ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the popular assumption that the Spaniards were somehow of one mind with respect to the conquest and colonization of the Americas. It demonstrates that there existed a significant element in Spanish society, represented most prominently by devout Catholic missionaries and academics, who strongly condemned the maltreatment of the indigenous peoples and who argued courageously for a very different approach. The institution which was the immediate object of Montesinos’ protest was the encomienda, a semifeudal system of tribute in which the natives were parcelled out to the Spaniards as virtual serfs. In return for their labor, the Spaniards were to protect and Christianize the indigenous people. The missionaries and bishops received strong intellectual support from many Christian scholars, especially from several associated with the prestigious University of Salamanca. The code stipulated the appropriate use of native labor and made provisions for the Indians’ basic welfare, including their Christianization and material well-being.
