The Sons of Inti Shall Not Perish
- Thread starter King of the Uzbeks
- Start date
If I seemed to be pointing fingers, I did not mean too, I was actually curious if Europeans were ever subjected to what New World natives endured when I came to public “showings”.
What’s going on with Ming China? Because without their influx of New World silver, what their economy like?
Wonder when the next updates Gona be dose anyone know if he said that any where
Tune in later today for an update, a discussion of this timeline’s future, and a farewell to someone who could not be called a friend, but certainly commanded respect.
Chapter 2.18: Changing of the Guard
San Miguel was the largest European style city in South America.
Nuevo Oaxaca was a curious beast, as far as Spanish colonies in the New World went. No other colony was forced into a situation of true diplomacy they way it was. Others may have had intermittent relations with neighboring native groups, most notably those in the Rio de la Plata region. But none had to deal with two other relatively powerful nations on their borders. It was also isolated from other colonies, and the closest one was actively hostile to the leadership of Nuevo Oaxaca.
All of this considered, Cristóbal Vaca de Castro had done a very good job. Nuevo Oaxaca had been established and maintained. It had good relations with the Welsers to the North, and although recently Spanish influence in Cusco had started to slip recently, the Tawantinsuyu were firmly contained. With alliances with the Cañari and Chimu, the Spanish had the native auxiliaries need to keep the colony afloat as they entrenched themselves.
Still, he wanted out.
He was getting old, and not just for a conquistador. He had served the Kings of Spain ably for many years, but he felt his time had come. He had set up a profitable enterprise for the crown in South America and had stabilized it. Now was as good a time as any for him to bow out. Beginning in 1558 he had begun subtly hinting that he was ready to return to Spain.
As the bureaucratic wheels began to turn, Castro set about preparing Nuevo Oaxaca for his inevitable departure. A crucial point in this was the strengthening of the Audiencia. When Castro had arrived in South America, Spanish presence had been limited to just one city, and the Audiencia had largely been a formality. Throughout his time in power, he had maintained a large amount of power for a Spanish leader in the colonies. Nonetheless, the Audiencia was a part of Spanish administrations, and Castro deemed it necessary to have a functioning one in San Miguel, filled with notables from around the colony. He more firmly articulated the rights of the Chimu and Cañari. It is a matter of some debate as to whether he did this out of a sense of honor, or a desire to set up a framework that would subject these groups to Spanish law, thereby ensuring continued Spanish control.
Either way, it was soon apparent to those within the colony that Castro was preparing for something. There was a finality about his actions that could not be denied. Rumors swirled, and for once rumor based consensus proved right, Castro was retiring. For some, this was greeted with apprehension, but most saw it as just another change in power, as was fairly common in Spanish possessions. The question now turned to his successor, a question that would soon also vex the Spanish court of Philip II.
Philip had always valued the service of Castro, and would not have removed him, but saw the impending retirement as an opportunity. It was generally agreed upon that the Governorship of Nuevo Oaxaca was not quite no important as the Viceroyalty of New Spain, but the potential revenues from the province meant that the decision on a new governor was considered of vital importance.
What Philip wanted, no needed, above all else was someone who could extract revenue from the province. Financial troubles had been the bane of his father’s later years, and although the mines of Mexico still were extremely productive, Spain still faced a massive amount of debt. And Philip had ambitions to advance the stumbling Hapsburg cause in Europe, ambitions that required money. The untapped wealth of South America might help pay for a reasserting of Spanish influence in Europe, and help crush Protestant advances.
There is a tale, although a disputed one, that Philip proposed sending Martin Cortes, son and heir of Hernan to San Miguel to serve as Governor. Cortes had served in the Spanish army along with Philip, and it seems the King had grown to trust the man. However, his advisors balked at the idea, and with good reason. They were terrified of granting the great Ecomendero landholders of Mexico more power, and appointing one to the most potentially profitable holding was just that sort of danger. And, in time they would be justified in this fear.
The new governor
The man instead selected was a man who was not the traditional conquistador, instead being an administrator. Melchior Bravo de Saravia y Sotomayor was a native of Soria who had cut his teeth in Naples and then Grenada as a judge, before accepting a transfer to the New World as a member of the of Audiencia in New Grenada, before being reassigned to Santo Domingo, where he wound up as President of the Audiencia. Santo Domingo, although one of the birthplaces of the Spanish Empire, was now a backwater. But Saravia acquitted himself well enough, and more importantly, emerged from his time there as a neutral figure. He was a loyal figure, and not tied to the web of alliances and rivalries that affected the mainlanders. It was agreed by Philip II and the Council of the Indies that he would make a good Governor for Nuevo Oaxaca. So the order was dispatched that Saravia would be sent to San Miguel, and Castro was relieved of his duty.
His departure was greeted with apprehension by those who Castro had allied with and glee by those whom he had alienated. He advised Chimu and Cañari leaders to accept the new governor as their overlord and tried his best to prepare the great landowners for the coming of a new Governor. He even tried to make headway with the merchants, although he was little loved there. While on the way back to Spain, he was pelted with rocks in Panama City[1].
The new and old governors never did meet in person. Castro departing on September 5, 1559, a few days before Saravia arrived, as was relatively common in Spanish colonies.
Saravia’s tenure is office would be a fraught one, and ultimately Philip would probably not have appointed him again.
But that was in the future, and there remains one more loose end to tie up.
It's amazing how well not automatically assuming victory works.
Cristobal Vaca de Castro was a brutal man willing to cut deals when it was needed. He forcibly imposed European rule onto native populations, and dismembered various groups that imposed him. Yet he was a competent man, who knew when to fight and when to talk. He was not blinded by faith, or lust, or greed. He had served the Kings of Spain with as much honor as a conquistador could have. He was not a good man. But he was something better, at least in the eyes of Kings, he was a competent one.
His reward would be a cushy and obscure retirement in Spain, eventually dying in 1565.
1: Just to jog your memory Castro has a long-standing feud with the Panamanians because he refused to let them take what had previously been their illegal cut of the trade.
So, the promised discussion on the future.
If you’ve been following for a while you know that the updates have been coming slower for a while now. Some of that is that I started college, and I have much less time. But some of is shifting interests and a desire to work on other projects. However, I’m not going to just leave all of my loyal readers in a lurch. Book 2 will continue onward towards the conclusion I have sketched out, but after that this TL will go on hiatus.
Now I know that hiatus on internet projects can often be a death sentence, so I’ll make the ending one that is hopefully a satisfying one, while leaving the door open for any future projects.
If you’ve been following for a while you know that the updates have been coming slower for a while now. Some of that is that I started college, and I have much less time. But some of is shifting interests and a desire to work on other projects. However, I’m not going to just leave all of my loyal readers in a lurch. Book 2 will continue onward towards the conclusion I have sketched out, but after that this TL will go on hiatus.
Now I know that hiatus on internet projects can often be a death sentence, so I’ll make the ending one that is hopefully a satisfying one, while leaving the door open for any future projects.
Sad to hear the news of the eventual hiatus on the horizon. But as they say all good things must come to an end eventually.
With this in mind, will we get to see the Christ loving Mapuche one last time? For a timeline about a surviving Tawantinsuyu, they are my favorite creation thus far.
Best of luck with whatever project you tackle next.
With this in mind, will we get to see the Christ loving Mapuche one last time? For a timeline about a surviving Tawantinsuyu, they are my favorite creation thus far.
Best of luck with whatever project you tackle next.
Fair enough, your Ubzek majesty. It's better to get to a decent ending, however temporarily, then pushing on and letting the timeline just peter out.
I hope to see the revival of Tawantinsuyu fortunes! It'd be nice to end on the note that emphasizes the title. Although I think the term "four corners will just become like China, a name describing the land and it's people rather than any one instance of empire.
twovultures
Donor
It's good to wrap these timelines up in a satisfying way. This was an excellently-executed timeline, well-researched and incredibly enjoyable!
Oh dang. At least the tale of the Tawantinsuyu can be wrapped up before the curtain falls!
Binged this instead of sleeping. This kind of stuff is the reason I joined this site. Brilliant work.
Last edited:
