XIKOOVA English

The myth of the seven cities of gold arose from the account of Fray Marcos de Niza in 1539. His vision of Cíbola, adorned with turquoise and stone houses, motivated one of the most ambitious expeditions of New Spain: that of Vázquez de Coronado. This article explores how a story between faith, desire, and exaggeration transformed the history of northern Mesoamerica.   See the complete article here...

In 1536, Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca arrived in New Spain after an unexpected journey through the north of the continent. His account, full of encounters, shipwrecks, and healing rituals, aroused the interest of Viceroy Antonio de Mendoza and led to new expeditions in search of the regions he described.  See the complete article here: Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca and the origin of new expeditions: be...

During the viceroyalty, town councils and city councils were key local government bodies for urban administration, although they were dominated by the peninsular and creole elites. See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/town-councils-and-city-councils-in-new-spain-local-power-and-urban-representation/

The legal system of the Viceroyalty of New Spain was built on laws, compilations, and political doctrine. Learn how royal decrees, the Recopilación de Leyes de Indias (Compilation of Laws of the Indies), and the so-called Política Indiana (Indian Policy) worked.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/codes-compilations-and-legal-doctrine-of-the-viceregal-government/

Visits and residence trials were key mechanisms for controlling the officials of the viceroyalty of New Spain. Their application revealed both the concern for good government and the internal tensions of viceregal power.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/visits-and-residency-trials-in-new-spain-control-and-supervision-of-viceregal-authorities/

The Catholic Church was a key institution in New Spain. This article explores its role in evangelization, the accumulation of power and its tensions with the viceregal government.   See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/the-catholic-church-in-new-spain-evangelization-power-and-tensions/

During the viceroyalty, the native peoples maintained their forms of government adapted to viceregal control. This article explores the role of cabildos, caciques and traditional authorities under the Catholic monarchy.   See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/indigenous-government-under-the-viceregal-regime-cabildos-caciques-and-traditional-authorities/

During the viceroyalty of New Spain, the viceroy was presented as the protector of the native peoples. This article analyzes this paternalistic figure and its limits in practice.   See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/protection-of-indigenous-peoples-in-the-viceroyalty-the-viceroy-as-father-of-the-natives/

In this article we explore how local power was organized in New Spain through alcaldes mayores, corregidores and lieutenants. A key system for administering the vast viceroyalty.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/government-in-the-provinces-of-new-spain-alcaldes-mayores-corregidores-and-lieutenants/

Beyond being a court, the Real Audiencia de México was a relevant political actor in New Spain. This article explores its functions, disputes and institutional weight.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/the-royal-court-of-mexico-justice-power-and-authority-conflicts/

Martín Enríquez de Almansa governed New Spain between 1568 and 1580. His mandate marked a turning point in the strengthening of viceregal power and the institutional order of the viceroyalty.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/martin-enriquez-de-almansa-government-instructions-from-new-spain/

The appointment of Antonio de Mendoza as the first viceroy marked a before and after in the administration of New Spain. His work laid the foundations of the viceroyalty model that would last for centuries.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/antonio-de-mendoza-the-first-viceroy-and-the-powers-of-royal-power-in-new-spain/

The viceroy of New Spain was the highest representative of the Catholic monarchy in America. This article analyzes his attributions, the limits he faced and the disputes that marked his government.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/the-viceroy-of-new-spain-functions-limits-and-political-tensions/

Consult the chronological list of all the viceroys and interim authorities that governed New Spain during the viceroyalty, organized by monarchs and with their respective periods. See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/viceroys-of-new-spain-complete-list-from-1535-to-1821/

The central apparatus of power in New Spain was a complex hierarchical network that allowed the Crown of Castile to govern a vast territory from afar. From the Council of the Indies to the viceroy and local bodies, each piece played a key role in consolidating the viceroyalty.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/the-central-apparatus-of-power-in-the-viceroyalty-of-new-spain/

This Nahuatl text, collected by Sahagún's indigenous informants and translated by Ángel María Garibay, reveals the initiatory journey of a young Pochteca. Through words loaded with symbolism and teachings, we learn about the physical, spiritual and emotional challenges of being a merchant in the Mexica world. An intimate portrait of the honor, effort and hope that drove these ancestral paths.   Se...

Trade was one of the key forces driving the power of the Mexica lordship. From local tianguis to the long-range routes organized by the Pochtecs, the exchange of products was much more than an economic activity: it was a strategy of expansion and prestige that consolidated political, military and cultural networks throughout Mesoamerica.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/m...

Agricultural work in the Mexica lordship was key to sustaining its economy. Different social groups, from calpulli peasants to tenant farmers and mayeque, actively participated in food production, with tasks differentiated according to their origin and link to the land. This system reflects the complexity of the Mexica social structure applied to the countryside.   See the complete article here: h...

In the Mexica lordship, property was not a simple right, but a symbol of prestige, bravery and belonging. This article analyzes how property, constructions and ways of life were regulated according to social rank, without delving into land, but highlighting the role of the calpulli and the symbolic function of objects and spaces.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/the-prope...

La tierra en tiempos mexicas no era propiedad privada como la entendemos hoy, sino un recurso colectivo distribuido por calpullis y el Estado. Descubre cómo se organizaban las parcelas comunales, las tierras del templo y del ejército, así como las heredadas por los nobles por méritos o linaje.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/possession-of-land-among-the-mexica-territoria...

The history of the Mexica lordship cannot be understood without observing the close relationship between its lake environment and its capacity for adaptation. From their settlement on the island of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the Mexica transformed a hostile landscape into an economic, political and cultural center of great importance. In this article we explore how the Mexica took advantage of the avail...

Without pack animals or metal tools, the Mexica developed a highly efficient agricultural system. This article explores the use of huictli and chinampas as pillars of food production in Mexico-Tenochtitlan, highlighting their technical ingenuity and adaptation to the lake environment.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/mexica-farming-techniques-and-implements-ingenuity-with...

From their origins on an island with limited resources, the Mexica developed an economic system based on trade, adaptation to the environment and strategic expansion. This article explores how their production relations strengthened their political power and laid the foundations for one of the most influential lordships of the Postclassic period.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova...

The Mesoamerican Postclassic was a period of intense mobility, where multiple peoples led processes of cultural and political reorganization. From the foundation of Tula to the league of Mayapán and the rise of lordships such as Cholula or Azcapotzalco, this stage was key to understanding the diversity and dynamism of Mesoamerica before the establishment of the viceroyalty.  See the complete artic...

The history of pre-Hispanic Mexico is not only written from the ruins. The codices, texts in indigenous languages and colonial chronicles, combined with archaeological discoveries, allow us to reconstruct in depth the spiritual, political and cultural life of the Mesoamerican post-classic period.  See the complete article here: https://www.xikoova.com/en/archaeology-and-written-testimonies-the-dou...