On January 15, 1624, thousands of angry residents assaulted the viceroy's palace in Mexico City. Late that night, rebels overcame the defenders and took Viceroy Diego Pimentel, the Marquess of Gelves, into custody. In his study of this rebellion and its aftermath, Gibran Bautista y Lugo emphasizes that the violence was organized, directed, and targeted. Yet despite this open revolt, King Felipe IV pardoned the insurgents in 1627, even going so far as nullifying any possible taint on their honor. According to Bautista, this concession shifted the balance of power between the king and Mexico City. From this point until the late eighteenth century, monarchs had to negotiate with city leaders rather than unilaterally impose their will on the viceregal capital.
Some shortcomings weaken the book's strong points. Bautista does not clearly identify the main argument. Various topics such as royal clemency, factional Spanish politics, corporate identity, and social networks...