Idolater or Christian. The Representation of the Indian in the work of Juan de Grijalva and Juan de Palafox y Mendoza

Abstract

his article intends to analyze the different configurations and representations of the concept Indian elaborated by Juan de Palafox in Virtudes del indio and by Juan de Grijalva’s Crónica de la orden de N.S.P Agustín..., comparing these works, we try to contrast the attributes these authors gave the Indian. This comparison shows that the Indian category was useful for Juan de Palafox’s secularization of doctrines, but also to the regular clergy in defending their privilege. In a first exercise of contrast we’ve found that the Indian category was used and reformulated by various political actors, which leads us to the conclusion that this category depended on such actors and political contexts. It is also determined that Juan de Palafox and Juan de Grijalva gave a new meaning to the indian status in order to validate his speeches and political intentions.