[Ficción jurídica: Texto completo]
Monarquía Española
Redactado por Juan López de
Palacios*
Nota
preliminar:
Durante
la conquista de América algunos teólogos pensaron que despojar a los indios de
sus tierras, sin aviso ni derecho legal, ponía en peligro la "salvación
eterna" de los Reyes de España. La solución a este dilema fue el
Requerimiento. Escrito para ser leído frente a los enemigos antes de que
comenzara la batalla, el documento les da la oportunidad de someterse
pacíficamente a la autoridad de los Reyes de Castilla. Concluye que si los
indios no aceptan la autoridad real, entonces serán culpables de "las
muertes y daños que de ello se siguiesen".
En
muchas ocasiones los españoles cumplieron con la exigencia legal de leer el
texto antes de atacar a los indios. Lo hacían desde barcos o desde la cumbre de
una colina, a grandes distancias de los indios, a veces en castellano y otras
en latín. Luego, un notario certificaba por escrito que los indios habían sido
advertidos.
Sobre
el Requerimiento dijo fray Bartolomé de las Casas: "Es una burla de la verdad
y de la justicia y un gran insulto a nuestra fe cristiana y a la piedad y
caridad de Jesucristo, y no tiene ninguna legalidad".
El
Requerimiento se usó durante décadas.
Requerimiento
De
parte del rey, don Fernando, y de su hija, doña Juana, reina de Castilla y
León, domadores de pueblos bárbaros, nosotros, sus siervos, os notificamos y os
hacemos saber, como mejor podemos, que Dios nuestro Señor, uno y eterno, creó
el cielo y la tierra, y un hombre y una mujer, de quien nos y vosotros y todos
los hombres del mundo fueron y son descendientes y procreados, y todos los que
después de nosotros vinieran. Mas por la muchedumbre de la generación que de
éstos ha salido desde hace cinco mil y hasta más años que el mundo fue creado,
fue necesario que los unos hombres fuesen por una parte y otros por otra, y se
dividiesen por muchos reinos y provincias, que en una sola no se podían
sostener y conservar.
De
todas estas gentes Dios nuestro Señor dio cargo a uno, que fue llamado san
Pedro, para que de todos los hombres del mundo fuese señor y superior a quien
todos obedeciesen, y fue cabeza de todo el linaje humano, dondequiera que los
hombres viniesen en cualquier ley, secta o creencia; y diole todo el mundo por
su Reino y jurisdicción, y como quiera que él mandó poner su silla en Roma,
como en lugar más aparejado para regir el mundo, y juzgar y gobernar a todas
las gentes, cristianos, moros, judíos, gentiles o de cualquier otra secta o
creencia que fueren. A este llamaron Papa, porque quiere decir admirable, padre
mayor y gobernador de todos los hombres.
A
este san Pedro obedecieron y tomaron por señor, rey y superior del universo los
que en aquel tiempo vivían, y así mismo han tenido a todos los otros que
después de él fueron elegidos al pontificado, y así se ha continuado hasta
ahora, y continuará hasta que el mundo se acabe.
Uno
de los Pontífices pasados que en lugar de éste sucedió en aquella dignidad y
silla que he dicho, como señor del mundo hizo donación de estas islas y tierra
firme del mar Océano a los dichos Rey y Reina y sus sucesores en estos reinos,
con todo lo que en ella hay, según se contiene en ciertas escrituras que sobre
ello pasaron, según se ha dicho, que podréis ver si quisieseis.
Así
que Sus Majestades son reyes y señores de estas islas y tierra firme por virtud
de la dicha donación; y como a tales reyes y señores algunas islas más y casi
todas a quien esto ha sido notificado, han recibido a Sus Majestades, y los han
obedecido y servido y sirven como súbditos lo deben hacer, y con buena voluntad
y sin ninguna resistencia y luego sin dilación, como fueron informados de los
susodichos, obedecieron y recibieron los varones religiosos que Sus Altezas les
enviaban para que les predicasen y enseñasen nuestra Santa Fe y todos ellos de
su libre, agradable voluntad, sin premio ni condición alguna, se tornaron
cristianos y lo son, y Sus Majestades los recibieron alegre y benignamente, y
así los mandaron tratar como a los otros súbditos y vasallos; y vosotros sois
tenidos y obligados a hacer lo mismo.
Por
ende, como mejor podemos, os rogamos y requerimos que entendáis bien esto que
os hemos dicho, y toméis para entenderlo y deliberar sobre ello el tiempo que
fuere justo, y reconozcáis a la Iglesia por señora y superiora del universo
mundo, y al Sumo Pontífice, llamado Papa, en su nombre, y al Rey y reina doña
Juana, nuestros señores, en su lugar, como a superiores y reyes de esas islas y
tierra firme, por virtud de la dicha donación y consintáis y deis lugar que
estos padres religiosos os declaren y prediquen lo susodicho.
Si
así lo hicieseis, haréis bien, y aquello que sois tenidos y obligados, y Sus
Altezas y nos en su nombre, os recibiremos con todo amor y caridad, y os
dejaremos vuestras mujeres e hijos y haciendas libres y sin servidumbre, para
que de ellas y de vosotros hagáis libremente lo que quisieseis y por bien
tuvieseis, y no os compelerán a que os tornéis cristianos, salvo si vosotros
informados de la verdad os quisieseis convertir a nuestra santa Fe Católica,
como lo han hecho casi todos los vecinos de las otras islas, y allende de esto
sus Majestades os concederán privilegios y exenciones, y os harán muchas
mercedes.
Y
si así no lo hicieseis o en ello maliciosamente pusieseis dilación, os
certifico que con la ayuda de Dios nosotros entraremos poderosamente contra
vosotros, y os haremos guerra por todas las partes y maneras que pudiéramos, y
os sujetaremos al yugo y obediencia de la Iglesia y de Sus Majestades, y
tomaremos vuestras personas y de vuestras mujeres e hijos y los haremos
esclavos, y como tales los venderemos y dispondremos de ellos como Sus
Majestades mandaren, y os tomaremos vuestros bienes, y os haremos todos los
males y daños que pudiéramos, como a vasallos que no obedecen ni quieren
recibir a su señor y le resisten y contradicen; y protestamos que las muertes y
daños que de ello se siguiesen sea a vuestra culpa y no de Sus Majestades, ni
nuestra, ni de estos caballeros que con nosotros vienen.
Y
de como lo decimos y requerimos pedimos al presente escribano que nos lo dé por
testimonio signado, y a los presente rogamos que de ello sean testigos.
FIN
* Juan López de Palacios: Jurista
y consejero real, quien se encargaba de sustentar la justicia de las empresas
reales ("sastre jurídico"). Su obra De Justitia et Jure obtentionis
ac retentionis regni Navarrae, fue la apología final de la conquista de
Navarra. Autor también del Tratado de las Islas (1512), e inspirador de la
legislación española para América, recogió ampliamente el concepto de la
"inmadurez" de los indígenas, los cuales debían ser protegidos, como
tiernos vástagos, hasta de sus propios defectos.
The Spanish Requirement of 1513
The
Spanish Requirement of 1513 ("El Requerimiento") was a declaration by
the Spanish monarchy of its divinely ordained right to take possession of the
territories of the New World and to subjugate, exploit and, when necessary, to
fight the native inhabitants. The Requirement was read in Spanish to Native
Americans to inform them of Spain’s rights to conquest. Those who subsequently
resisted conquest were considered to harbor evil intentions. The Spaniards thus
considered those who resisted as defying God’s plan, and so used Catholic
theology to justify their conquest.
Historical context
Throughout
the sixteenth century Europeans quickly subjugated native peoples, plundering
their lands and wealth. Europeans justified this with the view that natives
were not Christian, and, particularly after witnessing the mass human
sacrifices conducted by the Aztecs, and lack of traditional civilization by
other natives, savage, and not deserving to possess the New World.
In
Spain itself in 1492, the Moorish population of Granada had been given the
choice by the first Archbishop of Granada, Hernando de Talavera: become
Christian, or leave the country. In a letter to his religious brothers,
Cardinal Cisneros, Talavera's successor, would celebrate the “peaceful
domination” of the Moors of the Albaicin, a neighborhood of Granada, praising
converts, lauding killing and extolling plunder. This letter came, however,
after centuries of struggle by Christians in Spain to recapture their homeland,
which had been under Muslim domination for generations. Thus the war in Iberia,
between Christians trying to regain their land and Muslims defending their
conquered territories, naturally heightened religious tensions and fervor on
both sides.
To
the King and Queen of Spain (Ferdinand II of Aragon, 1479–1516 and Isabella I
of Castile, 1451–1504) the conquest of indigenous peoples was justified by
natural law, embodied in the medieval doctrine of “just wars”, which had
historically been a rationale for wars against non-Christians, particularly the
Moors, but which would now be applied to Native Americans. Coming shortly after
the Reconquest, the realization of a centuries-long dream by Christians in
Spain, the discovery and colonization of the New World was directly affected by
religious and political conditions in a now-unified Iberian Peninsula.
Legal
justification
Concerned
that Spain ensure control of the natives in the newly conquered Americas, the
“Reyes Católicos”, Ferdinand and Isabella, consulted theologians and jurists
for religious and legal justification of Spain’s conquests. The treatment of
the Native Americans was at first rationalized on the grounds that they were
cannibals; any means of subjugation were acceptable. However, some of
Christopher Columbus’s tactics with Native Americans had resulted in uprisings.
In 1500, the king and queen again sought advice; the Native Americans were
declared to be "free vassals". Despite their elevated status, the
Native Americans remained subject to conquest in "just wars".
In
1511, Fra. Montesinos, spokesman for the Dominican Order in Spain, began
preaching against the exploitation of the Native Americans as workers (“la mano
de obra de los españoles”) while they were also subject to persecution. King
Ferdinand offered a new justification. The enslavement of Native Americans was
required because they were pagans, but this did not prevent their conversion to
Christianity, nor however, in practice, did it mitigate their slaughter.
The
Junta of Burgos of 1512 marked the first in a series of ordinances (“Ordenanzas
sobre el buen tratamiento de los indios”) with the ostensible goal of
protecting the Indians from excessive exploitation; natives could celebrate
holidays, be paid for their labor and receive "good treatment". Similar
legislation was adopted by the Junta of Valladolid in 1513 and the Junta of
Madrid in 1516. However, none of the laws stopped the abuse; few were charged
with illegal exploitation, and punishment was rare.
The
Role of Religion
The
colonization of the New World by European adventurers and the genocide of
native populations to that end was "justified" at the time on
spiritual and religious grounds. In the conquest of the Americas, the Christian
duty to evangelize non-believers took form of (often forced) conversion of
Indians and other pagans, at the hands of Roman Catholic priests. Christianity
was also used to justify the state’s policy of enslavement of Indians, and the often
violent pacification of native communities who resisted.
To
the European mind, the lands of the New World belonged to no one, and could
therefore be seized. The radical differences in thought and behavior of the
Aztec and Mayan states, with their worship of entirely new, fierce gods, human
sacrifice, and complete unfamiliarity with European styles of diplomacy,
created a sense that conquest was not a war between states but the conquering
by a civilized society against a ferocious, barbarous enemy. Moreover, since
the native population was non-Christian, Europeans’ Christian religion
conferred upon them the right, indeed the obligation, to take possession of the
lands and the peoples in the name of God and the throne.
More
particularly, Catholic theology held that spiritual salvation took precedence
over temporal and civil concerns. The conversion of pagan natives to
Christianity was the rationale for and legitimized Spain’s conquests. The Pope,
being the recipient of divine authority and having the obligation to propagate
the faith, empowered Spain to conquer the New World and convert its peoples[citation
needed]. Thus “informed” by the Spanish, the Indians had to accept the
supremacy of the Catholic Church and the Spanish Crown. The state was
authorized to enforce submission, by war where necessary.
The Spanish requirement of 1513
The
European view of the inherent right to conquest and domination in the New World
was captured in a declaration addressed to Indian populations known as “El
Requerimiento” (The Requirement). The document was prepared by the Spanish
jurist Juan López Palacios Rubio, a staunch advocate of the divine right of
monarchs and territorial conquest. It was first used in 1513 by Pedrarias
Dávila, a Spanish explorer who had fought the Moors in Granada and who was
later to become Governor of Nicaragua.
The
Spanish Requirement, issued in the names of King Ferdinand and Queen Juana, his
daughter, was an a mixture of religious and legal justifications for the
confiscation of New World territories and the subjugation of their inhabitants.
At the time, it was believed that Native Americans resisted conquest and
conversion for one of two reasons: malice or ignorance. The Requirement was
putatively meant to eliminate ignorance.
A
member of the conquistador’s force would read El Requerimiento in Castilian
before a group of Indians on the shore, who, with or without translation,
remained uncomprehending. All the region’s inhabitants were thus considered to
have been advised of Spain’s religious and legal rights to conquest and
forewarned of the consequences of resisting. The true nature of the Spanish
Requirement, however, was one of absolution; the symbolic act of reading the
document relieved the crown and its agents from legal and moral responsibility
for the conquest, enslavement and killing of Native Americans. Readings were
often dispensed with prior to planned attacks.
As
the Spanish Requirement matter-of-factly sets forth, so brazenly from five
centuries’ retrospect, God created heaven and earth, and the first man and
woman from whom all are descended. God directed St. Peter to establish the
Roman Catholic Church. St. Peter’s descendant, the Pope, lives in Rome. The
Pope has given the New World territories to the King of Castile and directed
the conversion of the Indians. If they listen carefully, the Indians will
understand and accept what is happening as just; if not, Spain will make war on
them. Here what the document does is to create an ontology into which these new
lands and their peoples fit; it is creating a place for them in the exiting
Spanish and European political structure and Christian belief structure.
Text of the
document
“On
the part of the King, Don Fernando, and of Doña Juana, his daughter, Queen of
Castile and León, subduers of the barbarous nations, we their servants notify
and make known to you, as best we can, that the Lord our God, living and
eternal, created the heaven and the earth, and one man and one woman, of whom
you and we, and all the men of the world, were and are all descendants, and all
those who come after us.
Of
all these nations God our Lord gave charge to one man, called St. Peter, that
he should be lord and superior of all the men in the world, that all should
obey him, and that he should be the head of the whole human race, wherever men
should live, and under whatever law, sect, or belief they should be; and he
gave him the world for his kingdom and jurisdiction.
One
of these pontiffs, who succeeded St. Peter as lord of the world in the dignity
and seat which I have before mentioned, made donation of these isles and
Terra-firma to the aforesaid King and Queen and to their successors, our lords,
with all that there are in these territories,
Wherefore,
as best we can, we ask and require you that you consider what we have said to
you, and that you take the time that shall be necessary to understand and
deliberate upon it, and that you acknowledge the Church as the ruler and
superior of the whole world,
But
if you do not do this, and maliciously make delay in it, I certify to you that,
with the help of God, we shall powerfully enter into your country, and shall
make war against you in all ways and manners that we can, and shall subject you
to the yoke and obedience of the Church and of their highnesses; we shall take
you, and your wives, and your children, and shall make slaves of them, and as
such shall sell and dispose of them as their highnesses may command; and we
shall take away your goods, and shall do you all the mischief and damage that
we can, as to vassals who do not obey, and refuse to receive their lord, and
resist and contradict him: and we protest that the deaths and losses which
shall accrue from this are your fault, and not that of their highnesses, or
ours, nor of these cavaliers who come with us.”
