A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies by Bartolomé de las Casas

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By John White Posted on Dec 22, 2025
In Category - Aviation
Casas, Bartolomé de las, 1484-1566 Casas, Bartolomé de las, 1484-1566
English
Imagine picking up a book that feels like a time capsule from 1552, one that reads like a horror story but is actually a historical document. That's what you get with 'A Brief Account of the Destruction of the Indies.' Bartolomé de las Casas, a Spanish friar who was there, writes a furious, eyewitness report on the brutal Spanish conquest of the Americas. He names names, describes atrocities in plain language, and makes a desperate plea to his king. It's not an easy read, but it's a raw, unfiltered look at one of history's darkest chapters, told by a man who switched sides to become the colonizers' most vocal critic. It will shake you up.
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Bartolome de las Casas, originally published in Seville in 1552. 2) The original archaic spelling and punctuation has been retained] POPERY Truly Display'd in its Bloody Colours: Or, a faithful NARRATIVE OF THE Horrid and Unexampled Massacres, Butcheries, and all manner of Cruelties, that Hell and Malice could invent, committed by the Popish _Spanish_ Party on the inhabitants of _West-India_ TOGETHER With the Devastations of several Kingdoms in _America_ by Fire and Sword, for the space of Forty and Two Years, from the time of its first Discovery by them. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- _Composed first in_ Spanish _by_ Bartholomew de las Casas, _a Bishop there, and Eye-Witness of most of these Barbarous Cruelties; afterward Translated by him into_ Latin, _then by other hands, into_ High-Dutch, Low-Dutch, French, _and now Taught to Speak Modern English_. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- _London,_ Printed for _R. Hewson_ at the _Crown in Cornhil,_ near the _Stocks-Market._ 1689. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------- THE ARGUMENT OF THIS NARRATIVE By way of PREFACE TO THE READER. _The Reverend Author of this Compendious Summary was_ Bartholomaeus de las Casas _alias_ Casaus, _a Pious and Religeous person, (as appears by his zealous Transports in this Narrative for promotion of the Christian Faith) elevated from a Frier of the_ Dominican _Order to sit in the Episcopal Chair, who was frequently importuned by Good and Learned Men, particularly Historians, to Publish this Summary, who so prevailed with him, that he Collected out of that copious History which might and ought to be written on this subject, the contents of this concise Treatise with intention to display unto the World the Enormities,_ &c. _the_ Spaniards _committed in_ America _during their residence there, to their eternal ignominy; and for the author finding that no Admonitions or Reprehensions, how mild soever could operate upon or sink into the rocky-hearted Tyrants in those Occidental parts; he therefore took up a firm resolution, being then about 50 years of age (as he himself declares) to run the Hazards and Dangers by Sea, and the Risque of a long voyage into_ Spain _there to acquaint and Certifie the most Illustrious Prince_ Phillip _the Son and Heir of his Imperial Majesty_ Charles _the Fifth of Blessed Memory, with the Horrid crimes,_ &c. _perpetrated in those countries, part whereof he had seen, and part heard from such as boasted of their Wickedness. Whereupon his_ Caeserean _Majesty moved with a tender and Christian compassion towards these Inhabitants of the Countries of_ America, _languishing for want of redress, he called a Council at_ Valedolid, _Anno Dom. 1542. consisting of Learned and Able Men, in order to the reformation of the_ West-Indian _government, and took such a course, that from that time their Tyranny and cruelty against those_ Barbarians _was somewhat repressed, and those Nations in some measure delivered from that intolerable and more then_ Aegyptian _Bondage, or at least the_ Spaniards _ill usage and treatment of the_ Americans _was alleviated and abated. This Book mostly_ Historical, _part_ Typographical, _was Published first by the Author in_ Spanish _at_ Sevil, _after that Translated into_ Latin _by himself; and in process of time into_ High Dutch, Low Dutch, French _and now_ English; _which is the Sixth Language it has been taught to speak, that anyone of what Nation soever might in this Narrative contemplate and see as in a mirror the dismal and pernitious fruits, that lacquey and attend unlimited and close fisted Avarice, and thereby Learn to abhor and detest it,_ Cane pejus & angue: _it being the predominant and chiefest motive to the comission of such inexpressible Outrages, as here in part are faintly, not fully represented. Which sin the...

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This isn't a novel with a plot. It's a report, a list of crimes. Written in the 16th century by a Spanish friar, Bartolomé de las Casas, it chronicles the violent Spanish colonization of the Caribbean and Central and South America. Las Casas traveled with the conquistadors and saw firsthand the torture, massacres, and enslavement of Indigenous peoples. The book is his direct testimony, written to convince the King of Spain to stop the slaughter. He goes region by region, describing in stark detail the methods used to destroy entire communities for gold and land.

Why You Should Read It

You should read it because it's primary source history at its most powerful and disturbing. Las Casas writes with a mix of grief, anger, and moral clarity that cuts through 500 years. It removes the romanticized filter we sometimes put on the Age of Exploration. This is not a balanced account—it's a polemic, a prosecutor's closing argument. That's what makes it so compelling. It forces you to confront the human cost of empire from the perspective of a man who was part of the system but had a crisis of conscience.

Final Verdict

This book is essential for anyone interested in the true, unvarnished history of the Americas, colonialism, or human rights. It's a tough but necessary read. Be prepared for graphic descriptions. It's perfect for readers who want to understand the roots of historical injustice through the words of someone who was there, fighting against it.



📢 Public Domain Notice

This title is part of the public domain archive. You do not need permission to reproduce this work.

Liam Sanchez
6 months ago

I had low expectations initially, however the clarity of the writing makes this accessible. Highly recommended.

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