Inquisition in the Yucatan

An entry from Diego Montejo, a Spanish missionary through the Inquisition


August of 1572:
     Since I first arrived in 1543 I've experienced and witnessed the struggle of the intertwining of the Spanish and Maya culture. It has been a long journey and I have never lost focus of my main objective of converting the Mayas to Christianity.
     The Inquisition had began in New Spain as early as the 1520s and was not formerly established until only last year, 1571. Over the past years I was determined to steer the Mayas away from their ritual practices of idolatry. However, they still practiced idolatry as well as sorcery, witchcraft, and bigamy in secrecy while making us believe they had converted.  With the recurring idolatry and religious syncretism, this became the prime concern of the Mexican Church. Also, the situations of resistance in the Yucatan showed similarities to those in central Mexico and Oaxaca.

    
 The Mayas in the Yucatan struggled with the Inquisition mostly because of their desire to preserve their long cultural and religious traditions  They wanted to maintain what they could of their traditional way of life. Many performed ritual ceremonies worshiping idols in secret locations beyond the boundaries of the settlements.
    Once knowledge of these ceremonies started circulating among the friars (main supporters of the Inquisition) investigators and some locals were sent out to uncover the idols and sites of ceremonies. Those who went against the Church and worshiped idols were brought to the leader of the Inquisition in the Yucatan at the time, Fray Diego de Landa.

     Fray Diego de Landa lead the Inquisition in the Yucatan while waiting for the arrival of their resident bishop.  From his first discovery of Mayas practicing idolatry in 1562, over the next three months, Landa proceeded with mass arrests, brutal and indiscriminate torture, and excessive punishments of those accused. "More than 4,500 Indians were put to the torture during the three months of this episcopal inquisition." (1) Landa claimed his actions were accordingly in relation to the legal issues of the Inquisition.  Torture was part of the interrogations but not to the extend Landa enforced. These trials are the most known in our region.
     Landa remained in power until "Bishop Francisco Toral, a veteran Franciscan missionary from Mexico, finally arrived officially ending Landa's inquisitorial authority ."(2) Toral was appalled with Landa's behavior and was determined to prove that is actions were unjustified.  So through the Episcopal Inquisition we were not only experiencing resistance from the Mayas but also were dealing with disagreements amongst the leaders. After several months of disagreeing, Landa resigned and returned to Spain.  After an ongoing battle, "Landa returned this year, 1572, after Toral died." (3)
     In the end, any sacred books or Maya manuscripts were burned to symbolize the destruction of the "demons worshiped in secret by the Yucatan communities."(4) From the Maya perspective this represented the destruction of their own identity and the perception of a life which had taken centuries to develop.


{From a later entry by an unknown Spaniard in 1800}
"Throughout the 1600s resistance towards Catholicism continued.  The Inquisition began to prosecute mulattoes and zambos for mixed crimes of idolatry and sacrifice in the late 17th century."(5) Prosecutions in 1721 of mestizos represented a look at evolving syncretism. Finally, the last Indian idolatry case in the Yucatan "occurred in 1785 when charges were made against a father and his sons for mestizo idolatry."(6)


1.  Inga Clendinnen, Ambivalent Conquests: Maya and Spaniards in Yucatan, 1517-1570, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1987) 76. 
2. David E. Timmer, "Providence and Perdition: Fray Diego de Landa Justifies His Inquisition against the Yucatecan Maya, "Church History 66, no. 3 (1997): 478.
3.  David E. Timmer, "Providence and Perdition: Fray Diego de Landa Justifies His Inquisition against the Yucatecan Maya, "Church History 66, no. 3 (1997): 479.
4.  Brian R. Hamnett, A Concise History of Mexico, (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006) 66.
5.  Richard E. Greenleaf, "The Mexican Inquisition and the Indians: Sources for the Ethnohistorian," The Americas 34, no. 3 (1978): 333. 
6. Richard E. Greenleaf, "The Mexican Inquisition and the Indians: Sources for the Ethnohistorian," The Americas 34, no. 3 (1978): 333. 

Change from a Conquest

 A entry from Antonio de Lopez, a Maya interpreter for Spanish bishops


April 12th of the year 1564:
     It has been years now since the Spanish conquered my home town right outside of Merida. Since then, life is quit different from what it use to be.  After the Spanish arrived, they wanted to regulate our lives and modify our way of living to their standards.
      While growing up, the lineage and traditions of my people were the most important aspect of life. When the Spaniards came and enforced Christianity upon us, our lineage was threatened. To continue our heritage, the chiefs and lords of my people would preach about our rites and ancient ceremonies in remote locations to hide it from the Spaniards. When we were discovered, all these activities or ceremonies became forbidden.  Anyone who had knowledge of these meetings were required to denounce them.  After this all village gatherings were suppressed.  
     During one incident where idolatry was discovered by the Franciscan friar Diego de Landa, thousands of Mayas were arrested and tortured.  Some were tied to whipping posts and many were left paralyzed. More than 4.500 natives were collected from several different locations and than tortured during a three month "inquisition."(1) Many died while others disappeared or committed suicide. This process was labeled a "episcopal inquisition" by bishop Landa but represented little resemblance to inquisitional forms. (2)

     The Spaniards developed monasteries with infirmaries and schools in Merida and Campeche to help the process of conversion. "Over 2,000 boys went to these monasteries, myself included, being taught to read and write Mayan in European script and most importantly were taught the elements of the Christian Faith."(3) After time, threats to burn monasteries and friars became constant threats of revolt.
    The most commonly known change my people and I went through was being baptized as a Christian.  When our children were born they went through a baptism ceremony and were given a Christian name. Also, in order for a native chief to be confirmed in his position he must first submit to be baptized. 

    The Spaniards also wanted to enforce their notion of propriety in sexual and familial relationships. "The friars were to decide which of a man's several women was his legitimate wife and would compel him into accepting her by even using flogging at times."(4) Our life at home had to change as well.  While one was consuming a meal proper table manners were to be enforced. You must sit around a table in chairs, eat on a clean table cloth, and say Grace before eating.  Previously, we lacked tables, chairs, and such. 
    Since the Spaniards preferred a more structured living, many of us were forced to leave certain areas and relocate to new sites which were determined by what was seen as being more suitable to the friars. The places where we spent our childhood was then torched and burned after we were driven out. 
   Eventually Maya leaders turned more and more towards diplomacy in order to manipulate the "invaders" and also ended up adjusting their views to meet the requirements of Spanish rule.(5)
    The transition from pre-conquest to post-conquest was difficult for my people and weighted a heavy tole physically and materially on our well-being.  Many suffered from smallpox and unknown epidemics. Overall, the change was great and the transition was tough but we were still able to maintain some of our lineage, our language, and the way we related to each other. 


    1. Kenneth J. Andrien, The Human Tradition in: Colonial Latin America, (Lanham: SR Books, 2002) 14.
    2. Matthew Restall, The Maya World: Yucatec Culture and Society, 1550-1850, (California: Standford University Press, 1997) 154.
    3. Inga Clendinnen, Ambivalent Conquests: Maya and Spaniards in Yucatan, 1517-1570, (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1987) 52-59.
    4. Inga Clendinnen, Ambivalent Conquests: Maya and Spaniards in Yucatan. 58-59.
    5. Matthew Restall, Maya Conquistador, (Boston: Beacon Press, 1998) 150.