Editing Diego de Landa (section)

From FreeThoughtPedia

Warning: You are not logged in. Your IP address will be recorded in this page's edit history.

==Inquisition accusation==

===Suppression of the Maya===
After hearing of Roman Catholic Maya who continued to practice "idolatry", he ordered an [[Inquisition]] in Maní, Yucatán ending with a ceremony called ''auto de fe''. During the ceremony on July 12, 1562, a disputed number of Maya codices (or books; Landa admits to 27, other sources claim "99 times as many") and approximately 5,000 Maya cult images were burned. The actions of Landa passed into the [[Black Legend]] of the Spanish in the Americas.

Only three Pre-Columbian "books" of Maya hieroglyphics (also known as a codex) and, perhaps, fragments of a fourth are known to have survived. Collectively, these works are known as the Maya codices.

Landa's Inquisition showered a level of physical abuse upon the indigenous Maya that many viewed as excessive, and was at the very least unusual. Scores of Maya nobles were jailed pending interrogation, and large numbers of Maya nobles and commoners were subjected to examination under "hoisting." During hoisting, a victim's hands were bound and looped over an extended line that was then raised until the victim's entire body was suspended in the air. Often, stone weights were added to the ankles or lashes applied to the back during interrogation.

Some contemporary observers were troubled by this widespread use of torture. Crown fiat had earlier exempted indigenous peoples from the authority of the Inquisition, on the grounds that their understanding of Christianity was "too childish" to be held culpable for heresies. Additionally, Landa dispensed with much of the extensive formal procedure and documentation that accompanied Spanish torture and interrogation.

===Consecrated as bishop===

Landa was sent back to Spain by Bishop Toral, to stand trial for conducting an illegal Inquisition. His actions were strongly condemned before the Council of the Indies. This resulted in a "committee of doctors" being commissioned to investigate Landa's alleged crimes. In 1569 the committee absolved Landa of his crimes. Bishop Toral died in Mexico in 1571, allowing King Phillip II of Spain to appoint Landa as the fourth appointed bishop of Yucatán.

[[category:theists|Landa]]
[[category:historical arguments|Landa]]
[[category:people|Landa]]
[[category:catholics]]

Please note that all contributions to FreeThoughtPedia may be edited, altered, or removed by other contributors. If you don't want your writing to be edited mercilessly, then don't submit it here.
You are also promising us that you wrote this yourself, or copied it from a public domain or similar free resource (see Project:Copyrights for details). DO NOT SUBMIT COPYRIGHTED WORK WITHOUT PERMISSION!

Summary:

Cancel | Editing help (opens in new window)

Retrieved from "http://freethoughtpedia.com/wiki/Diego_de_Landa"

Editing Diego de Landa (section)

From FreeThoughtPedia

Views

Personal tools

MAIN MENU

FEATURED SECTIONS

FreeThoughtPedia

Partner Sites

Indexes

Search

Toolbox