The Audiencia of Santo Domingo in the Seventeenth Century: Justice and Royal Authority in the Spanish Caribbean

In this examination of the Audiencia of Santo Domingo--an appellate court of justice for most of the Spanish Caribbean--Marc Eagle analyzes its role, especially the way it provided royal oversight and a connection to the metropolis for the island of Hispaniola and the larger district of the Caribbean over the course of the seventeenth century. The audiencia was beset by internal conflict, beholden to local elites, frequently disrespected by other officials in its district, and plagued by periodic epidemics and natural disasters. While the seventeenth-century Caribbean experienced dramatic changes, the tribunal on Hispaniola shared many similarities with other audiencias throughout Spanish America. Eagle argues that the Audiencia of Santo Domingo was a surprisingly durable institution; even as it was turbulent and inefficient, it adequately met both regional and peninsular needs and was both flexible and relatively inexpensive.

The Audiencia of Santo Domingo in the Seventeenth Century takes a pragmatic look at the messy practice of successful overseas governance, offering a new discussion of the social context of colonial administration and the connections between overseas officials and permanent residents.

Marc Eagle is a professor of history at Western Kentucky University.