Council of the Indies

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The Council of the Indies was the principal governing body through which the Spanish Crown administered and regulated its vast overseas empire in the Americas and Asia during the early modern period.


Statements (50)
Predicate Object
instanceOf colonial administrative institution
government body
royal council
appliesToJurisdiction Philippines
Spanish America
Spanish East Indies
Spanish Empire
country Spain
dissolved 1834
fieldOfWork colonial administration
colonial law
imperial governance
overseas trade regulation
foundedBy Charles I of Spain
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
hasMember councillors of the Indies
fiscal (crown attorney)
oidores
secretary of the Council of the Indies
hasRole administrative oversight of colonies
advisory body to the king
appointment of colonial officials
drafting colonial laws
judicial body for colonial appeals
legislative body for overseas territories
oversight of missionary activity
regulation of trade policies for colonies
supervision of audiencias
supervision of viceroys
headOfGovernment president of the Council of the Indies
inception 1524
jurisdiction Captaincy General of the Philippines
viceroyalty of New Granada
viceroyalty of New Spain
viceroyalty of Peru
viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
languageOfWorkOrName Spanish
location Alcázar of Madrid
Madrid
Royal Palace of Madrid
namedAfter Indies
officialName Real y Supremo Consejo de Indias
partOf Royal Councils of the Spanish Crown
Spanish Monarchy
replacedBy Overseas Council of Spain
replaces Council of Burgos
significantEvent decline following independence of Spanish American colonies
reforms under the Bourbon monarchy
reorganization after the Nueva Planta reforms
subordinateTo King of Spain


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