South America (Indians of). Philip IV (1605-1665),... - Lot 208 - Conan Belleville Hôtel d'Ainay

South America (Indians of). Philip IV (1605-1665), King of Spain. Letter signed to the governors and captains of the provinces of Rio de la Plata and Paraguay. Zaragoza, November 25, 1642. Countersigned by Gabriel de Ocaña y Marcon; 3 pages in-fol. (torn in the central fold, crumpled), fiscal stamp and royal coat of arms at the head; in Spanish. Ordinance concerning the encomienda of the Indian tribes in the provinces of Rio de la Plata and Paraguay. The Encomienda is a system applied by the Spaniards in their colonial empire in America for economic and evangelization purposes, grouping together in one territory hundreds of indigenous people who were forced to work without pay in mines and fields]. The King refers to an ordinance of 1633 for Peru and New Spain, which is transcribed, concerning the Indians and the tribute they had to pay, granting them the favour of allowing them to pay in cash the payment they had to make; the status of the Indians is also referred to in the "reductions" under the authority of the religious of the Society of Jesus. Very rare and important document.