Inquisition Diego de Landa

image of page relación de las cosas de yucatán in landa describes maya alphabet, prove instrumental in mid-20th-century breakthrough in maya hieroglyphics decipherment.

landa s inquisition showered level of physical abuse upon indigenous maya many viewed excessive , was, @ least, unusual. scores of maya nobles jailed pending interrogation, , large numbers of maya nobles , commoners subjected examination under hoisting. during hoisting, victim s hands bound , looped on extended line raised until victim s entire body suspended in air. often, stone weights added ankles or lashes applied during interrogation.

some contemporary observers troubled widespread use of torture. crown fiat had earlier exempted indigenous peoples authority of inquisition, on grounds understanding of christianity childish them held culpable heresies. additionally, landa dispensed of extensive formal procedure , documentation accompanied spanish torture , interrogation.

justifications

scholars have argued mexican inquisitions showed little concern eradicate magic or convict individuals heterodox beliefs , witchcraft treated more religious problem capable of being resolved confession , absolution. landa, however, perhaps inspired intolerant fellow franciscan cardenal, cisneros, same toledo convent, monomaniacal in fervor against it. landa believed huge underground network of apostasies, led displaced indigenous priests, jealous of power church enjoyed , sought reclaim themselves. apostates, landa surmised, had launched counteroffensive against church, , believed duty expose evil before revert population old heathen ways.

landa claimed had discovered evidence of human sacrifice , other idolatrous practices while rooting out native idolatry. although 1 of alleged victims of said sacrifices, mani encomendero dasbatés, later found alive, , landa s enemies contested right run inquisition, landa insisted papal bull, exponi nobis, justified actions.

lopez de cogolludo, landa s chief franciscan biographer, wrote of landa s firsthand experiences human sacrifices. when landa first came yucatán, made mission walk breadth of peninsula , preach remote villages. while passing through cupules, came upon group of 300 sacrifice young boy. enraged, landa stormed through crowd, released boy, smashed idols , began preaching such zeal , sincerity begged him remain in land , teach them more.

landa remarkable in willing go no others would. entered lands had been conquered, native resentment of spaniards still intense. armed nothing conviction learn of native culture easier him destroy in future, landa formulated intimate contact natives. natives placed him in such esteemed position willing show him of sacred writings had been transcribed on deerskin books. landa , other franciscan friars, existence of these mayan codices proof of diabolical practices. in references books, landa said:

we found large number of books in these characters and, contained nothing in not seen superstition , lies of devil, burned them all, (the maya) regretted amazing degree, , caused them affliction.

landa s insistence of widespread cults throughout yucatán backed ample evidence. rituals spanish conquerors not understand labeled idolatry, superstition, or devil worship. 1 such ritual involved clay idols used in strange combination of catholicism , indigenous religion. during ceremonies, individuals crucified , have hearts removed chest , blood smeared onto idols. such ceremonies practiced throughout yucatán 45 years after arrival of spaniards.

landa believed in inquisition. whether magic , idolatry being practiced or not, landa possessed fantasies of demonic power in new land. landa, other franciscans, subscribed millenarian ideas, demanded mass conversion of many souls possible before turn of century. eliminating evil , pagan practices, landa believed, usher second coming of christ sooner.

many historians believe there can little doubt old traditions continue during spanish rule, , because of resilience of old social order, , determination of custodians sustain old ways, human killings persisted post-conquest period....

while landa did coerce exaggerated confessions torture, believed human sacrifice occurring around him willing kill handful of sinners save overall community.

landa’s relación de las cosas de yucatán complete treatment of mayan religion ever likely. while controversy surrounds use of force in conversion process, few scholars debate general accuracy of recordings. allen wells calls work ethnographic masterpiece, , william j. folan, laraine a. fletcher , ellen r. kintz have written account of maya social organization , towns before conquest gem. writings main contemporary source mayan history, without knowledge of mayan ethnology devastatingly small. while landa might have exaggerated claims justify actions accusers, intimate contact natives , around accuracy in other fields heavily implies version of events have @ least truth in it.