Indies, Laws of the

Indies, Laws of the

Entire body of law promulgated by the Spanish crown in the 16th–18th centuries for the governance of its colonies. It consists of a compendium of decrees on church government and education, upper and lower courts, political and military administration, Indians, finance, navigation, and commerce. A summary promulgated in 1681 contained 6,377 laws; though criticized for its inconsistencies, for excessive attention to unenforceable details, and for depriving colonists of a responsible role in government, it was the most comprehensive law code ever instituted for a colonial empire, and it set forth humane (if often ignored) principles for treatment of Indians.