The Spanish had a very sophisticated theory of just war: the School of Salamanca. Whereas some others claimed that the Indians were natural slaves, mainstream Spanish thinking was that this was not the case. Francisco de Vittoria in particular argued that the Indians had states, and that their lands were therefore not pure wilderness (terra nullius) which could be taken at will. Instead, war was justified against sovereigns who imposed unjust customs on their subjects, such as cannibalism and human sacrifice.
Emperor Charles V enacted the New Laws of Burgos in 1542 to protect the Indians, and in his instructions to his son Philip II told him to take particular care that his Indian subjects be treated with justice.
Seems reasonable enough to me, but then again, the Pronouns Left believes that cannibalism and human sacrifice is just more of that beautiful diversity.
The Spanish had a very sophisticated theory of just war: the School of Salamanca. Whereas some others claimed that the Indians were natural slaves, mainstream Spanish thinking was that this was not the case. Francisco de Vittoria in particular argued that the Indians had states, and that their lands were therefore not pure wilderness (terra nullius) which could be taken at will. Instead, war was justified against sovereigns who imposed unjust customs on their subjects, such as cannibalism and human sacrifice.
Emperor Charles V enacted the New Laws of Burgos in 1542 to protect the Indians, and in his instructions to his son Philip II told him to take particular care that his Indian subjects be treated with justice.
Seems reasonable enough to me, but then again, the Pronouns Left believes that cannibalism and human sacrifice is just more of that beautiful diversity.