantage of Indigenous populations in order to
75
