From the time of Christopher Columbus, Spaniards developed the notion of Indians as a sweeping cultural category, and their empire soon evolved a system of law and governance based on the theory of parallel Indian and Spanish republics. This system incorporated Native leaders whom Spaniards termed caciques. The word itself was borrowed from Caribbean Tainos, but Spaniards applied it liberally to Native leaders throughout the empire. Cacicas (female caciques) are surprisingly common in the documentary record, though they have not always received adequate attention from historians. This excellent edited volume addresses the omission. In nine chapters by leading historians in the field, several general findings emerge: Cacicas exerted considerable influence in colonial systems through their control of property, their feudal privileges, and their occasional appointment to political offices more typically held by men. Many invoked their status to great advantage in legal conflicts and local politics.
The position of...
