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Viceroyalty of Peru Administrative System

Type Object Region Spanish America Time 1542–1824

The supreme colonial administrative unit in South America established by the Spanish Crown in 1542, headquartered in Lima, governing Peru, Upper Peru…

Timeline

  1. 1542–1550Lima · PeruCharles V promulgated the New Laws, establishing a viceregal court and Royal Audience in Lima, consolidating the scattered conquest territories into a unified colonial administrative unit and establishing the viceroy as the Crown's chief executive representative.
  2. 1561–1570Viceregal Palace of Lima · LimaThe Madrid court tightened its appointment and supervision of colonial officials; the Viceroyalty of Peru had to report to the Crown more frequently on fiscal, defense, and ecclesiastical affairs, as the administrative system moved toward the peninsular centralization model.
  3. 1569–1581Viceroyalty of Peru · Viceroyalty of PeruToledo toured the provinces, carried out a tribute census, reorganized the mita labor draft, suppressed residual resistance, and established a network of local magistrates (corregidores), bringing the Viceroyalty of Peru's administrative system to its most tightly organized state of the colonial period.

Sources