Commentary No. 059
Date: 1527, June 28. Valladolid, Spain.
Theme: Spanish king Charles V says many Black slaves are being carried to La Española without the royal license, being introduced “secretly” or abusing the number of slaves allowed by each license.
Source: PARES, Portal de Archivos Españoles—Archivo General de Indias, INDIFERENTE,421,L.12
In late June of 1527 we find again King Charles V reiterating in a communication to the judges of Santo Domingo’s Audiencia that he is informed that numbers of “Black slaves” are being introduced in La Española either surreptitiously or by travelers going from Spain that are carrying larger numbers of slaves than those allowed in the licenses issued to them, thus violating the royal regulations on the matter.
Those bringing in slaves without licenses reportedly tried to argue before the local authorities that it was enough to pay the almojarifazgo tax in Santo Domingo for the slaves to be allowed in. But the Crown insisted that this practice “defrauded the duties that are owed to us” for the carrying of slaves and that it “has been and is in great harm” and “in detriment and demise of our revenues and treasury.”
Charles V finally ordered that any “Black slaves” captured in La Española under the type of circumstances described above, from the date the order was publicized in the colony and onwards, had to be confiscated and their value applied in favor of the royal treasury.