Cristóbal de Tapia
Encyclopedia
Cristóbal de Tapia was an inspector sent to New Spain
in 1521 to investigate the conduct of the conquistador Hernán Cortés
, and if he deemed it necessary, to arrest him and bring him to trial. Because his authority derived from the king and superseded that of Cortés, his name appears on some lists of Spanish colonial rulers of New Spain, although he exercised this authority very briefly.
In 1521 the bishop of Burgos, Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca
, was president of the Council of the Indies, the body exercising direct royal control over the overseas empire of Spain. He was the dominant voice on the Council, and he was no friend of Cortés. In the spring of 1521, the Council passed a series of ordinances intended to reign in Cortés and strengthen Spanish control over the lands he had conquered. These ordinances directed that Pánfilo de Narváez
, held a prisoner in Veracruz
by Cortés, should be released, and that an inspector should be sent to New Spain to investigate the conduct of the conqueror, and to render justice to the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
, whose orders Cortés had refused to obey.
At this time Emperor Charles V
was attending to affairs in Germany. Spain was being governed by a regency headed by Adrian of Utrecht (later Pope Adrian VI). The ordinances were signed by Adrian at Burgos on April 11, 1521 and countersigned by Bishop Fonseca.
As William H. Prescott
narrates:
Tapia arrived from Santo Domingo
with two ships in December 1521. On December 24, 1521, he presented his papers to officers of Cortés in Veracruz, including Cristóbal de Olid
and Gonzalo de Sandoval
. He started for Mexico City
to speak directly to Cortés, but made it only as far as Cempoal. Here there was a conference, and Tapia realized that the conquistadors would not recognize his authority. On December 30, 1521, Sandoval persuaded him to relinquish the authority and return to Santo Domingo.
Prescott again:
New Spain
New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...
in 1521 to investigate the conduct of the conquistador Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro, 1st Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century...
, and if he deemed it necessary, to arrest him and bring him to trial. Because his authority derived from the king and superseded that of Cortés, his name appears on some lists of Spanish colonial rulers of New Spain, although he exercised this authority very briefly.
In 1521 the bishop of Burgos, Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca
Juan Rodríguez de Fonseca
Juan Rodriguez de Fonseca was a Spanish bishop, a courtier and bureaucrat whose position as chaplain to Queen Isabella enabled him to become a powerful counsellor to Ferdinand and Isabella, the Catholic Monarchs...
, was president of the Council of the Indies, the body exercising direct royal control over the overseas empire of Spain. He was the dominant voice on the Council, and he was no friend of Cortés. In the spring of 1521, the Council passed a series of ordinances intended to reign in Cortés and strengthen Spanish control over the lands he had conquered. These ordinances directed that Pánfilo de Narváez
Pánfilo de Narváez
Pánfilo de Narváez was a Spanish conqueror and soldier in the Americas. He is most remembered as the leader of two expeditions, one to Mexico in 1520 to oppose Hernán Cortés, and the disastrous Narváez expedition to Florida in 1527....
, held a prisoner in Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
by Cortés, should be released, and that an inspector should be sent to New Spain to investigate the conduct of the conqueror, and to render justice to the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar
Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar was a Spanish conquistador. He conquered and governed Cuba on behalf of Spain.-Early life:...
, whose orders Cortés had refused to obey.
At this time Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
was attending to affairs in Germany. Spain was being governed by a regency headed by Adrian of Utrecht (later Pope Adrian VI). The ordinances were signed by Adrian at Burgos on April 11, 1521 and countersigned by Bishop Fonseca.
As William H. Prescott
William H. Prescott
William Hickling Prescott was an American historian and Hispanist, who is widely recognized by historiographers to have been the first American scientific historian...
narrates:
The individual selected for the delicate task of apprehending Cortes, and bringing him to trial, on the theatre of his own discoveries and in the heart of his own camp, was named Christoval de Tapia, veedor, or inspector of the gold foundries in St. Domingo. He was a feeble, vacillating man, as little competent to cope with Cortes's in civil matters, as Narvaez had shown himself to be in military.
Tapia arrived from Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...
with two ships in December 1521. On December 24, 1521, he presented his papers to officers of Cortés in Veracruz, including Cristóbal de Olid
Cristóbal de Olid
Cristóbal de Olid was a Spanish adventurer, conquistador and rebel who played a part in the conquest of Mexico and Honduras.Born in Zaragoza, Olid grew up in the household of the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. In 1518 Velázquez sent Olid to relieve Juan de Grijalva, but en route a...
and Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval
Gonzalo de Sandoval was a Spanish conquistador in New Spain and briefly co-governor of the colony while Hernan Cortés was away from the capital .-Arrival in New Spain:Sandoval was the youngest of the lieutenants of Cortés. They arrived together in New Spain in 1519...
. He started for Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to speak directly to Cortés, but made it only as far as Cempoal. Here there was a conference, and Tapia realized that the conquistadors would not recognize his authority. On December 30, 1521, Sandoval persuaded him to relinquish the authority and return to Santo Domingo.
Prescott again:
The commissioner, clothed in his brief authority, landed in December, at Villa Rica. But he was coldly received by the magistrates of the city. His credentials were disputed, on the ground of some technical informality. It was objected, moreover, that his commission was founded on obvious misrepresentations to the government; and, notwithstanding a most courteous and complimentary epistle which he received from Cortes, congratulating him, as old friend, on his arrival, the veedor soon found that he was neither to be permitted to penetrate far into the country, nor to exercise any control there. He loved money, and, as Cortes knew the weak side of his "old friend," he proposed to purchase his horses, slaves, and equipage, at a tempting price. The dreams of disappointed ambition were gradually succeeded by those of avarice; and the discomfited commissioner consented to re-embark for Cuba, well freighted with gold if not with glory.http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/PRESCOTT/bk07_ch01.html