Franciscan Missionary Organization in the Americas

Timeline

1. 1521–1523Valley of Mexico · MexicoAfter the collapse of the Aztec Empire, the Spanish crown and the Church made the conversion of Indigenous peoples to Christianity a core element of colonial legitimacy and the encomienda guardianship obligation, and the Franciscans were selected as one of the principal religious orders to carry this out.
2. 1524Veracruz to Mexico City · New SpainTwelve Franciscans led by Martín de Valencia arrived via Veracruz and, with the help of interpreters such as Malintzin, traveled into Indigenous communities to preach, baptize, and learn Nahuatl, launching organized large-scale missionary work.
3. 1525–1530Mission districts of New Spain · New SpainThe Franciscans established monasteries and schools for Indigenous people at Texcoco, Tlacotepec, and elsewhere, compiled Nahuatl catechism texts, and by the late 1520s their missionary network covered the Valley of Mexico and was expanding outward, becoming the leading force in the colonial society's instruction.