The inquisitorial government. The fragmentation of the diocesan comisarias of Mexico, 1571-1696

Abstract

The foundation of the Tribunal of the Holy Office of Mexico demanded the immediate formation of jurisdictions, called diocesan comisarías, which would be responsible for providing it with cases for the execution of the procedural activity of the inquisitors. The immensity of the territories, however, was an obstacle that limited the realization of visits in the mines, towns, villages and / or seaports, so that since the sixteenth century the diocesan comisarías were gradually divided so that the comisarios had a better control of their respective jurisdictions. In the process of forming the dependent comisarías, sources from the General Archive of the Nation (Mexico), General Archive of the Indies (Seville) and the National Historical Archive (Madrid) have been used, making an analysis of the demographic importance of the comisarías created to determine their importance as jurisdictions. Likewise, the quantitative analysis has made it possible to recognize that the division of the diocesan comisarías constituted an effective measure for the better administration of the jurisdictions and a better control of colonial society.