Chapter 6

MEXICO AND THE VICEROYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

General considerations--Character of Viceroy rule--Spanish civilisation--Administration of Cortes--Torture of Guatemoc--Conquests of Guatemala and Honduras--Murder of Guatemoc--Fall of Cortes--First viceroy Mendoza--His good administration--Misrule of the _Audiencias_-- Slavery and abuse of the Indians--The Philippine islands--Progress under the Viceroys--Plans for draining the Valley of Mexico--British buccaneers--Priestly excesses--Raid of Agramonte--Exploration of California--Spain and England at war--Improvements and progress in the eighteenth century--Waning of Spanish power--Decrepitude of Spain-- Summary of Spanish rule--Spanish gifts to Mexico--The rising of Hidalgo--Spanish oppression of the colonists--Oppression by the colonists of the Indians--Republicanism and liberty--Operations and death of Hidalgo--The revolution of Morelos--Mier--The dawn of Independence--The birth of Spanish-American nations.