Renowned for his staunch advocacy for indigenous rights, Bartolomé de Las Casas was a remarkable figure in the early period of Spanish colonization in the New World. His life was marked by a transformation from a participant in colonial conquests to a dedicated defender of Native Americans. His enduring legacy lies in his relentless efforts to abolish the oppressive encomienda system and his pursuit of peaceful conversions to Christianity.

Early Life and Expeditions

Bartolomé de Las Casas entered the world in Seville in 1474, amidst the humble backdrop of a merchant family. His father, Pedro de Las Casas, was among the adventurers who accompanied Christopher Columbus on his second voyage to the Americas. Young Bartolomé witnessed the celebratory return of Columbus from his first expedition in 1493. He was later involved in the military campaigns against the Moors during the Granada Rebellion and pursued studies in Latin and theology at the cathedral academy in Seville, which paved the way for his role as a lay teacher of Christian doctrine.

Las Casas joined Nicolás de Ovando in 1502 for the journey to Española, where he initially participated in subjugating Indian uprisings, actions that led to him being granted lands and an encomienda, a system that awarded Spanish settlers with the labor of indigenous peoples. As a successful planter and lay catechist, he began evangelizing the Indians. In 1506, seeking a deeper spiritual path, he renounced his encomienda holdings and journeyed to Rome, where he joined the Dominican Order. Upon his return to Española in 1512, he was ordained as a priest, likely the first order conferred in the Americas, and served as chaplain during the conquest of Cuba in 1513, another position that awarded him land and Indian labor.

Transformative Years

It was perhaps the brutal realities witnessed during the Cuban campaigns, including the infamous massacre of Caonao, that ignited a profound change in Las Casas. He began to question the ethics and morality of Spanish conquests and the severe maltreatment of indigenous populations. Meditating on Ecclesiastes chapter 34, he resolved to relinquish his encomienda and took up the cause of advocating for the rights of the indigenous people.

His activism gained momentum when he returned to Spain in 1515 to lobby for the well-being of the Indians. Supported by Cardinal Archbishop Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, Las Casas was appointed priest-procurator of the Indies and tasked with investigating the status of the indigenous peoples. He also formulated a plan for peaceful colonization, obtaining permission from Charles I to establish a settlement in Curmána, Venezuela. However, this project was unsuccessful, leading Las Casas to retreat from public life to a Dominican monastery in Santo Domingo, where he began drafting his magnum opus, Historia de las Indias.

Advocacy and Writings

Las Casas’ commitment to the indigenous cause extended beyond Venezuela. He traveled to Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, and Puerto Rico, fervently defending Indian rights. A pivotal moment in his campaign came in 1537 when Pope Paul III declared the rationality and equality of the Indians, supporting their right to receive faith instruction. Buoyed by this pronouncement, Las Casas redoubled his efforts to Christianize and colonize peacefully, with notable success in Guatemala.

Back in Spain by 1539, Las Casas continued his literary advocacy, producing works such as Brevísima relación de la destrucción de las Indias, a searing indictment of Spanish greed and its devastating impact on indigenous populations. This treatise positioned the pursuit of wealth as central to the injustices faced by the Indians, perpetuated by a system aligned with the interests of those in power.

Las Casas also played a critical role...