Juan de Solorzano Pereira. Politica Indiana. Madrid: Diego Diaz de la Carrera, 1648.
Juan de Solorzano Pereira studied jurisprudence in Salamanca and in 1609 was appointed judge in the Audiencia of Lima, a position that he held until 1627. He wrote a number of books on legal matters, but his most important was De Indianorum jure disputatione (Madrid, 1629). He subsequently adapted and translated this work into Spanish, giving it the new title Politica Indiana.
The first book of the Politica Indiana describes the discovery of the Indies and discusses the legality of the conquest and of Spanish occupation. Solorzano wrote against the "black legend," although he denounced excesses committed by Spaniard against the Indians. In the remainder of the Politica, Solorzano addressed various themes such as Indian freedom, the "encomiendas," ecclesiastical matters, the Royal Patronate, secular government and the economy of the Indies.
Solorzano's book systematizes law and politics in colonial America: it is a fundamental text concerning Spain's Imperial politics. The Durand Collection has the first edition.
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