Courteous plunder: Viceroy Castellar’s infiltration into the Lima Town Council, 1674-1678

Abstract

The administration of Viceroy Count Castellar caused discontent among many, but not all, segments of the Peruvian Viceroyalty’s élite. This article shows that the new Viceroy’s accession festivities conveyed a clear message of submission to his Peruvian subjects. With support from an experienced Peruvian courtier, Francisco Ruiz Lozano, and a carefully engineered network of contacts, the Viceroy infiltrated Town Council operations, like securing meat supplies. The elements underlying the lack of resistance to such practices are the Viceroy’s ability to make appointments to key positions and the resulting opportunity for councilors to enhance their wealth and prestige.