Caciques tlatelolcas y tenencia de la tierra en el siglo XVI

Abstract

Indigenous governors played a fundamental role in the early years of the viceroyalty of the New Spain. They collected tribute and channeled labor from their communities to the Spanish authorities. In exchange, the governors or caciques, position still occupied by the pre-contact nobility, enjoyed a privileged space in New Spain’s society. However, in some places as time went on, the position of the indigenous nobility lessened. This article is a comparison between the role that two indigenous caciques from Santiago Tlatelolco played in relation to land-tenure problems. The first ruled Tlatelolco during the early sixteenth century; the second, to the end of this century. The object of this comparison is to discuss whether the role of the indigenous cacique changed throughout the sixteenth century in Santiago Tlatelolco.

Keywords

• New Spain
• 16th century
• land tenure
• Santiago Tlatelolco
• caciques
• indigenous women