Did Charles V know of his American possessions?
- Thread starter Alarico Rodríguez
- Start date
Yes, of course he did and cared abput them as source of income.
AmericaEdit
During Charles's reign, the Castilian territories in the Americas were considerably extended by conquistadores like Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro. They conquered the large Aztec and Inca empires and incorporated them into the Empire as the Viceroyalties of New Spain and Peru between 1519 and 1542. Combined with the circumnavigation of the globe by the Magellan expedition in 1522, these successes convinced Charles of his divine mission to become the leader of Christendom, which still perceived a significant threat from Islam. The conquests also helped solidify Charles's rule by providing the state treasury with enormous amounts of bullion. As the conquistador Bernal Díaz del Castillo observed, "We came to serve God and his Majesty, to give light to those in darkness, and also to acquire that wealth which most men covet."[46]
On 28 August 1518 Charles issued a charter authorising the transportation of slaves direct from Africa to the Americas. Up until that point (since at least 1510), African slaves had usually been transported to Castile or Portugal and had then been transhipped to the Caribbean. Charles's decision to create a direct, more economically viable Africa to America slave trade fundamentally changed the nature and scale of the transatlantic slave trade.[47]
In 1528 Charles assigned a concession in Venezuela Province to Bartholomeus V. Welser, in compensation for his inability to repay debts owed. The concession, known as Klein-Venedig (little Venice), was revoked in 1546. In 1550, Charles convened a conference at Valladolid in order to consider the morality of the force[48] used against the indigenous populations of the New World, which included figures such as Bartolomé de las Casas.
Charles V is credited with the first idea of constructing an American Isthmus canal in Panama as early as 1520.[49]
During Charles's reign, the Castilian territories in the Americas were considerably extended by conquistadores like Hernán Cortés and Francisco Pizarro. They conquered the large Aztec and Inca empires and incorporated them into the Empire as the Viceroyalties of New Spain and Peru between 1519 and 1542. Combined with the circumnavigation of the globe by the Magellan expedition in 1522, these successes convinced Charles of his divine mission to become the leader of Christendom, which still perceived a significant threat from Islam. The conquests also helped solidify Charles's rule by providing the state treasury with enormous amounts of bullion. As the conquistador Bernal Díaz del Castillo observed, "We came to serve God and his Majesty, to give light to those in darkness, and also to acquire that wealth which most men covet."[46]
On 28 August 1518 Charles issued a charter authorising the transportation of slaves direct from Africa to the Americas. Up until that point (since at least 1510), African slaves had usually been transported to Castile or Portugal and had then been transhipped to the Caribbean. Charles's decision to create a direct, more economically viable Africa to America slave trade fundamentally changed the nature and scale of the transatlantic slave trade.[47]
In 1528 Charles assigned a concession in Venezuela Province to Bartholomeus V. Welser, in compensation for his inability to repay debts owed. The concession, known as Klein-Venedig (little Venice), was revoked in 1546. In 1550, Charles convened a conference at Valladolid in order to consider the morality of the force[48] used against the indigenous populations of the New World, which included figures such as Bartolomé de las Casas.
Charles V is credited with the first idea of constructing an American Isthmus canal in Panama as early as 1520.[49]
Alarico Rodríguez
Banned
Not really. For one, I'm pretty sure neither Fernando nor Charles visited any of their American possessions. These territories weren't anywhere near Europe, and they didn't have personal supervision over their exploration and subjugation either. Fernando certainly knew because he funded Columbus, but Charles? Even Fernando had little knowledge overall of what Columbus found. I've always had the impression that Fernando and especially Charles left the exploration and conquest of the Americas on auto-pilot while concentrating on their wars against France and the Ottomans.
Pretty sure that most rulers actually never stepped foot in America
Yes Charles was quite aware of them and cared, a noted example would be when Francisco Pizarro met him in person to appeal for permission and support to launch a third expedition into South America. He was overall impressed with accounts of the lands wealth in gold and silver but distracted since he was off for Italy again, still he gave Pizarro support and named him governor of the new territories.
I didn't say that Spanish or any other European rulers would had visited in Americas or participated to conquest of Americas with any way. But surely many European rulers knew that there is something.
Inasmuch as Charles personally appointed Nuño de Guzmán as President of the Audencia of Nueva Espana in 1528, and Antonio de Mendoza as Viceroy in 1535, I'd say he was very much aware of his New World dominions.
It's noted that he never set foot in the New World. But AFAIK, he also never visited Naples, Sicily, or Sardinia. Nor Malta, which he granted to the Hospitallers as a vassal state. (As any film noir fan knows, the grant included as token tribute the annual gift of a falcon by the Knights to the crown of Spain.)
The first European monarch to visit the Americas was Maria I of Portugal, who fled to Brazil in 1807 to escape Napoleon's onslaught. (The first future European monarch to visit the Americas was Louis-Philipe d'Orléans, who traveled to the US in 1796, while exiled from revolutionary France.)
It's noted that he never set foot in the New World. But AFAIK, he also never visited Naples, Sicily, or Sardinia. Nor Malta, which he granted to the Hospitallers as a vassal state. (As any film noir fan knows, the grant included as token tribute the annual gift of a falcon by the Knights to the crown of Spain.)
The first European monarch to visit the Americas was Maria I of Portugal, who fled to Brazil in 1807 to escape Napoleon's onslaught. (The first future European monarch to visit the Americas was Louis-Philipe d'Orléans, who traveled to the US in 1796, while exiled from revolutionary France.)
Charles was partially raised by his aunt Margaret of Austria who had a museum with pieces of the new world presumably she got them for Charles, so he was familiar with Moctezuma by name and would recognize some of the artifacts
Read chapter 5 (begins page 152) to have a decend idea of what Charles knew of this new world
Read chapter 5 (begins page 152) to have a decend idea of what Charles knew of this new world
Hernan Cortes at one point actually introduced himself to Charles V, forcing open the door to his carriage and taking a seat with the king, saying, “I am the man who has given you more provinces than your ancestors bequeathed you villages.”
So yes.
Also, Cortes’ illegitimateson by La Malinche was a page at the Court of Charles V.
So yes.
Also, Cortes’ illegitimateson by La Malinche was a page at the Court of Charles V.
I would assume Charles thought about the Americas in the same way that people think about investments that do really well that they didn't put much effort into.
He had some role in appointing people to take on positions overseas. But really, having his many wars paid for with New World Gold and Silver was probably the most it was thought of.
He had some role in appointing people to take on positions overseas. But really, having his many wars paid for with New World Gold and Silver was probably the most it was thought of.
There is a big difference between “knowing” and “caring about” and “visiting”. Most definitely, Charles never visited his American possessions but he also most definitely took care of their administration: Viceroyalty of New Spain was officially founded in 1535, Captaincy General of Guatemala i; 1540 and Nuevo Galicia in 1530. Council of Indias was formally created in 1524. In 1542 he issued the New Laws limiting power of the encomenderos over the native population. Not to mention that each province had established treasury offices.
Conquests are separate issue and while most of them had been done by private initiative, soon after they happening Spanish administration was established on each conquered territory.
BTW, IIRC, Columbus was financed by Isabella, not Ferdinand: as a result, the colonies belonged to the Crown of Castile.
Keep in mind, traveling to the New World back then was uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. Why would a king want to spend weeks crossing the ocean by ship? It wasn't until ship technology improved that they started traveling abroad a lot more.
The only European monarch to ever set foot in the Americas was Maria I of Portugal (and her son, João VI), and only because they were forced into exile to feel Napoleon’s armies.
Before 1900, you mean. Several since then, e.g. Marie of Romania, and Wilhelmina of the Netherlands during WW II. Also various state visits by Elizabeth II.