Spanish colonial administration

Spanish colonial administration was structured to control and develop territories through a hierarchical system. The Spanish crown appointed viceroys, who acted as the king’s representatives, overseeing the entire colony. Below them, officials managed local governance, justice, and economic activities, often relying on local elites. The administration focused on extracting resources, spreading Christianity, and maintaining social order. Legal systems like the Laws of the Indies guided governance, while missions and encomiendas integrated religious conversion with labor organization. Overall, it combined centralized political authority with local management to sustain Spain’s overseas empire.