Mexican Legal documents
Item
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Country
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US
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Language of name of institution
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eng
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Contact information: postal address
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1545 Massachusetts Avenue, Langdell Hall, Cambridge MA 02138 USA
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Contact information: phone number
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0001 (617) 495-4550
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Contact information: email
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specialc@law.harvard.edu
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Reference number
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MA 02138
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HOLLIS 3058477
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Type of reference number
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Archival reference number
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Call number
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Title (official language of the state)
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Mexican Legal documents
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Language of title
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eng
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Creator / accumulator
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Casa de Moneda
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Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición de la Nueva España
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Date(s)
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1577/1805
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Language(s)
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spa
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Extent
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2 boxes
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Type of material
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Textual Material
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Scope and content
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This collection comprises legal documents related to Mexican colonial history. It includes proceedings of the Mexican Inquisition and items related to the affairs of the Casa de Moneda (Mint) of Mexico and the Catholic Church.
The Inquisition-related documents are particularly interesting for the history of the conversos in New Spain. For instance, it is the case of inquests of "limpieza de sangre" (purity of blood) to prove a person had no Jewish ascendency, which was a requirement for accessing certain offices in the Iberian empires, in particular Inquisition offices. Some examples are the following:
Box 1, folder 2: Inquest on the filiation and "limpieza de sangre" of Doctor Don Antonio de Cervantes. April 29, 1619.
Box 1, folder 3: Inquest on the genealogy and "limpieza de sangre" of Doña Francisca Veles de Temiño, wife of Geronimo Lopez Paramo. February 15, 1624.
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Administrative / Biographical history
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The history of the Inquisition in Mexico originates in the Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Spain. After the Spanish colonisation of the Americas, the Inquisition's jurisdiction extended to Spanish America. The initial presence of Inquisitorial authority was felt after the arrival of the first missionaries, who, from 1521 on, were granted some inquisitorial authority to support the conversion of local populations. In this period, the destruction of Mexico's indigenous cultures became obvious. Later, it was decided to establish a new Inquisition court in Mexico. This new institution was established by royal decree of January 25, 1569, issued by King Felipe II (1527-1598), under the designation of Tribunal del Santo Oficio de la Inquisición en la Nueva España (Court of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in New Spain).
The tribunal's mission was to banish all ideas, opinions, and doctrines contrary to the Catholic orthodoxy in the newly conquered territories. The Tribunal of the Holy Office of the Inquisition in New Spain came to an end during the last years of the Viceroyalty. This dissolution was part of the Cadiz liberal movement, which, on February 22, 1813, decided to abolish the Inquisition in Spain and the American territories. However, the Inquisition of Mexico held its last session only in 1820.
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(source: Archivo General de la Nación website)
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Author of the description
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Kevin Soares, 2023
Linked resources
Items with "Existence and location of copies: Mexican Legal documents"
| Title |
Class |
| Inquisición |
|
