Preferred Citation: Cook, Sherburne F., and Woodrow Borah Essays in Population History, Vol. III: Mexico and California. Berkeley:  University of California Press,  1971-1979. http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft5d5nb3d0/


 
Chapter I— Royal Revenues and Indian Population in New Spain, ca. 1620-1646

Chapter I—
Royal Revenues and Indian Population in New Spain, ca. 1620-1646

1—
Introduction

In a series of earlier studies, we examined materials on the Indian population of central Mexico and made calculations of numbers based upon our analysis of those materials. We have thus been able to present estimates for various years in the sixteenth and the first decade of the seventeenth centuries. For the convenience of the reader we list them:

 

1518

25.2 million

1585

1.9 million

1532

16.8 million

1595

1.375 million

1548

6.3 million

1605

1.075 million

1568

2.65 million

   

These are based upon samples whose extent and ease of interpretation vary considerably. The estimate for 1568, the most firmly based, derives from a sample of perhaps 90% of the towns in central Mexico, which were newly counted in terms of a reformed and relatively uniform classification of tributaries and half-tributaries. That for 1605 is based upon a small sample of towns whose populations had shrunk so badly that they were relocated in new larger towns under the policy of congregación .[1]

At the other end of the colonial period, calculations of Indian population are comparatively simple for various years of the eighteenth century, since tribute counts for that century are

[1] Sherburne F. Cook and Woodrow Borah, The Indian Population of Central Mexico, 1531–1610 (IA 44), pp. 47–49 and correction at end; Borah and Cook, The Aboriginal Population of Central Mexico on the Eve of the Spanish Conquest (IA 45), p. 88; Borah and Cook, The Population of Central Mexico in 1548: An Analysis of the Suma de visitas de pueblos (IA 43), passim . The discussion of sources is found throughout all three works.


2

frequent and careful, and the viceregal administration was making the first attempts at general civil censuses. So for the eighteenth century, scholars have abundant material, subject to the new problems that arise from the increasing number of racial mixtures in the population and the growing confusion in the application of social and racial criteria to them.[2]

The span of years from 1610 to perhaps 1700, in contrast, has presented a gap in evidence. Yet those years contain the point at which the Indian population of central Mexico reached its nadir and began to recover from the long decline unleashed by the European Conquest. Our difficulty, like that of other students, has been to find materials that under treatment could provide evidence. In recent years a number of papers have appeared that offer partial or regional approaches to the problem. In August 1962, in a paper read at the XXXV International Congress of Americanists in Mexico City, José Miranda presented comparisons of prevailing tribute assessments for a number of towns in the bishoprics of Mexico, Puebla, and Michoacán for two periods in the seventeenth century: 1644–1657 and 1692–1698. He found them in accounts of the half-real for cathedral construction (medio real de fábrica ) levied annually on every Indian tributary and directly convertible to the prevailing tribute assessment. There was no indication of the precise year when the assessments were made. Miranda's material showed a substantial increase in Indian population, on the order of 28%, between assessments in force in 1644–1657 and in 1692–1698. He conjectured that the low point of the Indian population came in the 1620's or 1630's.[3]

Subsequently, in our study of the historical demography of one small region in central Mexico, the Mixteca Alta, published in 1968, we made use of the Montemayor y Córdova de Cuenca count of that region in 1661, found in the Archivo General de Indias, in Seville. Analysis of the count indicated that the nadir of Indian population in the Mixteca Alta probably came in the decades 1600–1620 at a value of from 20% to 25% of the population in 1569, and as little as 3% or 4% of the pre-Con-

[2] Cook and Borah, Essays in Population History , I and II, passim , but esp. chap. 1 of vol. I.

[3] José Miranda, "La población indígena de México en el siglo XVII," pp. 182–189. See also Miranda, "La población indígena de Ixmiquilpan y su distrito en la época colonial."


3

quest level. The Montemayor y Córdova de Cuenca report also gave the dates of the previous counts and so provided the first clear evidence of the extent to which prevailing accounts should be adjusted to an average year some time back.[4]

Another study, which we published in 1971, of the population of west-central Mexico, 1548–1960, indicates that the low point of Indian numbers in that region occurred around 1650, with a value of slightly over 12% of that for 1548 and 33% of that for 1570.[5] Much of west-central Mexico, however, was conquered and settled later than central Mexico. Moreover, it remained essentially a frontier area until late in the colonial period. Accordingly, the experience of west-central Mexico cannot be extrapolated directly, without adjustment, to central Mexico.

More recently, a study by Günter Vollmer on Indian towns in southern Puebla sets the low point of the Indian population at approximately 1650, when he estimates it to have been 27% of the value for 1570.[6] Another study, by Claude Morin, of Santa Inés Zacatelco in the Puebla basin suggests also that the low point of population in central Mexico occurred around 1650, with perhaps 816,000 Indians.[7] A more general study of central Mexico in the seventeenth century, by J. I. Israel, holds that "the Indian population of central Mexico, having fallen to a level of between 1 1/2 and 2 million in 1607, continued to decline at least until the middle of the century." Increase did not become manifest until 1671.[8] So the effort to fill the gap has continued, with fair agreement that the low point of the Indian population came in the seventeenth century, although there has

[4] Cook and Borah, The Population of the Mixteca Alta, 1520–1960 (IA 50), pp. 33–38 and 71–75.

[5] Cook and Borah, Essays , I, chap. 5, esp. p. 310.

[6] Günter Vollmer, "La evolución cuantitativa de la población indígena en la región de Puebla (1570–1810)."

[7] Claude Morin, "Population et épidémies dans une paroisse mexicaine: Santa Inés Zacatelco, XVII –XIX siècles," esp. p. 70.

[8] J.I. Israel, Race, Class and Politics in Colonial Mexico, 1610–1670 , pp. 27–28. Israel cites the estimate of Landeras de Velasco, 10 January 1607, that there were 344,000 full tributaries, presumably in the Audiencia of Mexico without Yucatan. Israel must be using a multiplicative factor of close to 5.0 to estimate total Indian population, for at the factor we have established on the basis of very careful inspection of evidence (2.8), the total Indian population would be 963,200. Even with adjustment to include the Indians of Nueva Galicia, the total, using the factor of 2.8, would not reach a million. See Cook and Borah, Essays , I, p. 309, for estimates of Nueva Galicia.


4

been no agreement on a more exact placing of the point within that span of years nor on the value to be assigned to the Indian population at that point. Our own two studies, it will be noticed, differ on placement of the point, admittedly for two very different regions.

Clearly the resolution of this question required more data in the form of counts of Indian population in the early and middle decades of the seventeenth century. Since there had been available as yet almost no tribute counts for that period, we turned to another possible source of information in the records of the pastoral inspections of bishops, some of them published, others unpublished but available in manuscripts. Unfortunately, those for the seventeenth century did not give adequate information on numbers of Indian tributaries, total population, or some group in the population that would give a clue to total number.[9] So this attempt met a dead end.

Ideally, we wanted a set of counts taken in a relatively short period of time and covering all of central Mexico, either like the Montemayor y Córdova de Cuenca count for the Mixteca Alta or those of the tribute reform of the 1560's. In the absence of the ideal, we could use a statement of prevailing assessments, like those in the encomenderos' petition of 1597, but would have to understand that the data referred to the time when each count was made and that an average year should be calculated to adjust for the lag in the set as a whole. In 1958–59 Woodrow Borah spent a sabbatical year in Spain for the purpose inter alia of hunting for just such material. The search turned up the Córdova de Cuenca count and a great deal of eighteenth-century data, but only a few scattered town counts for the rest of central Mexico. After that and searches in Mexico, we had decided that the hunt would have to be left to the next generation of scholars exploring as yet ill-known reaches of the Archivo General de Indias, the bodega of the Archivo General de la Nación in Mexico City, or the largely unknown private archives of Spanish noble families, few of which in 1958–59 were open to scholars. Then, literally out of the blue, an airgram dated October 24, 1971, came to Woodrow Borah from E. William Jowdy, then a graduate student at the University of Michigan and doctoral candidate under the guidance of Charles

[9] Many records of pastoral inspections are valuable sources of demographic data. See Cook and Borah, Essays , I, chap. 1, esp. pp. 47–48.


5

Gibson, doing archival research in Madrid. Jowdy reported finding a document in the archive of the Duques del Infantado which gave much information on royal revenues and tribute assessments in the Audiencia of Mexico in 1646. A reply by return mail indicating that the find might be very important brought a generous offer to try to secure a film copy for our use. Jowdy brought the matter to the attention of the Duque del Infantado through the good offices of the latter's sister, the Reverend Mother Cristina de la Cruz de Arteaga, whereupon the duke graciously gave full permission to film the document and use it in any way.

The document of thirty-three folios is found among the papers of the Conde de Salvatierra, viceroy of New Spain from November 1642 to May 1648, when he moved to Peru. It forms folios 148–180 in volume 54 of the archive, the entire volume being correspondence and reports of various kinds of the Conde de Salvatierra for the years 1645–46[10] The document consists of a one-folio letter of transmittal and thirty-two folios of report, both dated at Mexico City 4 September 1646, and signed by Juan de Cervantes Casaus, Contador Mayor of the Tribunal de Cuentas.[11] It is addressed merely to an excelentísimo señor , who could be either the viceroy or the visitador-general, Juan de Palafox y Mendoza, but since the closing paragraph of the report states that it was prepared at the express command of the visitador-general, it seems probable that the report and covering letter are addressed to him. On the other hand, since the document is among the Salvatierra papers, it may be that we deal here with a second clean, signed copy prepared for the viceroy as well. The personal papers of both men have become part of the archive of the Duques del Infantado.

It is worth recalling here that the Palafox visita, a remarkably stormy one, occurred during years of unusual strain for the monarchy in Spain—continuation of the Thirty Years' War, the dissolution of the Crown Union with Portugal, and the revolts

[10] The published description is as follows: "Libro LIV. Correspondencia, informes y otros papeles referentes a América del conde de Salvatierra, 1645–6." Spain, Dirección General de Archivos y Bibliotecas, Guía de fuentes para la historia de Ibero-América conservadas en España , II, p. 90.

[11] Genealogical details may be found in Guillermo Lohmann Villena, Los americanos en las órdenes nobiliarias , I, pp. 103–105 and 173–174. Juan de Cervantes Casaus was an important Creole figure in the early and middle seventeenth century. See Israel, passim .


6

of Catalonia and Naples—and of perhaps the low point of decay and inefficiency in royal administration in New Spain. The royal government was in ever greater need of funds just when the treasury in the Audiencia of Mexico found that local costs absorbed almost all local revenues. New taxes, such as stamped paper, were imposed, but were just coming into yield in 1646. On royal command Palafox removed one viceroy, the Marqués de Villena, a relative of the Duke of Braganza and new King of Portugal, through fear of disloyalty, and governed the colony until the arrival of the Conde de Salvatierra. In the end, the political storms arising from attempts at church reform delayed attempts at reforming civil administration, despite the cooperation of Salvatierra and Palafox in finding funds for remittance to Spain. Salvatierra was promoted to be viceroy of Peru; Palafox was recalled to Spain shortly afterward and left Mexico in June 1649.[12] A normal element in any general inspection would have been a review of the royal finances; in the special circumstances of the Castilian monarchy in the 1640's, one was especially necessary and incumbent upon both visitador-general and viceroy. The report of 1646 was at least part of such a review.

The closing paragraph of the report clearly states that the review was ordered by Palafox, at what date we have no clear indication. The covering letter asks pardon for delay in preparing the report, blaming the delay upon burden of work and upon the difficulty of obtaining precise figures, since collections of royal revenues in the provinces (alcaldías mayores ) were sometimes placed in charge of the governors and sometimes entrusted to others at the decision of the Comptroller of Tributes and Sales Tax. The report, therefore, must have been asked for some months or even years before the date it bears. Preparation, even in terms of the leisurely processes of that period, was delayed and made difficult by the complex subdivision of administration of royal finance, which defeated any attempt at centralized supervision and accounting. The amounts due as royal tribute, one of the principal sources of revenue, could be ascertained by consulting the assessments of the Indian towns; but, without resort to the Comptroller of Tributes and Sales Tax, there was no way of determining amounts paid and in

[12] Israel, p. 247.


7

arrears, the latter a considerable sum. The yield of taxes leased out could be ascertained easily, and averages estimated for some revenues of variable yield, directly administered by the Crown, such as the state monopoly of mercury and other taxes upon mining. Even so, the clerks collecting the material worked with surprising negligence, since, as we shall see, they passed over the folios of tribute assessments for a large number of Indian towns. The report is a substantial sample rather than a full statement. It is, nevertheless, a remarkable view of the royal finances in the Audiencia of Mexico for what were probably the years of most corrupt and inefficient fiscal administration during the entire colonial period. In the 1650's there was a drastic overhaul of the administration of Indian tributes and the royal monopoly of mercury after a quarter-century of virtual paralysis.

We now discuss the report under the rubrics of data on Indian population and the royal fiscal system.

2—
Indian Population

The initial determinations that must be made are how complete is the coverage of the data on Indian tributaries—i.e., how many towns are represented in the report and what is their proportion to the total number in the Audiencia of Mexico at the time; and further, what year should be set as the average date for the counts on which the assessments were based, since all of them must have been made some time before the formal tribute was set and an even longer interval before the listing in the report. Let us start with the second matter.

In terms of mid-sixteenth-century town boundaries, there are approximately 740 towns in the 1646 list. The statements of tribute for towns held by the Crown give the amounts due under the standard tribute assessment of money, maize, cacao, cotton cloth, etc.; the amount of money due as servicio real , an additional tax of four reales per tributary; and usually an additional statement on the number of tributaries found at the count on which the assessment was based. For example, the statement on Atoyac finishes "respecto de tener ciento y quarenta y tres tributarios" ["since it has 143 tributaries"]. For towns held partly by the Crown and partly by an encomendero, the statement of standard tribute usually covers only the share of the Crown, and so it is the servicio real and statement of


8

number of tributaries that provide the data. For towns held entirely by encomenderos, there is usually no statement of standard tribute or number of tributaries; but the servicio real, which was levied on all Indian tributaries whether in Crown or encomienda towns, is given, and since it had a standard relation to the number of tributaries, is directly convertible to the number in the prevailing assessment.

There is unfortunately no statement in the report on the date when the assessments were made. Nor is it likely that the interval between the date of the count and the report was so short that we may ignore the matter. For, in the closing years of the sixteenth century, the rhythm of recounts and reassessments began to slacken and the intervals between counts to lengthen. In the neighboring Audiencia of Nueva Galicia, a survey of tributes in 1594 reported that in that treasury jurisdiction, Crown towns were paying under assessments made an average of nine years five months earlier, and that for the six towns reassessed in 1594 the average interval to the preceding count was fourteen years one month.[13] Nueva Galicia was a separate treasury jurisdiction, although in general it followed the lead of the Audiencia of Mexico. Accordingly, its experience is no more than an indication. We do know that in the second quarter of the seventeenth century the administration of tributes in the Audiencia of Mexico was under an unusually fraudulent and inept administration. In 1653 charges were brought against the Comptroller, and the entire administration eventually was shaken up and reorganized. One of the failures of the Contaduría General de Tributos in that period was in carrying out recounts and reassessments—some indeed were made, but few.

The most useful testimony we have for the Audiencia of Mexico is that of Montemayor y Córdova de Cuenca about the Mixteca Alta in 1661. His reporting gave the dates of previous tribute counts, and inter alia has enabled us to determine that the 1646 report embodies the latest count up to 1646 for the towns of the Mixteca Alta. The average interval between time of assessment and the reassessment by Montemayor y Córdova de Cuenca in 1661 was thirty and a half years.[14] One cannot

[13] Woodrow Borah, "Los tributos y su recaudación en la Audiencia de la Nueva Galicia durante el siglo XVI," pp. 40–42.

[14] Cook and Borah, The Population of the Mixteca Alta , pp. 33–35.


9

subtract fifteen years (1661–1646) from this average and apply it without further adjustment, for in the reporting for the Mixteca Alta there are a number of towns counted and reassessed after 1646 which bring down the average. The intervals between those counts and the preceding ones would raise it. Neither can we apply the thirty and a half years without downward adjustment, for Indian towns nearer Spanish centers may well have been counted and reassessed more frequently than those in the Mixteca Alta; and the lag in recounts must have built up at some time after the period in the second half of the sixteenth century when recounts were frequent. An average lag of thirty and a half years probably represents the low point of tribute administration. The adjustment we must make is thus fifteen years plus another term of years ranging from five to ten, a total of twenty to twenty-five. The average date of the assessments in the 1646 list should be set somewhere between 1620 and 1625. If the reader demands a single year, 1622 or 1623.

The other matter to be determined here is the extent to which the 1646 list covers the Indian towns of the Audiencia of Mexico. Our basis for comparison is the assessments of the tribute reform with an average date of 1568, which give us our fullest list with least adjustment. Indian towns in the Audiencia of Nueva Galicia would automatically be excluded because they lay in another treasury jurisdiction, that of Guadalajara. Similarly, Tabasco would be excluded because it lay in the subordinate but separate government of Yucatán. Its Indian tributes were administered by the subcaja of Santa María de la Victoria, reporting to the caja of Mérida, for Yucatán was also a separate treasury jurisdiction. These automatic exclusions remove from either list some hundreds of towns of the approximately 2,000 which existed in the early sixteenth century in central Mexico as we have defined it. Another group of towns on neither list is those that went out of existence in the first half-century of Spanish rule. In all, the 2,000 towns would come down to perhaps 1,400.

Comparing the two lists is also complicated by the changes of the nearly eighty years separating them. During that long interval, shrunken towns were consolidated through congregación; settlement shifted within the territory of towns remaining formally intact; within other towns dependent units (sujetos ) be-


10

came autonomous, for they saw no reason to continue in a status of dependency forced upon them by former rulers when the current overlords were willing to annul it; in some regions where population almost vanished, new towns were created; and in the zone to the north which had been the territory of nomadic Indians in 1520, the Spanish founded new settlements.[15] The identification of relationships and shifts has been a detective job of considerable difficulty. One surprise has been the uncovering of a substantial number of towns on the 1646 list which we knew existed in the first half of the sixteenth century, but thought had gone out of existence by the 1560's. In terms of number of towns, we may tabulate our findings:

 

On both lists

648

On the 1646 list but not the 1568 one, or impossible to match

89

On the 1646 list but could not be located

3

Subtotal

740

On the 1568 list but not the 1646 one

630

Total

1,370

Relative to the 1568 list there is, then, a coverage of approximately 50%; in terms of the number of towns in the district of the royal treasury of Mexico City, the 1646 list gives information on 54%.

Another way of approaching this determination is in terms of proportion of aggregate population involved in coverage and omission. The best approach here is to compare the aggregate population reported by the 1646 list with that calculated by ratio through comparison with the 1568 list. (We jump to our results here; the detail is in Table 1.2, part C.) For the plateau, the omission is 18.6%; for the coasts, 37.0%; for the district of the caja of Mexico City as a whole, 24.1%. In other words, the 1646 list reports 75.9% of the reconstructed total population, and in these terms is an even better sample. The difference in the findings by number of towns and aggregate population is easily explainable as due to a tendency to pass over smaller rather than larger towns in preparing the 1646 list.

The omissions from the 1646 list cast further light on the way the Contaduría de Tributos kept its records of Indian tribute counts and assessments. We know through the discovery

[15] On the shifts in town jurisdictions and relationships, see Peter Gerhard, A Guide to the Historical Geography of New Spain, passim . This volume is an invaluable and now indispensable guide to a remarkably intricate local history.


11

and publication of a substantial part of the second colonial set of such records that they were kept in looseleaf fashion. The records of a single town, especially if important; of towns held initially by one encomendero, even if dispersed geographically; or of contiguous towns were entered on a single folio or group of folios. We do not know how these were filed in relation to each other, for the present alphabetical order of the records, manuscript and printed, reflects a recent arrangement of the scattered folios discovered. The second colonial matrícula de tributos was superseded in the 1570's, presumably by copying off the latest assessments on fresh folios to form a new set of records.[16] The 1646 list may have been taken from the third colonial matrícula de tributos, or even a fourth one, although the slowing down of tribute reassessments suggests that the creation of a fourth set by 1646 was unlikely. The 1646 list indicates that there was a tendency to file together the folios of town assessments for a single region. The partial listing together of towns in the Zapotecas, the Veracruz coast, Colima, etc., can only have come about in this way. We may surmise that the tribute records of many towns in 1646 were filed together by alcaldía mayor, but that systematic grouping by province was to wait until the eighteenth century. The order of towns in the 1646 report, as well as the omissions in it, must arise either directly or at one remove from the perhaps hasty work of a scribe taking off the information from the folios of the Contaduría de Tributos. It was easy to miss folios, especially if the assessments for any group of towns ran to more than one folio so that it was necessary to locate the end of one set of records and the beginning of the next.

Let us turn now to our procedure in taking off and using the information in the 1646 report for calculating Indian population. Our first step was to identify the towns one by one, ascertain their geographical location and their identity or relation to towns on the 1568 list, include data for 1595 where possible, and prepare working charts by region. The regions were automatically those we had laid out for our calculations of population in the sixteenth century.[17] The data for Indian population in 1568 and 1595 had been segregated previously

[16] Mexico, AGN, El libro de las tasaciones de pueblos de la Nueva España, passim .

[17] A full description with map may be found in Cook and Borah, The Indian Population of Central Mexico, 1531 –1610 , pp. 33–36.


12

and published for those regions.[18] As we have already suggested, identification of the towns involved a long series of problems in detection. Many towns in Mexico have identical names; others have nearly identical ones, which in the more haphazard spelling of the seventeenth century become identical. Here the tendency of the 1646 report to list together contiguous towns or towns of one region helped very greatly. Changes brought by the nearly eighty years between 1568 and 1646 also created serious problems of identification, for many towns had changed their names, or moved the location of the main settlement within their territory, sometimes keeping the name and sometimes taking on the name associated with the new site; others had become consolidated; others were sujetos of towns in 1568, but had since become autonomous and dealt directly with Spanish authorities; others represented new settlement on abandoned land—a phenomenon particularly of the lower altitudes; yet others were new settlements within what had been nomadic Chichimec territory in 1520, but was being brought under control by the Spaniards. In all probability, the task of identification would have been impossible for at least a quarter to a third of the names if we had not been able to use the newly published A Guide to the Historical Geography of New Spain by Peter Gerhard. This remarkable volume, organized by the alcaldías mayores of the eighteenth century, permits tracing the territorial history and changes of towns in the district of the treasury of Mexico City. It even gives the history of encomiendas and parishes. In the end, we were unable to identify and locate just three of the towns in the 1646 list.

Once towns in the 1646 report were segregated by region and listed with information, where possible, on population in 1568 and 1595 and numbers of tributaries in 1646, the second step was to convert tributaries into total population. We have explored at considerable length elsewhere the problems and evidence for arriving at appropriate multiplicative factors for various years in order to convert tributary number into total Indian population.[19] There is accordingly no need to repeat the

[18] Ibid. , pp. 59–109.

[19] Borah and Cook, The Population of Central Mexico in 1548 , pp. 75–102; Cook and Borah, The Indian Population of Central Mexico, 1531 – 1610 , pp. 59–109; Cook and Borah, The Population of the Mixteca Alta , pp. 39–47; Cook and Borah, Essays , I, chaps. 3 and 4.


13

exploration here. For 1568 and 1595, our data already applied the factor of 2.8 (which implies a factor of 3.3 for a married man or casado ). That value, although low, is derived from a substantial mass of evidence and must be regarded as solidly based. It is, however, clearly inapplicable to a later period when the number of tributaries reached nadir but demographic changes within the Indian population were preparing the way for the fairly steady increase that was characteristic from some time in the first half of the seventeenth century to the end of the colonial period. Equally, the relatively high factors necessary for conversion of eighteenth-century tributary numbers to total Indian population, although they are very firmly based on a substantial mass of data—some of the best we have for Mexico at any time—cannot be applied to the years in the seventeenth century when the population was in transition from one demographic pattern to another. Accordingly we returned to our explanation and the graph in our study of the population of the Mixteca Alta and chose 3.4 as the most appropriate value for application to the data in the 1646 report, understanding that the data should be regarded as falling in the years 1620–1625.

We had hoped to verify our calculations further by a comparison of the data in the 1646 report with the tribute counts of the early eighteenth century, approximately 1715–1733, for which there survives an unusually full series of new counts for the treasury district of Mexico. The appropriate factor for converting tributaries to total Indian population for those data would be 3.8. Unfortunately for our needs in this study, the eighteenth-century tribute counts and assessments were made under a new system which handled a province at a time. Comparison on any extensive basis with earlier counts and assessments by individual towns accordingly required so much adjustment that we abandoned the attempt.

Our next steps were to rearrange the regional data on new worksheets, breaking down the regional division into further categories which we applied uniformly to the eleven regions (which are numbered from I to X, with a IIA). For each region, Table 1.1, part A for that region lists all towns or other places which occur on both the 1568 and 1646 lists. From the total of these we have calculated the ratio of the two populations 1646/1568. Table 1.1, part B for the region gives the names of places which occur in the 1646 reporting but are not on the 1568 list. The aggregate of these populations must be added to


14

figure

Central Mexico, 1531 - 1610, showing the regions discussed in this book.


15

the regional total in order to calculate the percentage of deficiency in the 1646 reporting for the region. Table 1.1, part C for each region gives the names of places for which only the 1568 list has a value, i.e., they are missing from the 1646 list. We have not included towns or places for which we had calculated hypothetical populations for 1568 on the basis of information of earlier date. The numerical weight of places with a population value in 1568, but not in the 1646 reporting, can be estimated by dividing the total of their population by that of the entire region. The resulting value, expressed as a percentage, gives an index to the degree of deficiency found in the 1646 reporting for the region.

Since the population reported in the 1646 list is deficient in all regions, the probable true population must be calculated. An estimate may be obtained by the use of simple proportions based upon the logical assumption that the mean ratio found for each region from the paired values for places in Table 1.1, part A holds equally for each region for the towns in Table 1.1, part C for which we have no information in the 1646 reporting. Since the proportion of places for which we have information in each region is large—for some regions very large—the ratios, although not absolutely precise, are reasonably close to the true value. We then applied the ratio for each region of the population reported in the 1568 data for that region to the totals in parts A and C. The resulting value is the reconstructed Indian population of the region in 1620–1625 (our adjusted average date for the tribute assessments).

As a check upon the results secured by comparing the data in the 1568 and 1646 reporting, we have turned to the data of average date of 1595. For each region, Table 1.1, part D shows the towns for which we have data in the 1568 and 1595 reporting, together with the ratios 1595/1568. We determine the mean ratio and apply it to the total Indian population of the region in 1568, a procedure which yields an estimated population for the entire region in 1595. A similar operation is performed with those towns of each region for which we have population figures in both the 1595 and 1646 reporting. The numerical values and ratios of 1646/1595 are in Table 1.1, part E for each region. In all cases, the populations in 1595 calculated from those in 1646 are smaller than the populations calculated from the 1568 data. This difference, or deficiency, in


16

the values calculated from 1646 confirms the result of direct, town-by-town comparison of 1568 and 1646.

We turn now to the analysis of the data region by region. Our explanation is deliberately arranged to be as uniform as possible for each region, in accordance with the uniform organization of the data.

Region I

The Central Plateau, a culturally homogeneous area that was the core of ancient Mexico at the time of the Spanish Conquest and still has substantial unity today. On the north, the boundary is the Chichimec frontier of 1550. On the east, it is the Atlantic escarpment at approximately the contour line of 1200 meters to the meeting point of the state boundaries of Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Puebla. On the south, the boundary runs along the Balsas River, including the south bank, as far as Michoacán. From there it runs north along the Mexico-Michoacán state line and then east along the Hidalgo-Querétaro state line to the Moctezuma River.

We find 206 places, not necessarily towns, which occur on both the 1568 and 1646 lists. In 1568 the population of these 206 places is 1,321,329; in 1646 it is 303,717. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.230. (See Table 1.1, Region I, part A.)

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION I, PART A

Towns Found on Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Acamixtla

Gro.

1,264

213

.169

Acatlán

Hid.

2,352

122

.052

Acatlán and Totoltepec

Pue.

2,612

892

.341

Acayuca

Hid.

2,288

92

.040

Actopan

Hid.

20,295

3,090

.152

Ahuatlán

Pue.

112

44

.393

Ajuchitlán

Gro.

3,780

578

.153

Alahuixtlán

Gro.

825

342

.414

Atempan

Pue.

1,129

508

.450

Amatepec and Sultepec and Almoloya

Mex.

3,440

889

.258

Amecameca

Mex.

4,976

1,182

.238

Apaxco

Mex.

3,814

286

.075


17
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Atenango

Gro.

1,823

877

.481

Atengo

Hid.

1,860

158

.085

Atitalaquia

Hid.

4,673

275

.059

Atlacomulco and Xocotitlán and Temascalingo

Mex.

13,959

3,325

.238

Atlapulco

Mex.

3,478

472

.136

Atlatlauca and Xochiac

Mex.

1,125

298

.265

Atotonilco

Hid.

4,735

241

.051

Atotonilco

Hid.

12,672

358

.028

Atzcapotzalco

D.F.

5,082

1,482

.291

Axacuba

Hid.

13,398

315

.024

Axapuxco and Zaguala

Mex.

3,699

241

.065

Ayotzingo

Mex.

1,278

22

.017

Calimaya

Mex.

5,379

1,391

.259

Calpan

Pue.

13,761

2,795

.203

Calpulalpan

Tlax.

3,666

177

.048

Capulhuac

Mex.

1,653

742

.448

Coatepec

Mex.

1,419

1,275

.899

Coatepec

Mex.

3,947

206

.052

Coatlán and Aquitlapan

Gro.

1,177

439

.373

Coatzingo

Pue.

139

46

.331

Coxcatlán

Pue.

1,472

554

.376

Coyoacán

D.F.

13,629

5,457

.400

Coyotepec

Mex.

1,591

141

.089

Cuatinchán

Pue.

5,874

3,009

.513

Cuautitlán and Xalascan

Mex.

9,587

3,531

.369

(Cuautla) Amilpas and Ahuehuepan and Tetelcingo

Mor.

4,184

914

.218

Cuernavaca

Mor.

39,336

6,967

.177

Culhuacán

Mex.

2,864

404

.141

Cutzamala

Gro.

2,805

503

.179

Chapa de Mota

Mex.

8,118

456

.056

Chapantongo

Hid.

5,808

145

.025

Chapulco

Pue.

565

308

.546

Chapulhuacán

Hid.

2,618

517

.198


18
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Chiautla

Pue.

9,488

1,413

.149

Chiconautla

Mex.

1,688

214

.127

Chicoloapan

Mex.

789

116

.147

Chichicastla

Hid.

3,366

150

.045

Chietla and Atzala

Pue.

2,567

1,080

.421

Chila

Pue.

1,564

278

.178

Chila

Pue.

1,690

498

.295

Chilcuautla

Hid.

3,409

107

.031

Chimalhuacán

Mex.

2,541

262

.103

Chimalhuacán

Mex.

5,854

2,081

.362

Chinantla

Pue.

2,690

272

.101

Cholula and sujetos

Pue.

35,772

9,768

.273

Ecatepec and Coacalco and Coacalco, No. 2

Mex.

7,333

573

.079

Eloxochitlán

Pue.

825

353

.428

Epatlán

Pue.

1,907

668

.350

Epazoyuca

Hid.

5,481

173

.032

Huauchinango

Pue.

11,312

2,775

.245

Huaquechula

Pue.

10,329

2,922

.283

Huatlauca

Pue.

1,766

986

.558

Huayacocotla and Zontecomatlán and Tlachichilco

Ver.

6,237

2,446

.392

Huazalingo

Hid.

2,254

646

.287

Huejotzingo

Pue.

26,285

5,651

.215

Huexotla

Mex.

8,250

515

.062

Hueyapan

Mor.

1,851

65

.035

Hueypoxtla

Mex.

8,036

619

.077

Huitzitzilapan

Mex.

1,594

286

.179

Huitzuco

Gro.

4,406

170

.039

Ilamatlán and Tehuitzila

Ver.

5,300

1,225

.231

Istapaluca

Mex.

1,805

388

.215

Ixcuinquitlapilco

Hid.

20,988

624

.030

Ixmiquilpan

Hid.

6,056

2,360

.390

Ixtacamaxtitlán and Tustepec

Pue.

3,214

2,585

.805


19
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Ixtapalapa

D.F.

1,972

257

.130

Ixtapan de la Sal

Mex.

1,693

289

.171

Ixtlahuaca

Mex.

4,079

1,549

.380

Ixtepec

Pue.

564

172

.305

Izucar and Cuylucan and Tlatectla

Pue.

5,247

1,957

.372

Jalacingo

Ver.

3,020

1,153

.382

Jalatlaco and Tianguistengo

Mex.

4,498

2,195

.448

Jicotepec

Pue.

4,950

999

.202

Jilotepec de Abasolo

Mex.

19,471

4,950

.254

Jilotzingo

Mex.

566

265

.468

Jipiquilco

Mex.

9,389

1,131

.120

Jonacatlán

Pue.

3,241

1,036

.320

Jonotla

Pue.

2,624

519

.198

Jumiltepec

Mor.

3,062

317

.104

Malinalco

Mex.

7,046

2,251

.320

Mexicalcingo

D.F.

621

257

.414

México, San Juan

D.F.

52,000

16,369

.315

Michimaloya

Mex.

4,402

75

.017

Mizquiahuala

Hid.

3,851

345

.090

Molango and Malila

Hid.

11,705

639

.055

Necoxtla

Pue.

320

243

.759

Nextlalpan

Mex.

2,541

61

.024

Nopaluca

Pue.

789

617

.782

Noxtepec

Gro.

2,694

177

.066

Oaxtepec

Mor.

17,870

333

.019

Ocuituco

Mor.

4,458

427

.096

Ostuma

Gro.

849

359

.423

Otumba

Mex.

16,368

449

.027

Papaloticpac

Pue.

1,247

173

.139

Piaxtla

Pue.

1,848

549

.297

Puebla, Barrios

Pue.

2,168

761

.351

Pungarabato

Gro.

2,960

150

.051

Quicholac

Pue.

14,603

3,260

.223

Quetzala and Tlacotepec and Xochic uautla

Mex.

3,838

1,524

.397


20
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

San Salvador

Pue.

3,383

122

.036

Soyanaquilpan

Mex.

1,752

44

.025

Suchitlán

Pue.

845

389

.460

Sultepec

Tlax.

2,343

83

.035

Tacuba

D.F.

13,266

2,670

.201

Talasco

Mex.

1,521

510

.355

Tasco, total partido

Gro.

7,306

1,454

.199

Tecali

Pue.

14,735

7,860

.534

Tecama

Mex.

1,782

37

.021

Tehuacán

Pue.

7,788

4,828

.620

Tejupilco

Mex.

1,782

850

.477

Teloloapan

Gro.

2,303

428

.186

Temascaltepec

Mex.

1,211

1,112

.918

Temoac

Mor.

2,260

221

.098

Tenancingo

Mex.

3,310

437

.132

Tenango and Ayapango and Guazacongo

Mex.

8,154

3,054

.375

Tenayuca

D.F.

2,671

476

.178

Teoloyucan

Mex.

2,967

876

.295

Teopantlán

Pue.

1,482

503

.339

Teotenango

Mex.

3,154

410

.130

Teotihuacán

Mex.

4,689

510

.109

Teotlalpa

Hid.

5,854

2,283

.380

Tepapayeca

Pue.

4,356

1,352

.310

Tepeaca

Pue.

21,879

8,220

.376

Tepeapulco

Hid.

17,408

359

.021

Tepeji de la Seda

Pue.

7,409

4,185

.552

Tepetitlán

Hid.

2,162

167

.077

Tepezoyuca

Mex.

1,013

236

.233

Tepotzotlán

Mex.

8,900

1,080

.121

Tequisistlán

Mex.

1,244

537

.432

Tetela de Ocampo

Pue.

1,396

575

.412

Tetela del Volcán

Mor.

4,726

495

.105

Tetepango

Hid.

1,386

112

.081

Tetipac

Gro.

1,320

248

.188

Texaluca

Pue.

141

48

.340


21
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Texcaltitlán and Ixtapa

Mex.

1,408

719

.511

Texcoco and Tezoyuca and Chiautla and Coatlinchán

Mex.

25,212

4,825

.191

Teyuca

Pue.

2,538

194

.077

Tezontepec

Hid.

1,607

214

.133

Tezontepec

Hid.

2,267

63

.028

Teziutlán

Pue.

3,442

1,182

.343

Tianguistengo

Hid.

1,690

437

.259

Tilapa

Pue.

1,225

291

.238

Tizayuca

Hid.

3,433

177

.052

Tlacotepec

Mex.

1,441

297

.206

Tlacotepec

Mor.

1,409

138

.098

Tlahuac (Cuevas)

D.F.

3,887

578

.149

Tlahuelilpa

Hid.

2,501

372

.149

Tlamaco

Hid.

2,244

85

.038

Tlamanalco and Chalco Atengo

Mex.

19,067

2,275

.120

Tlanalapan

Hid.

2,115

126

.060

Tlaquilpan and Guaquilpa

Hid.

2,402

134

.056

Tlaquiltenango

Mor.

13,959

1,530

.110

Tlatelolco

D.F.

14,982

4,255

.283

Tlatlauquitepec

Pue.

4,231

1,542

.364

Tlatzintla

Hid.

3,332

253

.076

Tlaxcala, province

Tlax.

165,000

54,400

.330

Tlayacac

Mor.

726

85

.117

Tlayacapan

Mor.

4,241

2,263

.534

Tochimilco

Pue.

4,521

1,161

.257

Tolcayuca

Hid.

2,970

109

.037

Toluca and Atengo

Mex.

16,550

6,398

.386

Tonatico

Mex.

763

282

.370

Tornacustla

Hid.

2,330

37

.016

Totimehuacán

Pue.

2,822

1,257

.445

Totolapan and Atlatlauca

Mor.

10,659

2,853

.268

Tula and estancias

Hid.

14,593

943

.065

Tultitlán

Mex.

4,686

1,710

.365


22
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Tututepec

Hid.

10,643

4,165

.392

Tuzantla

Gro.

1,340

299

.223

Xalostoc

Mor.

536

32

.060

Xipacoya (Jaso)

Hid.

6,155

379

.062

Xochimilco and Milpa Alta

D.F.

31,008

8,257

.266

Yahualica

Hid.

2,228

992

.445

Yautepec

Mor.

13,352

1,632

.122

Yecapistla

Mor.

14,240

624

.044

Yetecomac

Hid.

1,047

117

.112

Zacango

Gro.

190

168

.885

Zacatlán

Pue.

8,465

2,980

.352

Zacualpan and Malinaltenango

Mex.

1,974

343

.174

Zacualpan

Mor.

706

226

.320

Zapotitlán

Pue.

6,056

1,530

.253

Zapotlán

Hid.

1,106

20

.018

Zempoala

Hid.

3,571

109

.305

Zicapuzalco

Gro.

564

124

.220

Zinacántepec

Mex.

6,056

2,775

.459

Zinguilucan

Hid.

2,402

105

.044

Zitlaltepec

Mex.

1,934

143

.074

Zoquitlán

Pue.

798

529

.664

Zoyatitlanapa

Pue.

548

343

.626

Zumpahuacán and Joquitzingo

Mex.

3,392

1,296

.382

Zumpango

Gro.

1,475

862

.584

Zumpango

Mex.

6,369

1,006

.158

Las Tlalnaguas
Jantetelco, Amayuca, Jonacatepec, Tetela, Amacuitlapilco, Axochapan, Chalcacingo, Atotonilco, Atlicahualoya, Amayuca, Jonacatepec, Jantetelco, Tepancingo, Tetela, Tlalistac

Mor.

13,706

1,843

.134

Total

1,321,329

303,717

0.230

Number of cases

206


23

Part B of the table for Region I shows 21 places found on the 1646 list which had to be omitted from part A because the name did not appear on the 1568 list, because the place was part of another town for which no population was given, or for various other reasons. The total population of these 21 places is 9,662, making the total for the 1646 list 313,379. Of this, the population deleted (9,662) is only 3.1%, an insignificant amount. We conclude, therefore, that the 1646 reporting for Region I, within plus or minus 3%, can be found in the 1568 list, and that the population ratio of 0.230 for these places is valid.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION I, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons. Starred populations are omitted from the total .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Acapetlahuacán

Pue.

2,637

 

Ajoloapan

Mex.

63

 

Atzala

Pue.

1,032

 

Capulalcolulco

Gro.

60

 

Cocula

Gro.

198

 

Huasco

Hid.

97

 

Jalatlaco

Mex.

517*

Duplication

Miltepec

Mex.

87

 

Mizantla

Ver.

459*

To Region IIA

Querétaro

Que.

2,620

Settled after 1568

Suchitepec

Mex.

94

 

Suchitonalá

Gro.

199*

To Region VI

Tecajique

Hid.

49

 

Tizahuapan

Hid.

29

 

Tizayuca

Hid.

63*

Duplication

Tulistlahuaca

Mex.

99

 

Tuzantlalpa

Hid.

48

 

Utlaspa

Mex.

445

 

Xochitlán

Hid.

287

 

Yautepec

Mor.

109

Extravagantes

Zacapoastla

Pue.

1,807

 

Total

9,662

 

Number of cases

21


24

Table 1.1, Region I, part C gives the names of 125 places which occur in the 1568 list but are not found in the 1646 reporting. Some of these are of considerable size and cannot possibly have been depopulated or lost in congregation between the two dates; for example, Metztitlán and Tulancingo in Hidalgo; Acolmán, Amecameca, and Oxtotipac in the state of Mexico; Tacubaya and Churubusco in the Distrito Federal; and Tecamachalco in Puebla. The only explanation is that the 1646 reporting is incomplete and that a relatively large number of towns has been omitted. The total population in 1568 of the 125 places which are missing from the 1646 reporting is 396,306. The aggregate for 1568 would be 1,321,329 plus 396,306, or 1,717,635, of which the towns missing in the 1646 report would account for about 23%.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION I, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Acalhuacán

Mex.

448

Acapuzalco

Gro.

158

Acatzingo

Pue.

8,950

Acaxuchitlán

Mex.

1,974

Acaxuchitlán

Hid.

2,540

Acolman

Mex.

10,085

Alfajajuca

Hid.

6,765

Aljojuca

Pue.

462

Alpatlahuac

Pue.

3,020

Amecameca

Mex.

4,976

Anecuchtla

Pue.

310

Axiotepec

Hid.

3,948

Aztotoacán

Pue.

2,538

Calmeca

Pue.

358

Calmecatitlán

Pue.

391

Coatepec

Pue.

168

Coatepec

Mex.

3,947

Coatitlán

Mex.

654

Colucan

Pue.

528


25
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Coyotepec

Pue.

627

Coyuca

Gro.

1,475

Cuahualulco

Pue.

1,610

Cuahuequasco

Mor.

863

Cuapanoya

Mex.

423

Cuetzala

Gro.

5,151

Cuimixtlán

Pue.

85

Cuitlapilco

Mex.

300

Chalchicomula

Pue.

1,782

Chalma

Pue.

677

Chilpopocatlán

Hid.

1,302

Churubusco

D.F.

1,320

Guatepeque

Mex.

239

Huaculco

Mor.

406

Huehuetlán

Pue.

2,254

Huehuetoca

Mex.

5,755

Hueoquilpan

Hid.

523

Hueytlalpan

Pue.

5,660

Huichapan

Hid.

14,520

Huixtac

Gro.

1,455

Iguala

Gro.

2,795

Ixcalpa

Pue.

226

Ixitlán

Pue.

1,056

Ixquilpan

Hid.

3,670

Ixtapa

Gro.

650

Ixtayucan

Pue.

6,770

Jalostoc

Mor.

627

Jojupango

Pue.

2,475

Jolalpan

Pue.

262

Malacatepec

Mex.

2,079

Matalcingo

Mex.

1,742

Matlaquetonatico

Pue.

638

Mecatlán

Pue.

2,538

Metepec

Mex.

6,640

Metztitlán

Hid.

24,638

Mexicalcingo

Pue.

4,349


26
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Mimiapan

Mex.

243

Mixquic

Mex.

2,363

Mixtepec

Pue.

2,934

Mauquilpan

Hid.

990

Ocotelulco

Pue.

449

Ocoyoacac

Mex.

1,016

Ocuilan

Mex.

5,214

Oxtotipac

Mex.

10,907

Oztutla

Pue.

423

Pachuca

Hid.

6,079

Pahuatlán

Pue.

6,346

Patlalcingo

Pue.

422

Quapanoaya

Mex.

423

Sayula

Hid.

993

Setusco

Ver.

44

Suchitlán

Pue.

845

Tacubaya

D.F.

1,521

Tamacasapa

Gro.

1,113

Tatetla

Pue.

924

Teacalco

Mex.

564

Tecamachalco

Pue.

17,688

Tecoloapan

Mex.

8,234

Telitlazingo

Pue.

1,168

Tenango

Hid.

3,070

Tenochtitlán

Pue.

258

Teotlalcó

Pue.

4,359

Teotlalzingo

Pue.

1,128

Tepanco

Pue.

6,392

Tepatetpec

Hid.

564

Tepecuacuilco

Gro.

6,468

Tepeitic

Hid.

700

Tepetlaostoc

Mex.

9,867

Tepexi del Río

Hid.

11,267

Tepexpan

Mex.

1,548

Tepoztlán

Mor.

7,498

Tequepilpa

Pue.

1,165


27
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Tequixquiac

Mex.

6,616

Tetela del Río

Gro.

1,818

Teuzan

Pue.

365

Texaquique

Mex.

1,308

Texcatepec

Hid.

8,663

Texmelucan

Pue.

2,258

Texcatepec

Hid.

393

Tilcuautla

Hid.

2,046

Tlacachique

Hid.

359

Tlacotepec

Pue.

8,062

Tlacotlapilco

Hid.

2,254

Tlacuilotepec

Pue.

2,696

Tlachichilpa

Mex.

4,165

Tlalnepantla

Mex.

9,587

Tlanacopan

Hid.

1,690

Tlapanala

Pue.

1,591

Tlapanaloya

Mex.

610

Tlaxcoapan

Pue.

5,075

Tlaxmalac

Gro.

3,346

Tonalá

Pue.

6,336

Tuchitlán

Pue.

423

Tulancingo

Hid.

15,510

Tultepec

Gro.

657

Uzizila

Pue.

541

Verde

Pue.

1,128

Xalpantepec

Pue.

864

Xaltocan

Mex.

1,518

Xicotepec

Pue.

2,822

Xiutetelco

Pue.

5,078

Xochicoatlán

Hid.

4,607

Xoquicingo

Mex.

612

Zacotlán

Pue.

2,822

Ziotepec

Mex.

392

Zultepec

Mex.

5,075

Total

396,306

Number of cases

125


28

We may calculate the probable true population of Region I in 1620–1625 (our estimated average date) simply by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 1,717,635 × 0.230 = 395,056. The latter figure should be taken as the population of Region I in 1620–1625.

The data in the 1595 list may serve to verify our calculations for the other two dates and, in turn, may be verified by them. Table 1.1, part D shows the population of 119 places in 1568 and 1595. The total of the former is 668,867 and of the latter 332,256. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.497. By proportion, the entire population of Region I in 1595 would be 1,709,793 × 0.497 = 849,767. Table 1.1, Region I, part E shows similar data for 1595 and 1646, with 81 places. Here the totals are respectively 231,140 and 93,572, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.405. The entire population of Region I in 1595, calculated from the total in the 1646 reporting (313,379 as above), would be 773,775. The two results differ by 10% but, allowing for omissions in the 1646 list, are remarkably close.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION I, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Acamixtlahuaca

Gro.

1,264

766

.607

Acaxuchitlán

Mex.

1,974

1,007

.511

Acaxuchitlán

Hid.

2,540

1,493

.588

Acolman

Mex.

10,085

3,345

.332

Actopan

Hid.

20,295

10,770

.531

Acuitlapan

Gro.

613

847

1.317

Apaxco

Mex.

3,814

934

.245

Atlapulaco

Mex.

3,478

1,242

.357

Atotonilco

Hid.

12,672

5,445

.430

Atotonilco and Zacamul

Hid.

4,735

968

.205

Axacuba

Hid.

13,398

2,110

.157

Calimaya

Mex.

5,379

2,724

.507

Capulhuac

Mex.

1,653

2,406

1.455

Coyoacán

D.F.

13,639

9,420

.705


29
 

Name

Loc.

Population
n 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Cuatinchán

Pue.

5,874

4,115

.701

Cuernavaca

Mor.

39,336

21,780

.553

Cuevas

Mex.

3,887

2,574

.662

Culhuacán

Mex.

2,864

1,750

.611

Cutzamala

Gro.

2,805

1,131

.403

Chapa de Mota

Mex.

8,118

2,751

.339

Chapulco

Pue.

565

983

1.685

Chapulhuacán

Hid.

2,618

1,375

.525

Chichicaxtla

Hid.

3,366

2,080

.618

Chila

Pue.

1,690

815

.482

Chimalhuacán

Mex.

2,541

1,188

.467

Churubusco

D.F.

1,320

697

.528

Ecatepec

Mex.

7,333

1,270

.173

Eloxochitlán

Pue.

825

728

.882

Epazoyuca

Hid.

5,481

1,945

.355

Huaculco

Mor.

406

260

.640

Huauchinango

Pue.

11,312

7,450

.658

Huaquechula

Pue.

10,329

5,625

.545

Huazalingo

Hid.

2,254

1,252

.555

Huehuetlán

Pue.

2,254

1,368

.602

Hueypoxtla

Mex.

8,036

2,225

.277

Huizuco

Gro.

4,406

1,563

.355

Ilamatlán

Ver.

5,300

5,820

1.098

Ixitlán

Pue.

1,056

262

.248

Ixtacamaxtitlán

Pue.

3,214

2,665

.829

Ixtapaluca

Mex.

1,805

708

.392

Jantetelco

Mor.

2,680

833

.311

Jicotepec

Pue.

4,950

3,470

.701

Jojupango

Pue.

2,475

2,050

.828

Jonacatepec

Mor.

55,640

1,425

.252

Jonacatlán

Pue.

3,241

1,185

.366

Jumiltepec

Mor.

3,062

812

.265

Malinalco

Mex.

7,046

6,660

.945

Metepec

Mex.

6,640

3,765

.567

Metztitlán

Hid.

24,638

20,450

.830


30
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Mexicalcingo

Pue.

4,349

2,717

.624

Michimaloya

Mex.

4,402

702

.159

Mimiapan

Mex.

243

383

1.575

Mixquic

Mex.

2,363

1,744

.738

Mixtepec

Pue.

2,934

1,073

.365

Mizquiahuala

Hid.

3,851

2,468

.641

Nextlalpan

Mex.

2,541

705

.277

Oaxtepec

Mor.

17,870

5,700

.319

Ocuilan

Mex.

5,214

1,668

.320

Oxtotipac

Mex.

10,907

2,975

.273

Pahuatlán

Pue.

6,346

2,288

.360

Papaloticpac

Pue.

1,247

1,433

1.149

Petlalcingo

Pue.

422

319

.756

Piaxtla

Pue.

1,848

1,664

.902

Quecholac

Pue.

14,603

4,950

.339

Sultepec

Tlax.

2,343

1,170

.495

Tacuba

D.F.

13,266

5,460

.411

Tacubaya

D.F.

2,016

1,805

.896

Tecalco

Pue.

14,735

11,400

.775

Tecamachalco

Pue.

17,688

14,400

.815

Temoac

Mor.

2,260

1,207

.535

Tenancingo

Mex.

3,310

866

.262

Teotenango

Mex.

3,154

2,220

.704

Teotihuacán

Mex.

4,689

2,896

.617

Tepapayeca

Pue.

4,356

2,763

.635

Tepecuacuilco

Gro.

6,468

2,650

.410

Tepeojuma

Pue.

2,538

1,311

.517

Tepetitlán

Hid.

2,162

919

.425

Tepetlaoxtoc

Mex.

9,867

4,525

.458

Tepexi del Río

Hid.

11,237

3,740

.333

Tepexpan

Mex.

1,548

1,353

.875

Tepoztlán

Mor.

7,498

4,890

.653

Tequisistlán

Mex.

1,244

1,555

1.250

Tetipac

Gro.

1,320

804

.610

Texcatepec

Hid.

8,663

808

.093

Tezontepec

Hid.

1,607

550

.342


31
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Tianguistengo

Hid.

1,690

1,486

.880

Tlacotepec

Mor.

1,409

302

.214

Tlacotepec

Mex.

1,441

1,148

.797

Tlacuilotepec

Pue.

2,696

1,846

.685

Tlachichilpa

Mex.

4,165

2,703

.649

Tlalnepantla

Mex.

9,587

3,275

.342

Tlatelolco

D.F.

14,982

513

.034

Tlanalapa

Mex.

2,115

592

.280

Tlapanaloya

Mex.

610

770

1.262

Tlaquilpan

Hid.

2,402

1,359

.565

Tlaxmalac

Gro.

3,346

1,420

.424

Tlayac

Mor.

726

364

.502

Tolcayuca

Hid.

2,970

558

.188

Toluca

Mex.

16,550

6,220

.376

Tornacustla

Hid.

2,330

414

.178

Totimehuacán

Pue.

2,822

1,455

.515

Tulancingo

Hid.

15,510

6,535

.421

Tultitlán

Mex.

4,686

3,456

.738

Tututepec

Hid.

10,643

6,110

.574

Xalatlaco

Mex.

4,498

2,740

.609

Xalostoc

Mor.

536

344

.642

Xilozingo

Mex.

566

420

.742

Xilotzingo

Mex.

1,550

1,013

.654

Xiquipilco

Mex.

9,389

3,640

.388

Yautepec

Mor.

13,352

6,585

.493

Yecapixtla

Mor.

14,240

4,560

.320

Zacatlán

Pue.

8,465

5,945

.703

Zacualpan

Mex.

1,974

900

.456

Zacualpan

Mor.

706

305

.432

Zapotitlán

Pue.

6,056

4,945

.817

Zicapuzalco

Gro.

564

649

1.151

Zinacantepec

Mex.

6,056

3,360

.555

Zoquitlán

Pue.

798

880

1.103

Zumpahuacán

Mex.

3,392

1,856

.547

Total

668,867

332,256

0.497

Number of cases

119


32
 

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Acatlán

Hid.

707

122

.173

Actopan

Hid.

10,770

3,090

.287

Apaxco

Mex.

934

286

.306

Atengo

Hid.

766

158

.205

Atlapulco

Mex.

1,242

472

.380

Atotonilco

Hid.

968

241

.249

Atotonilco

Hid.

5,445

358

.066

Axacuba

Hid.

2,110

315

.149

Calimaya

Mex.

2,724

1,391

.511

Capulhuac

Mex.

2,406

742

.308

Coyoacán

D.F.

9,420

5,457

.579

Cuatinchán

Pue.

4,115

3,009

.732

Cuernavaca

Mor.

21,780

6,967

.320

Culhuacán

Mex.

1,750

404

.231

Cutzamala

Gro.

1,131

503

.444

Chapa de Mota

Mex.

2,751

456

.166

Chapulco

Pue.

983

308

.314

Chapulhuacán

Hid.

1,375

517

.376

Chichicastla

Hid.

2,080

150

.072

Chila

Pue.

815

498

.612

Chimalhuacán

Mex.

1,188

262

.221

Ecatepec

Mex.

1,270

573

.451

Eloxochitlán

Pue.

728

353

.485

Epazoyuca

Hid.

1,945

173

.089

Huaquechula

Pue.

5,625

2,922

.520

Huauchinango

Pue.

7,450

2,775

.373

Huazalingo

Hid.

1,252

646

.518

Hueypoxtla

Mex.

2,225

619

.278

Huitzuco

Gro.

1,563

170

.109

Ilamatlán

Ver.

5,820

1,225

.210

Ixtacamaxtitlán

Pue.

2,665

2,585

.971

Ixtapaluca

Mex.

708

388

.548

Jalatlaco

Mex.

2,740

2,195

.801

Jicotepec

Pue.

3,470

999

.288

Jilocingo

Mex.

420

265

.631


33
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Jilotzingo

Mex.

1,013

506

.500

Jiquipilco

Mex.

3,640

1,131

.307

Jonacatlán

Pue.

1,185

1,036

.875

Malinalco

Mex.

6,660

2,251

.338

Michimaloya

Mex.

702

75

.117

Mizquiahuala

Hid.

2,468

345

.140

Nextlalpan

Mex.

705

61

.086

Oaxtepec

Mor.

5,700

333

.058

Papaloticpac

Pue.

1,433

173

.121

Piaxtla

Pue.

1,664

549

.330

Quecholac

Pue.

4,950

3,260

.659

Tacuba

D.F.

5,460

2,670

.489

Tecali

Pue.

11,400

7,860

.689

Temoac

Mor.

1,207

221

.183

Tenancingo

Mex.

866

437

.505

Teotenango

Mex.

2,220

410

.185

Teotihuacán

Mex.

2,896

510

.176

Tepapayeca

Pue.

2,763

1,352

.489

Tepetitlán

Hid.

919

167

.182

Tequisistlán

Mex.

1,555

537

.345

Tetipac

Gro.

804

248

.309

Teyuca

Pue.

1,311

194

.148

Tezontepec

Hid.

550

214

.389

Tianguistengo

Hid.

1,486

437

.294

Tlacotepec

Mex.

1,148

297

.259

Tlacotepec

Mor.

302

138

.457

Tlahuac (Cuevas)

D.F.

2,574

578

.225

Tlanalapan

Hid.

592

126

.213

Tlaquilpan

Hid.

1,359

134

.099

Tlayacac

Mor.

364

85

.234

Tolcayuca

Hid.

588

109

.185

Toluca

Mex.

6,220

6,398

1.025

Tornacustla

Hid.

414

37

.089

Totimehuacán

Pue.

1,455

1,257

.864

Tultitlán

Mex.

3,456

1,710

.495

Tututepec

Hid.

6,110

4,165

.682


34
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Xalostoc

Mor.

344

32

.093

Yautepec

Mor.

6,585

1,632

.248

Yecapistla

Mor.

4,560

624

.137

Zacatlán

Pue.

5,945

2,980

.502

Zacualpan

Mor.

305

226

.742

Zacualpan and Malinalco

Mex.

900

343

.381

Zapotitlán

Pue.

4,925

1,530

.310

Zinacantepec

Mex.

3,360

2,775

.826

Zoquitlán

Pue.

880

529

.601

Zumpahuacán and Zoqui

Mex.

1,856

1,296

.699

Total

231,140

93,572

0.405

Number of cases

81

Region II

Valles–Pánuco. This is the coastal plain and foothills of the Huaxteca from southern Tamaulipas to northern Veracruz as far south as latitude 20°N. There are 28 places which occur in both the 1568 list and the 1646 list. In 1568 the population of these 28 places is 35,316; in 1646 it is 8,559. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.242. The data are given in detail in Table 1.1, Region II, part A. Part B shows 9 places found in the 1646 report which had to be omitted from part A. The total population of these 9 places is 353, making the total for the 1646 list 8,912. Part C shows 122 places which occur in the 1568 list but which are not found in that for 1646. The total 1568 population of these 122 places is 37,818. The aggregate for 1568 would be 35,316 plus 37,818, or 73,134, of which the towns missing in the 1646 list would account for 52.2%.

We may calculate the probable true population of Region II by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 73,134 × 0.242 = 17,698. The difference between this value and that of the 1646 list (8,912) is very great and may invalidate the assumption. It may be necessary to assume additionally that many of the places on the 1568 list disappeared before 1646.


35

Table 1.1, Region II, part D shows the population of 22 places in 1568 and 1595. The total of the former is 26,991 and of the latter 23,752. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.880. By proportion, the entire population of Region II in 1595 would be 73,134 × 0.880 = 64,358. Part E shows similar data for 1595 and 1646, with only 5 places. Here the totals are respectively 14,087 and 5,039, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.358. The entire population of Region II in 1595, calculated from the total in the 1646 data (8,912 ÷ 0.358), would be 24,894. The two results are discrepant, a fact probably referable to the disappearance of many small towns in the region.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION II, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Alcececa

Ver.

554

83

.150

Atlán

Ver.

350

94

.268

Chaltitlán, Picula, Chalchicuautla

Ver.

2,015

428

.212

Chicontepec

Ver.

1,693

1,336

.790

Chichilintla

Ver.

3,416

950

.278

Huejutla

Hid.

2,881

330

.115

Mecatlán

Ver.

608

105

.173

Metatepec and Tantoyuca

Ver.

3,290

223

.068

Metateyuca

Ver.

125

23

.184

Nexpa, Huehuetlán, Tauzán

Ver.

1,181

209

.177

Ozuluama and Moyutla

Ver.

282

197

.699

Tamahol

S.L.P.

47

0

.000

Tamohí

S.L.P.

644

221

.343

Tamalol and Suacacasco

S.L.P.

336

146

.434

Tamoxol

S.L.P.

36

107

2.972

Tamiutla and Las Laxas

Ver.

91

114

1.253

Tampamolón

S.L.P.

822

289

.351

Tanbaca

Ver.

161

119

.739

Tancuayalab

S.L.P.

403

71

.177

Tanchinamol

Ver.

99

121

1.222

Tancuiche

Ver.

825

138

.167

Tancuiname

Ver.

58

71

1.223


36
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Tenampulco

Pue.

495

248

.501

Tezapotitlán

Ver.

213

44

.207

Tlacolula (de Busto)

S.L.P.

55

68

1.236

Tlaculula and Magueyes

Ver.

601

171

.285

Tlanchinol and Acuimantla

Hid.

12,474

2,308

.185

Tonatico, Zozocolco

Ver.

1,561

345

.221

Total

35,316

8,559

0.242

Number of cases

28

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION II, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons. Starred populations are omitted from the total .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Acultzingo

Ver.

158*

In Region IIA

Nexpa

Hid.

143*

Duplicate

Tanbeate

S.L.P.

61

Not on the 1568 list

Tancajual

S.L.P.

0

Not on the 1568 list

Tancalicoche

?

95

Not on the 1568 list

Tanleón

S.L.P.

0

No assessment

Tantima

?

112

No assessment

Tesontlal

?

5

Not on the 1568 list

Zayula

Ver.

80

With Tamoz in 1568

Total

353

Number of cases

9


37
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION II, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Acatlán

S.L.P.

185

Ahuatipan

Hid.

3,070

Amatlán

S.L.P.

48

Ameluca

Pue.

56

Apaztlán

Ver.

55

Axtla

S.L.P.

825

Calixlantongo

Pue.

113

Calpan

Ver.

141

Cihuala

Ver.

44

Coxcatlán

S.L.P.

2,584

Coyutla

Ver.

254

Culuama

Ver.

282

Chacual

Ver.

42

Chachapala

Ver.

64

Chiconamel

Ver.

56

Guzahapa

Ver.

143

Huatzpaltepec

Ver.

9

Huautla

Ver.

282

Huezco

Ver.

109

Huitzila

Pue.

226

Ixcatepec

Ver.

39

Jalpan

Quer.

776

Jicayán

Ver.

45

Macatlán

S.L.P.

630

Macolutla

Ver.

128

Macuilxóchitl

Hid.

1,875

Mezuntlán

Ver.

18

Nanahuatla

Ver.

174

Nanahuatlán

Ver.

170

Ojitipa

S.L.P.

2,396

Pantepec

Ver.

185

Pánuco

Ver.

990

Papantla

Ver.

423

Piaxtla

Ver.

57


38
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION II, PART C

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Puxutlán

Ver.

248

Tabuco

Ver.

42

Taculilla

Ver.

49

Tamacolite

S.L.P.

88

Tamacuiche

S.L.P.

99

Tamacuil

Ver.

186

Tamahol

S.L.P.

47

Tamaholipa

Tamps.

2,310

Tamahu

S.L.P.

33

Tamalaguaco

S.L.P.

141

Tamalocuco

Ver.

183

Tamalol

Ver.

282

Tamatao

Ver.

170

Tamateque

Ver.

110

Tamazunchale

S.L.P.

1,399

Tamazunchale

Ver.

99

Tameci

S.L.P.

114

Tamiahua

Ver.

990

Tamole

Ver.

62

Tamontao

Ver.

54

Tamos

Ver.

66

Tampaca

Ver.

27

Tampacal

Ver.

56

Tampacán

Ver.

25

Tampacayal

Ver.

1,690

Tampayal

S.L.P.

62

Tampico

Ver.

340

Tamposque

S.L.P.

282

Tampuche

Ver.

182

Tampucho

Tamps.

86

Tampulen

Ver.

36

Tamu

Ver.

42

Tancamalmonco

S.L.P.

144

Tancanhuitz

S.L.P.

705

Tancaxan

S.L.P.

92

Tancaxual

S.L.P.

79


39
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Tancazneque

Tamps.

36

Tancelete

Ver.

58

Tancetuco

Ver.

492

Tancolón

S.L.P.

72

Tancolul

Ver.

44

Tancoxual

Tamps.

213

Tancoyol

Quer.

165

Tancuy

S.L.P.

88

Tanchaba

S.L.P.

85

Tanchicuy

Ver.

29

Tanchicuy

Ver.

49

Tanchilabe

Tamps.

29

Tanchipa

Tamps.

330

Tanchipa

S.L.P.

152

Tanchoy

Tamps.

88

Tanhuizin

Ver.

163

Tanistla

Ver.

337

Tanlocuque

S.L.P.

93

Tanlocoten

Ver.

299

Tanquián

S.L.P.

825

Tanta

Ver.

85

Tantamol

Ver.

142

Tantamol

Ver.

226

Tantay

Tamps.

36

Tantoin

S.L.P.

72

Tantoyetla

Ver.

22

Tantoyeque

Ver.

85

Tantoyuca

Tamps.

165

Tantuana

S.L.P.

141

Tanxohol

S.L.P.

68

Tanzacana

Tamps.

72

Tanzaquila

Ver.

416

Tanzomonoco

Tamps.

83

Tanzulupe

Ver.

274

Tanzumonoco

S.L.P.

133

Taxicui

S.L.P.

85


40
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Temapache

S.L.P.

845

Tempoal

Ver.

756

Tenacusco

Ver.

1,026

Texupexpa

Ver.

40

Tlacocoatla

Ver.

178

Tlapahuantla

Ver.

86

Tlapotongo

Pue.

30

Tomomolo

Ver.

6

Topila

Ver.

33

Topla

Ver.

183

Totonchal

Ver.

6

Tuxpan

Ver.

423

Tuzapan

Ver.

423

Valles

S.L.P.

132

Xilitla

S.L.P.

1,700

Xocutla

Ver.

85

Total

37,818

Number of cases

122

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION II, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Calpan

Ver.

141

133

.944

Coxcatlán

S.L.P.

2,584

1,027

.397

Coyutla

Ver.

254

226

.890

Chiconamel

Ver.

56

141

2.528

Chicontepec

Ver.

1,693

1,953

1.147

Chichilintla

Ver.

3,416

2,610

.765

Huautla

Ver.

282

657

2.328

Huehuetlán

S.L.P.

564

963

1.710

Moyutla

Ver.

282

293

1.038

Tamalaguaco

S.L.P.

141

175

1.240


41
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Tamalol

Ver.

282

457

1.621

Tamazunchale

S.L.P.

1,399

1,438

1.028

Tamazunchale

Ver.

99

169

1.707

Tamiahua

Ver.

990

834

.843

Tampucho

Tamps.

86

17

.198

Tancaxán

S.L.P.

92

90

.978

Tancetuco

Ver.

492

71

.144

Tanchipa

Tamps.

330

377

1.143

Tanzaquila

Ver.

416

437

1.063

Tenampulco

Pue.

495

206

.416

Tlanchinol

Hid.

12,474

8,995

.722

Tuzapan

Ver.

423

2,483

5.870

Total

26,991

23,752

0.880

Number of cases

22

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION II, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Chichilintla

Ver.

2,610

950

.364

Chicontepec

Ver.

1,983

1,336

.685

Ozuluama

Ver.

293

197

.673

Tenampulco

Pue.

206

248

1.204

Tlanchinol and Acuimantla

Hid.

8,995

2,308

.257

Total

14,087

5,039

0.358

Number of cases

5


42

Region II-A

Central Veracruz. This is a small homogeneous area embracing the clusters of towns around present-day Jalapa and Orizaba. Although in part the region is coastal plain, most of the towns are at fairly high elevations. The region, in general, resembles the interior plateau more than Pánuco to the north or the region of the Alvarado River to the south. There are 25 places which occur on both the 1568 and 1646 lists. In 1568 the population of these 25 places is 22,394; in 1646 it is 10,065. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.449. (See part A of Table 1.1, Region II-A.) Part B shows 8 places found on the 1646 list which had to be omitted from part A. The population of these 8 places is 1,684, making the total for the 1646 list 11,749. Part C shows 20 places which are found in the 1568 list but are not in the 1646 report. The total 1568 population of these 20 places is 10,306. The aggregate for 1568 would be 22,394 plus 10,306, or 32,700, of which the towns missing in the 1646 list would account for 31.5%.

We may calculate the probable true population of Region II-A in 1620–1625 by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 32,700 × 0.449 = 14,682. The difference between this value and that of the actual list (11,749) is not large and supports the assumption.

We verify by use of data in the 1595 list. Part D of Table 1.1 for the region shows the population of 6 places in 1568 and in 1595. The total of the former is 2,950 and of the latter 1,762. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.597. By proportion, the entire population of Region II-A in 1595 would be 32,700 × 0.597 = 19,522. Part E of Table 1.1, Region II-A, gives similar data for 1595 and 1646, with only 3 places. Here the totals are respectively 492 and 530, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 1.077. The entire population of Region II-A, calculated from the total in the 1646 report (11,749 ÷ 1.077), would be 10,909. The two results are discrepant, but the numbers of cases are too small for adequate calculation.


43
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IIA, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Actopan

Ver.

237

206

.869

Acultzingo

Ver.

990

158

.178

Almolonga

Ver.

69

26

.377

Coacoazintla

Ver.

422

173

.410

Coatepec

Ver.

781

292

.267

Chapultepec and Tonayan

Ver.

462

428

.926

Chichiquila and Quimixtlan

Pue.

3,478

1,114

.320

Chicocentepec

Ver.

148

53

.358

Chiconquiaco and Miahuatlán

Ver.

495

374

.756

Chiltoyac

Ver.

282

141

.500

Chocamán

Ver.

571

316

.554

Huatusco

Ver.

1,029

968

.942

Ixhuatlán

Ver.

493

282

.572

Jalapa

Ver.

3,651

631

.173

Jilotepec

Ver.

1,403

447

.319

Maltrata

Ver.

1,047

903

.862

Maxtlatlán

Ver.

115

41

.357

Mizantla

Ver.

2,082

459

.221

Naolingo, Colipa and Jalcomulco

Ver.

604

793

1.313

Tepetlán

Ver.

291

107

.368

Tepetlaxco

Ver.

141

148

1.050

Tequila

Ver.

1,059

1,098

1.037

Zempoala

Ver.

34

27

.794

Zintla

Ver.

141

77

.546

Zongolica

Ver.

2,369

976

.412

Total

22,394

10,065

0.449

Number of cases

25


44
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IIA, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons. Starred populations are omitted from the total .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Huatusco and sujetos

Ver.

104*

Duplicates Huatusco

Ixhuacán

Ver.

927

Not on the 1568 list

Papalote

Ver.

61

Congregated

Tlacotepec

Ver.

77

Not on 1568 list

Tlateca

Ver.

226

With Ozumatzintla in 1568

Tlaltetela

Ver.

213*

In Region III

Tomatlán

Ver.

136

Not on 1568 list

Xicochimalco

Ver.

257

Not on 1568 list

Total

1,684

Number of cases

8

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IIA, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Acatlán

Ver.

272

Almería

Ver.

130

Anilicapa

Ver.

338

Atlán

Ver.

846

Catusco

Ver.

78

Coatlatepec

Ver.

101

Cuzamasernaca

Ver.

845

Chico

Ver.

1,115

Icapacingo

Ver.

29

Ixtepec

Ver.

870

Orizaba

Ver.

554

Ozpicha

Ver.

967

Ozumacintla

Ver.

139

Quetzalcoatl

Ver.

194


45
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Tecoautla

Ver.

334

Texhuacán

Ver.

846

Tlacolula

Ver.

1,921

Tustenec

Ver.

97

Utila

Ver.

280

Yahuatlán

Ver.

350

Total

10,306

Number of cases

20

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IIA, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Acatlán

Ver.

272

250

.919

Acultzingo

Ver.

990

282

.285

Coacoatzintla

Ver.

442

189

.448

Chocomán

Ver.

571

262

.459

Orizaba

Ver.

554

677

1.222

Tepetlaxco

Ver.

141

102

.724

Total

2,950

1,762

0.597

Number of cases

6

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IIA, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Coacoatzintla

Ver.

189

173

.916

Chocomán

Ver.

262

316

1.205

Maxtlatlán

Ver.

41

41

1.000

Total

492

530

1.077

Number of Cases

3


46

Region III

Alvarado–Coatzcoalcos. This region embraces southern Veracruz and the coast of Tabasco and Campeche to the Laguna de Términos. The part of Campeche included in the region was populous in aboriginal times, but by the seventeenth century was deserted. The region includes the lowland basins of the Alvarado-Papaloapan drainage, the northwest portion of the Usumacinta drainage, and the small part of northeastern Oaxaca which is in the basins of the Papaloapan and Coatzacoalcos systems.

There are 33 places which occur on both the 1568 and 1646 lists. In 1568 the population of these 33 places is 20,751; in 1646 it is 5,183. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.250. (See Table 1.1, Region III, part A.) Part B shows 11 places found on the 1646 list which had to be omitted from part A. The total population of these places is 1,463, making the total for the 1646 list 6,646. In part C there are 41 places which occur in the 1568 list but are not found in the 1646 report. The total 1568 population of these 41 places is 26,928. The aggregate for 1568 would be 20,751 plus 26,928, or 47,679, of which the towns omitted in the 1646 report would account for 56.5%.

We calculate the probable true population of Region III in 1620–1625 by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 47,679 × 0.250 = 11,920. The difference between this value and that of the 1646 list is considerable. The condition resembles that obtaining in Region II and indicates the disappearance of numerous towns between 1568 and 1646.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION III, PART A

Towns Found on Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Acalapa

Ver.

86

29

.337

Agualulco, Mecatepec and Otiliacac

Tab.

1,214

343

.282

Atoco, Otepa and Tenantitlán

Tab.

942

124

.132

Ayautla

Oax.

224

163

.728

Cachultenango

Ver.

56

34

.607


47
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Cosamaloapan

Ver.

330

143

.433

Cotaxtla

Ver.

66

82

1.242

Chicoacan

Tab.

209

153

.733

Chilapa

Ver.

649

53

.082

Chinameca

Ver.

621

15

.024

Guazuilapa

Ver.

377

39

.104

Huatzpaltepec

Oax.

710

165

.232

Hueytlán

Ver.

70

19

.271

Ixcatlán

Oax.

700

183

.261

Jalapa

Oax.

422

292

.692

Jaltipan, Acayuca, Olutla, Chacalapa, Zayultepec, Tequistepec, Tiquipipa, Tepozuntlán

Ver.

2,822

337

.119

Jotlapa

Ver.

282

148

.525

Macayapa and Cihuatlán

Chis.

1,177

116

.098

Michoacán

Tab.

226

66

.292

Minzapa

Ver.

1,690

61

.036

Moloacán and Uliacán

Ver.

141

93

.655

Ocoapa

Ver.

148

87

.588

Ojitlán

Oax.

303

126

.416

Ozolotepec

Ver.

110

58

.527

Puctla (Acula)

Ver.

485

231

.476

Putlancingo

Oax.

58

48

.828

Tapalan

Ver.

264

26

.099

Tanango

Oax.

450

102

.227

Teotalco, Huestepec and Cuitlatlán

Ver.

1,129

388

.344

Tepeapa

Oax.

155

100

.645

Teutila

Oax.

3,630

937

.258

Tlacotalpan

Ver.

825

258

.313

Tuxtepec and Chiltepec

Oax.

192

164

.854

Total

20,751

5,183

0.250

Number of cases

33


48
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION III, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons. Starred populations are omitted from the total .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Acatlán

Oax.

167

Not on 1568 list

Amatlán

Ver.

184

Encomendero doubtful

Atecolotepec

Oax.

324

Not on 1568 list

Hueylutla

Ver.

151

Not on 1568 list

Ixcalpan

Ver.

203

Location doubtful

Mezapa, Santiago

Ver.

41*

Duplicates Minzapa, not on 1568 list

Mitlancuautla

Ver.

41

Not on 1568 list

Ostotitlán

Tab.

104

Not on 1568 list

Tequipac

?

39

Not on 1568 list

Teutalco

?

37

Not on 1568 list

Tlaltetela

Ver.

213

From Region IIA, position doubtful

Total

1,463

Number of Cases

11

 

TABLE 1. 1, REGION III, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Agutaco

Ver.

71

Amascalapa

Ver.

38

Amatlán

Ver.

254

Amatlán

Ver.

705

Ataco

Ver.

25

Atiquipaque

Oax.

168

Coaquilpa

Ver.

211

Coatzacoalcos (province)

Ver.

9,900

Cotatlán

Ver.

1,414


49
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Chalcholoacán

Ver.

313

Chicaloacán

Ver.

85

Huachapa

Ver.

60

Huaquilpa

Ver.

960

Huatusco

Ver.

169

Huestepec

Ver.

986

Ixhuatlán

Oax.

449

Ixtayuca

Ver.

225

Ixtayuca

Ver.

1,119

Jicayan

Ver.

1,580

Miahuatlán

Ver.

113

Miahuatlán

Ver.

235

Micaostoc

Ver.

85

Ostopa

Ver.

105

Otlatitlán

Ver.

987

Papalote

Ver.

16

Pigualulco

Tab.

1,025

Quitatán

Ver.

294

San Juan Ulúa

Ver.

452

Soyaltepec

Oax.

113

Tacotalpa

Tab.

525

Taquilpas

Ver.

306

Tilzapuapa

Ver.

330

Tlaliscoyan

Ver.

294

Tlatlatelco

Ver.

135

Tonela

Ver.

284

Totutla

Ver.

94

Tuchitepec

Ver.

226

Tuxtla

Ver.

1,815

Uxitem

Oax.

254

Zapotitlán

Ver.

367

Zinacamostoc

Oax.

141

Total

26,928

Number of cases

41


50

In parts D and E of Table 1.1, Region III, we use the data for 1595 for verification. Part D shows the population of 12 places in 1568 and 1595, the ones for which there are data in both lists. The total of the former is 10,686 and of the latter 6,442. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.603. By proportion, the entire population of Region III in 1595 would be 47,679 × 0.604 = 28,750. Part E shows similar data for 1595 and 1646, with only 5 places. Here the totals are respectively 1,496 and 925, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.618. The entire population of Region III, calculated from the total of the 1646 list for this region (6,646 ÷ 0.618), would be 10,754. The two results are discrepant. The numbers of places are small, but there may also be a difference due to the disappearance of towns between 1595 and 1646.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION III, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Amatlán

Ver.

705

250

.355

Cotaxtla

Ver.

66

96

1.454

Huatzpaltepec

Oax.

710

547

.771

Huestepec

Ver.

986

295

.299

Jalapa

Oax.

422

446

1.057

Jaltipan

Ver.

2,822

801

.284

Jicayán

Ver.

1,580

1,478

.935

Jotlapa

Ver.

282

99

.351

Micaostoc

Ver.

85

56

.658

Michoacán

Tab.

226

54

.239

Otlatitlán

Ver.

987

474

.481

Tuxtla

Ver.

1,815

1,846

1.017

Total

10,686

6,442

0.603

Number of cases

12


51
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION III, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Cotaxtla

Ver.

96

82

.855

Jalapa

Oax.

446

292

.655

Jaltipan

Ver.

801

337

.421

Jotlapa

Ver.

99

148

1.495

Michoacán

Tab.

54

66

1.221

Total

1,496

925

0.618

Number of cases

5

Region IV

Northwestern Oaxaca. This region embraces the Mixteca Alta and Baja (but not the Mixteca of the coast), the central valleys of Oaxaca, and some peripheral territory. Most of the region is plateau or of intermediate altitude, and resembles the Central Plateau.

Table 1.1, Region IV, part A gives the names of 87 places which occur in both the 1568 and 1646 reporting. In 1568 the population of these 87 places is 183,601; in 1646 it is 60,785. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.331. According to part B, the 1646 list contains 8 places which had to be omitted from part A. The total population of these places is 1,289, making the total for the 1646 list 62,074. Part C shows 39 places which are in the 1568 list but are not found in that of 1646. The aggregate for 1568 would be 183,601 plus 39,732, or 223,333, of which the towns missing in the 1646 reporting would account for 17.8%.

We calculate the probable true population of Region IV in 1620–1625 by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 223,333 × 0.331 = 73,923. The difference between this value and that of the actual list (62,074) is relatively small. The smallness of the discrepancy indicates that most of the towns remained in existence, and that relatively little disturbance occurred between 1568 and 1646 in this area.


52
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IV, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Achiutla

Oax.

3,238

774

.239

Amoltepec

Oax.

181

136

.752

Apoala

Oax.

1,478

292

.198

Atlatlauca

Oax.

282

189

.670

Atoyaquillo

Oax.

707

122

.173

Coatlahuistla

Oax.

703

223

.317

Coatepec

Oax.

1,178

92

.078

Coixtlahuaca

Oax.

8,250

1,780

.216

Coyotepec

Oax.

974

966

.992

Cuautitlán

Oax.

85

53

.623

Cuicatlán

Oax.

1,020

366

.358

Cuilapan

Oax.

20,246

3,350

.165

Cuquila

Oax.

338

157

.465

Chachoapan

Oax.

1,409

116

.082

Chalcatongo

Oax.

1,995

1,367

.686

Chicahuaxtla

Oax.

1,198

720

.601

Chichicapa and Amatlán

Oax.

3,352

1,663

.496

Elotepec

Oax.

706

362

.513

Estetla

Oax.

564

228

.404

Etla

Oax.

4,696

2,153

.458

Etlatongo

Oax.

904

126

.139

Huajuapan

Oax.

1,650

782

.474

Huajolotitlán

Oax.

282

88

.312

Huajolotitlán

Oax.

3,346

1,564

.468

Huapanapa

Oax.

195

357

1.831

Huautla

Oax.

297

83

.279

Huautla

Oax.

541

275

.508

Huautla

Oax.

845

486

.576

Igualtepec

Oax.

1,185

1,107

.587

Ixcatlán

Oax.

2,152

258

.120

Ixcuintepec

Oax.

522

316

.606

Ixpatepec

Oax.

1,089

619

.569

Ixtatepec and Chicahuastepec

Oax.

732

194

.265

Ixtepec

Oax.

1,937

1,394

.720


53
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Jaltepec

Oax.

4,402

274

.062

Jaltepetongo

Oax.

568

29

.051

Jocotipac

Oax.

379

274

.723

Justlahuaca

Oax.

935

352

.377

La Magdalena

Oax.

966

173

.179

Macuilxóchil

Oax.

792

541

.684

Malinaltepec

Oax.

706

197

.279

Mitla

Oax.

2,376

1,265

.532

Mitlantongo, Santiago and Santa Cruz

Oax.

845

299

.354

Nanacatepec, Tequiztepec and Alpizahua

Oax.

1,501

711

.474

Nanahuaticpac

Oax.

198

179

.904

Nochistlán

Oax.

2,950

179

.061

Oaxaca, Villa

Oax.

1,129

675

.598

Papaloticpac

Oax.

1,680

323

.192

Putla

Oax.

706

173

.245

Quiotepec

Oax.

891

294

.330

Sosola

Oax.

1,409

643

.457

Suchitepec

Oax.

436

235

.539

Talistaca

Oax.

1,366

847

.620

Tamazola

Oax.

1,000

160

.160

Tamazulapan

Oax.

4,472

2,010

.449

Tanatepec

Oax.

350

73

.208

Tataltepec

Oax.

282

117

.415

Tecomaxtlahuaca

Oax.

734

1,275

1.740

Tecomavaca

Oax.

413

66

.160

Tejupan

Oax.

3,063

571

.186

Tenexpa

Oax.

708

177

.250

Teotitlán del Camino

Oax.

2,798

1,508

.539

Teozacoalco

Oax.

1,828

971

.532

Tepeucila

Oax.

618

507

.821

Tepezimatlán

Oax.

2,630

170

.065

Teposcolula

Oax.

11,418

4,070

.356

Tequecistepec

Oax.

3,607

1,540

.427

Tetiquipa

Oax.

2,086

961

.461


54
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Tetiquipa, San Mateo

Oax.

2,086

1,268

.608

Tilantongo

Oax.

2,845

281

.099

Tiltepec

Oax.

846

211

.249

Tlacolula

Oax.

1,191

529

.444

Tlacochahuaya

Oax.

1,552

1,034

.667

Tlapacoyan

Oax.

282

138

.489

Tlaxiaco and Chilapa

Oax.

11,372

2,296

.202

Tonalá

Oax.

6,108

3,072

.503

Tonaltepec and Soyaltepec

Oax.

885

180

.203

Totomachapa

Oax.

257

122

.475

Tuchitlapilco

Oax.

199

240

1.206

Tutla

Oax.

845

388

.459

Tututepetongo

Oax.

304

139

.457

Yanhuitlán and Coyotepec

Oax.

17,160

3,062

.174

Yolotepec

Oax.

1,056

666

.630

Zaachila

Oax.

3,594

1,562

.434

Zacatepec

Oax.

2,006

141

.070

Zimatlán

Oax.

1,709

750

.439

Zoyatepec

Oax.

85

109

1.282

Total

183,601

60,785

0.331

Number of cases

87

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IV, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons. Starred populations are omitted from the total .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Amoltepec

Oax.

136

Duplication

Amusgos

Oax.

620*

In Region VI

Atoyac

Oax.

65

Position doubtful

Atoyaquillo

Oax.

122

Not on 1568 list

Huajolotitlán

Oax.

78

Duplication or position doubtful


55
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Tejotepec

Oax.

46

Not on 1568 list

Tlacolula

Oax.

672

Duplication

Tulistlahuaca

Oax.

170

Not on 1568 list

Total

1,289

Number of cases

8

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IV, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Alupancingo

Oax.

564

Atoyac

Oax.

2,363

Atoyaque

Oax.

71

Axomulco

Oax.

182

Calihuala

Oax.

466

Coatlán

Oax.

141

Coculco

Oax.

112

Cuitepec

Oax.

293

Cuyotepexi

Oax.

564

Cuytlaguiztlán

Oax.

846

Chazumba

Oax.

564

Chiagualtepec

Oax.

705

Chimatlán

Oax.

56

Ixcatlán

Oax.

564

Justepec

Oax.

130

Manalcatepec

Oax.

564

Michiapa

Oax.

282

Miquitla

Oax.

1,518

Nextepec

Oax.

225

Oaxaca (Antequera)

Oax.

3,010

Ocotlán

Oax.

5,693

Patanala

Oax.

705

Paxtlahuaca

Oax.

931


56
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Petlaquistlahuaca

Oax.

918

San Miguel Grande

Oax.

1,128

Silacayoapan

Oax.

789

Suchitepec

Oax.

845

Tecaxic

Oax.

440

Teitipac

Oax.

2,948

Teotitlán del Valle

Oax.

1,125

Teozatlán

Oax.

1,409

Tequixtepec

Oax.

707

Titicapa

Oax.

4,944

Tlacotepec

Oax.

1,550

Tlapancingo

Oax.

660

Utlancingo

Oax.

56

Yepatepel

Oax.

846

Yucucuí

Oax.

254

Yucuxaco

Oax.

564

Total

39,732

Number of cases

39

Verification of our calculations is supplied by the date in parts D and E of Table 1.1, Region IV. Part D gives values for 31 places in 1568 and 1595. The total of the former is 92,517 and of the latter 49,655. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.537. By proportion, the entire population of Region IV in 1595 would be 223,333 × 0.537 = 119,930. Part E gives similar data for 1595 and 1646, with 29 places. Here the totals are respectively 48,561 and 24,919, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.513. The entire Indian population of Region IV, calculated from the total in 1646 (62,074 ÷ 0.513), would be 121,002. The two results are almost incredibly close, and indicate that for this region the data are as accurate as could ever be expected.


57
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IV, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Achiutla

Oax.

3,238

1,652

.510

Apoala

Oax.

1,478

635

.429

Atoyaque

Oax.

71

102

1.436

Cotahuistla

Oax.

703

402

.572

Coyotepec

Oax.

974

491

.504

Cuilapan

Oax.

20,246

8,470

.418

Chalcatongo

Oax.

1,995

1,131

.567

Chicahuaxtla

Oax.

1,198

934

.780

Etla

Oax.

4,696

3,210

.683

Etlatongo

Oax.

904

336

.372

Huautla

Oax.

845

434

.513

Huautla

Oax.

297

657

2.210

Igualtepec

Oax.

1,885

2,680

1.421

Jaltepec

Oax.

4,402

1,410

.320

Jaltepetongo

Oax.

568

322

.567

Jocotipac

Oax.

379

325

.857

Mitlantongo

Oax.

845

494

.585

Oaxaca (Antequera)

Oax.

3,010

1,740

.578

Petlaquistlahuaca

Oax.

918

401

.437

Sosola

Oax.

1,409

820

.582

Tamazola

Oax.

1,000

288

.288

Tamazulapan

Oax.

4,472

2,920

.653

Tecomaxtlahuaca

Oax.

734

1,481

2.018

Tenexpa

Oax.

708

203

.287

Tiltepec

Oax.

846

412

.487

Tlacochahuaya

Oax.

1,552

1,050

.677

Tlacotepec

Oax.

1,550

880

.568

Tlaxiaco

Oax.

11,372

4,730

.416

Yanhuitlán

Oax.

17,160

9,460

.551

Yolotepec

Oax.

1,056

553

.523

Zacatepec

Oax.

2,006

1,032

.516

Total

92,517

49,655

0.537

Number of cases

31


58
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IV, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Achiutla

Oax.

1,652

774

.468

Apoala

Oax.

635

292

.460

Coatlahuistla

Oax.

402

223

.555

Coyotepec

Oax.

491

966

1.967

Cuilapan

Oax.

8,470

3,350

.395

Chalcatongo

Oax.

1,131

1,367

1.208

Chicahuaxtla

Oax.

934

720

.771

Etla

Oax.

3,210

2,153

.671

Etlatongo

Oax.

336

126

.375

Huautla

Oax.

434

486

1.120

Huautla

Oax.

657

83

.126

Igualtepec

Oax.

2,680

1,107

.413

Jaltepec

Oax.

1,410

274

.194

Jaltepetongo

Oax.

322

29

.090

Jocotipac

Oax.

325

274

.843

Mitlantongo

Oax.

494

299

.606

Oaxaca (Villa)

Oax.

1,740

675

.388

Sosola

Oax.

820

643

.785

Tamazola

Oax.

288

160

.555

Tamazulapan

Oax.

2,920

2,010

.686

Tecomaxtlahuaca

Oax.

1,481

1,275

.861

Tejotepec

Oax.

289

46

.159

Tenexpa

Oax.

203

177

.873

Tiltepec

Oax.

412

211

.512

Tlacochahuaya

Oax.

1,050

1,034

.985

Tlaxiaco

Oax.

4,730

2,296

.485

Yanhuitlán

Oax.

9,460

3,062

.324

Yolotepec

Oax.

553

666

1.204

Zacatepec

Oax.

1,032

141

.137

Total

48,561

24,919

0.513

Number of cases

29


59

Region V

The Zapotecas, the term used by the Spaniards. This region is the home territory of the northern Mountain Zapotecs, the Mijes, and several smaller adjacent linguistic groups. In elevation it ranges from high mountain to relatively low foothill and coast, with considerable ecological variation. The area was distinct in the sixteenth century in terms of culture and territorial arrangements. It was penetrated and dominated relatively slowly by the Spaniards, in part because of the difficult terrain, in part because of political fragmentation. On the whole, the region is warm country descending at points to coastal elevations.

We work with the data for the region in Table 1.1, parts A–E. In part A, we are able to identify 72 places as occurring on both the 1568 and 1646 lists. In 1568 the population of these 72 places is 37,142; in 1646 it is 22,774. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.613. According to part B, the 1646 reporting gives the names of 20 places which had to be omitted from part A. The total population of these 20 places is 4,277, making the total for places reported in the 1646 list 27,051. Part C shows 68 places which are found in the 1568 list but not in that of 1646. The total 1568 population of these 68 places is 32,427. The aggregate for 1568 would be 37,142 plus 32,427, or 69,569, of which the towns missing in the 1646 reporting would account for 46.7%.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION V, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Alotepec

Oax.

338

60

.178

Amaltepec

Oax.

155

100

.645

Atepeque and Analco

Oax.

1,020

554

.543

Ayacastepec

Oax.

339

204

.602

Cacalotepec

Oax.

169

160

.946

Cacalotepec

Oax.

281

87

.310

Camotlán

Oax.

71

77

1.085

Chicomesuchil

Oax.

1,742

631

.362

Chichicastepec

Oax.

254

65

.256


60
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Choapan

Oax.

676

1,554

2.300

Comaltepec

Oax.

423

456

1.081

Huayastepec

Oax.

254

119

.469

Huazcomaltepec

Oax.

509

269

.529

Huitepec

Oax.

422

82

.194

Ixcuintepec

Oax.

1,694

1,312

.775

Ixtepeji

Oax.

749

814

1.087

Ixtlán

Oax.

1,129

340

.301

Jaltepec

Oax.

460

20

.044

Jaltianguis

Oax.

375

49

.131

Jilotepec

Oax.

153

488

3.190

Lachichivia

Oax.

478

105

.220

La Hoya

Oax.

225

43

.191

Lalopa

Oax.

423

167

.395

Malinaltepec

Oax.

283

226

.799

Maxcaltepec

Oax.

201

783

3.890

Metepec

Oax.

141

97

.688

Mexitlán

Oax.

85

99

1.165

Nanacatepec

Oax.

495

141

.285

Nejapa

Oax.

1,742

576

.331

Nobaá

Oax.

395

250

.633

Ocotepec

Oax.

522

241

.462

Pazoltepec

Oax.

493

177

.359

Petlalcatepec

Oax.

1,198

75

.063

Quezalapa

Oax.

169

88

.521

Sogocho

Oax.

742

504

.679

Suchitepec

Oax.

215

313

1.457

Tagui

Oax.

142

310

2.183

Tagui and Lazagaya

Oax.

266

168

.632

Tava

Oax.

338

570

1.685

Tecomaltepec

Oax.

423

167

.395

Tecpanzacualco

Oax.

2,254

116

.051

Tehuilotepec

Oax.

254

1,002

3.944


61
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Teococuilco

Oax.

680

347

.510

Teotalcingo

Oax.

2,268

745

.329

Teotlaxco

Oax.

168

122

.726

Tepetolutla

Oax.

1,409

908

.645

Tetepetongo

Oax.

141

43

.305

Ticatepec

Oax.

337

253

.751

Tiltepec

Oax.

622

352

.566

Tlacoatzintepec

Oax.

565

774

1.369

Tlahuilotepec

Oax.

564

590

1.046

Tlapanala

Oax.

706

473

.670

Tlazoltepec

Oax.

378

39

.103

Tonagoyotepec

Oax.

218

185

.844

Tonaguía

Oax.

282

235

.834

Totolinga

Oax.

155

88

.568

Totontepec

Oax.

405

294

.726

Usila

Oax.

1,385

343

.248

Xareta

Oax.

254

54

.212

Yacoche

Oax.

168

92

.547

Yagavila

Oax.

407

400

.983

Yagayo

Oax.

169

206

1.220

Yalalag

Oax.

169

306

1.812

Yao

Oax.

282

495

1.755

Yatao

Oax.

169

85

.503

Yatobe

Oax.

163

163

1.000

Yavago

Oax.

282

136

.482

Yaxila

Oax.

169

166

.982

Yolox

Oax.

916

177

.193

Zapotequilla

Oax.

338

129

.382

Zoochila

Oax.

338

789

2.333

Zoquiapan

Oax.

338

126

.373

Total

37,142

22,774

0.613

Number of cases

72


62
 

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Ayacastla

Oax.

330

Not in 1568 list

Camotlán

Oax.

292

"

Coatlán

Oax.

138

"

Chimaltepec

Oax.

337

"

Huixtepec

Oax.

75

"

Ixcuintepec

Oax.

184

"

Lobani

Oax.

117

"

Macihuixi

Oax.

43

"

Malacatepec

Oax.

253

"

Petlapa

Oax.

864

"

Quiaecuza

Oax.

541

"

Quilacohe

Oax.

168

"

Tianguillo Achate

Oax.

26

"

Tlacotepec

Oax.

73

"

Totolinga

Oax.

41

"

Xossa

Oax.

44

"

Yachiuc

Oax.

138

"

Yagalaci

Oax.

48

"

Yahuitzi

Oax.

204

"

Yatzilam

Oax.

361

"

Total

4,277

Number of cases

20

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION V, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population in
1568

Atlatlauca

Oax.

2,171

Ayotepec

Oax.

71

Cacatepec

Oax.

169

Calajo

Oax.

423

Calpulalpan

Oax.

564


63
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Citlaltepec

Oax.

247

Comaltepec

Oax.

423

Comatlán

Oax.

124

Cuezcomaltepec

Oax.

564

Chicome

Oax.

279

Chichiapa

Oax.

160

Chisme

Oax.

141

Chontales bravos

Oax.

4,514

Eltianguillo

Oax.

113

Esuchicala

Oax.

282

Huatenicamanes

Oax.

4,231

Hucitepec

Oax.

113

Itacatepec

Oax.

112

Ixcocan

Oax.

655

Ixtacatepec

Oax.

141

Jalahui

Oax.

113

Jaltepec

Oax.

1,007

Macuiltianguis

Oax.

1,409

Madoxoya

Oax.

113

Malinaltepec

Oax.

380

Maltepec

Oax.

131

Mayana

Oax.

613

Metepec

Oax.

2,257

Metlaltepec

Oax.

169

Miahuatlán

Oax.

218

Moctun

Oax.

113

Ocotepec

Oax.

1,551

Santa Cruz

Oax.

282

Tacatepec

Oax.

123

Taeta

Oax.

169

Talea

Oax.

113

Tecianzacualco

Oax.

141

Temascalapa

Oax.

168

Tepequepacagualco

Oax.

185

Tepuxtepec

Oax.

170

Tiquini

Oax.

169

Tlapalcatepec

Oax.

845


64
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Tlaxuca

Oax.

1,075

Tochitepec

Oax.

141

Toltepec

Oax.

395

Tualilapa

Oax.

351

Tutlaco

Oax.

185

Tzaindan

Oax.

339

Vichinaguía

Oax.

163

Villa Alta

Oax.

85

Xacobo

Oax.

169

Xayatepec

Oax.

225

Xicaltepec

Oax.

127

Xilotepec

Oax.

165

Xocochi

Oax.

141

Xuquila

Oax.

338

Yacastla

Oax.

593

Yachinicingo

Oax.

113

Yagoni

Oax.

141

Yaquiza

Oax.

141

Yaviche

Oax.

85

Yolotepec

Oax.

191

Yotepec

Oax.

452

Yoveo

Oax.

169

Zaiutepec

Oax.

135

Zentecomaltepec

Oax.

282

Zoquío

Oax.

149

Zultepec

Oax.

141

Total

32,427

Number of cases

68

We calculate the probable true population of Region V in 1620–1625 (our estimated average date) by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two dates was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 69,569 × 0.613 = 42,646. The difference between this value and that of the actual list (27,051) is considerable, and may be


65

due to the disappearance of many small places through congregación and extinction of the entire population. Further, the Huatenicamanes and the Chontales Bravos, for which the 1568 values are only a vague estimate, account for 8,750 souls. If these are deducted from the 1568 total, the values for the calculated and the actual population, according to the 1646 reporting, come quite close together.

Resort to the 1595 data for verification yields further discrepancy. Part D of Table 1.1, Region V, shows the population of 24 places in 1568 and 1595. The total of the former is 16,120 and of the latter 10,309. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.639. By proportion, the entire population of Region V in 1595 would be 69,569 × 0.639 = 44,455. Similar data for 1595 and 1646 are given in part E, with 23 places. Here the totals are respectively 6,862 and 7,184; the ratio 1646/1595 is 1.047. The entire Indian population of Region V, calculated from the total in 1646 (27,051 ÷ 1.047), would be 25,837. These results are widely apart. In connection with this discrepancy, it should be noted that for the 23 towns the population in 1646 is actually greater than in 1595. There may have been a real increase in population, the extension of Spanish control may have come later than has been generally assumed, or there may be a factor of selection in the data whereby the more important towns are represented at the expense of those which disappeared. The Zapotecas may have constituted a special case which deserves further examination.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION V, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Alotepec

Oax.

338

254

.751

Atlatlauca

Oax.

2,171

3,039

1.400

Ayacastepec

Oax.

339

443

1.307

Cacalotepec

Oax.

281

164

.584

Chicomesúchil

Oax.

1,742

674

.387

Chichicastepec

Oax.

254

127

.500

Ixtlán

Oax.

1,129

421

.373

Lachichivia

Oax.

478

220

.461


66
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Ocotepec

Oax.

522

699

1.340

Ocotepec

Oax.

1,551

547

.353

Sococho

Oax.

742

206

.278

Suchitepec

Oax.

215

180

.837

Tecianzacualco

Oax.

141

96

.681

Tepetolutla

Oax.

1,409

863

.613

Tiltepec

Oax.

622

336

.540

Tlahuilotepec

Oax.

564

268

.475

Tlapanala

Oax.

706

392

.556

Tlazoltepec

Oax.

378

96

.253

Totolinga

Oax.

155

206

1.330

Xareta

Oax.

254

127

.500

Yacastla

Oax.

593

282

.476

Yao

Oax.

282

93

.330

Yolox

Oax.

916

234

.256

Zochila

Oax.

338

342

1.012

Total

16,120

10,309

0.639

Number of cases

24

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION V, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Alotepec

Oax.

254

60

.236

Ayacastepec

Oax.

443

204

.460

Ayacastla

Oax.

281

330

1.174

Cacalotepec

Oax.

164

87

.531

Chicomesúchil

Oax.

674

631

.950

Chichicastepec

Oax.

127

65

.512

Ixtlán

Oax.

421

340

.807

Lachichivia

Oax.

220

105

.478

Ocotepec

Oax.

699

241

.345

Sococho

Oax.

206

504

2.438


67
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Suchitepec

Oax.

180

313

1.740

Tepetolutla

Oax.

863

908

1.051

Tiltepec

Oax.

336

352

1.048

Tlahuilotepec

Oax.

268

590

2.202

Tlapanala

Oax.

392

473

1.207

Tlazoltepec

Oax.

96

39

.407

Totolinga

Oax.

206

88

.427

Yachiuc

Oax.

123

138

1.122

Yahuitzi

Oax.

113

204

1.805

Yao

Oax.

93

495

5.325

Yolox

Oax.

234

177

.756

Xareta

Oax.

127

54

.425

Zochila

Oax.

342

789

2.306

Total

6,862

7,184

1.047

Number of cases

23

Region VI

Oaxaca Coast. This region is the coast of the present state of Oaxaca, a strip extending inland from sixty to eighty miles. Although, as in the Zapotecas, the region includes high mountains, its ecology is coastal. In aboriginal times the states of Tehuantepec, Huatulco, and Tututepec were included within the region.

We here work with the data presented in Table 1.1, Region VI, parts A–E. According to part A, 45 places occur in both the 1568 and 1646 lists. In 1568 the population of these 45 places is 50,316; in 1646 it is 30,106. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.600. Part B gives the name of the only place found on the 1646 list which is not in the 1568 reporting. The population of this place is 22, making the total for the 1646 list 30,128. According to part C, the 1568 list has 28 places which are not found in the 1646 report. The total population in 1568 of these 28 places is 13,680. The aggregate for 1568 would be 50,316 plus 13,680, or 62,996, of which the towns missing in the 1646 list would account for 21.7%.


68
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VI, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Amusgos

Oax.

845

620

.734

Atoyac

Oax.

419

389

.929

Ayoquesco

Oax.

469

180

.394

Ayutla

Oax.

67

44

.657

Coatlán

Oax.

3,947

1,840

.466

Colotepec

Oax.

150

170

1.133

Cozoaltepec

Oax.

99

97

.980

Ejutla

Oax.

1,033

332

.322

Huamelula

Oax.

1,561

357

.229

Huatulco

Oax.

776

85

.110

Ixpuchtepec

Oax.

696

682

.980

Ixtacoya

Oax.

611

162

.265

Ixtayutla

Oax.

495

107

.216

Jalapa del Marqués

Oax.

2,736

1,340

.490

Jicayán

Oax.

677

163

.241

Jicayán and partido

Oax.

677

383

.566

Lapaguía

Oax.

380

515

1.355

Mazatlán

Oax.

86

48

.558

Miahuatlán, Suchitepec Tamascalapa

Oax.

3,802

1,313

.345

Necotepec

Oax.

426

136

.319

Olintepec

Oax.

168

105

.625

Pilcintepec

Oax.

221

204

.924

Pinotepa Nacional

Oax.

211

306

1.450

Pochutla

Oax.

103

43

.417

Potutla

Oax.

31

41

1.323

Sola

Oax.

2,261

789

.349

Tecpa, Xilotepequillo

Oax.

282

269

.954

Tehuantepec

Oax.

8,910

7,201

.808

Tepalcatepec, Xolotepec

Oax.

875

638

.729

Tepextepec

Oax.

332

808

2.432

Topiltepec

Oax.

419

111

.265

Tequixistlán

Oax.

2,115

422

.199

Tetepec

Oax.

231

112

.485

Tizatepec

Oax.

466

756

1.621

Tlacamama

Oax.

264

201

.762


69
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Tlacolula

Oax.

185

462

2.500

Tlahuiltoltepec

Oax.

240

95

.396

Totolapan

Oax.

1,198

388

.324

Totolapilla

Oax.

169

93

.551

Tututepec, Nopala, Juquila

Oax.

9,075

6,887

.759

Yautepec

Oax.

564

119

.211

Yeytepec

Oax.

564

271

.481

Zentecomaltepec

Oax.

282

78

.276

Zenzontepec

Oax.

634

452

.713

Zoquitlán

Oax.

564

292

.518

Total

50,316

30,106

0.600

Number of cases

45

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VI, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568 .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Totoltepec

Oax.

22

Not in 1568 list

Total

22

Number of cases

1

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VI, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Amatlán

Oax.

423

Amatlán

Oax.

313

Astata

Oax.

508

Azuntepec

Oax.

564


70
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Cacalotepec

Oax.

169

Cahuitlán

Oax.

1,158

Coahuitlán

Oax.

67

Comaltepec

Oax.

249

Cuaquezpaltepec

Oax.

140

Chayuco

Oax.

377

Ecatepec

Oax.

180

Ixtepec

Oax.

176

Jamiltepec

Oax.

384

Malinaltepec

Oax.

84

Mixtepec

Oax.

94

Mixtepec

Oax.

282

Ozoltepec

Oax.

2,534

Pinotepa la Chica

Oax.

795

Río Hondo

Oax.

1,973

Suchiopan

Oax.

58

Temascaltepec

Oax.

577

Tepexi

Oax.

212

Tequecistepec

Oax.

96

Tiquipa

Oax.

897

Tonameca

Oax.

99

Tuxtla

Oax.

122

Xochitepec

Oax.

1,043

Zimatlán

Oax.

106

Total

13,680

Number of cases

28

We calculate the probable true population of Region VI for the 1646 data by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 62,996 × 0.600 = 37,798. The difference between this value and that of the actual list, 30,128, is only moderate. This coastal region, therefore, was much more stable with respect to retention of towns than the inland Zapotecas.


71

Verification of our calculations through resort to the data for 1595 is in parts D and E. Part D shows the population of 19 places in 1568 and 1595. The total of the former is 33,684 and of the latter 28,197. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.837. By proportion, the entire population of Region VI in 1595 would be 62,996 × 0.838 = 52,728. Part E gives similar data for 1595 and 1646, with 17 places. Here the totals are respectively 23,345 and 16,407, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.703. The entire Indian population of Region VI, calculated from the total in the 1646 data (30,128 ÷ 0.703), would be 42,856. This is moderately different from the value obtained by proportion from the population in 1568.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VI, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Amusgos

Oax.

845

866

1.026

Azuntepec

Oax.

564

1,006

1.784

Coatlán

Oax.

3,947

2,855

.724

Ejutla

Oax.

1,033

274

.264

Ixpuchtepec

Oax.

696

1,278

1.835

Ixtacoya

Oax.

611

285

.466

Ixtayutla

Oax.

495

86

.174

Jalapa

Oax.

2,736

2,196

.803

Jicayán

Oax.

677

135

.200

Miahuatlán

Oax.

3,802

2,576

.678

Necotepec

Oax.

426

212

.498

Olintepec

Oax.

168

209

1.245

Ozolotepec

Oax.

2,534

3,846

1.518

Sola

Oax.

2,261

1,385

.613

Tepexistepec

Oax.

332

378

1.139

Tequixistlán

Oax.

2,115

1,283

.606

Totolapan

Oax.

1,198

570

.476

Totolapilla

Oax.

169

257

1.522

Tututepec

Oax.

9,075

8,500

.937

Total

33,684

28,197

0.837

Number of cases

19


72
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VI, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Amusgos

Oax.

866

620

.716

Coatlán

Oax.

2,855

1,840

.645

Ejutla

Oax.

274

332

1.211

Ixpuchtepec

Oax.

1,278

682

.534

Ixtacoya

Oax.

285

162

.569

Ixtayutla

Oax.

86

107

1.245

Jalapa

Oax.

2,196

1,340

.611

Jicayán and partido

Oax.

135

383

2.836

Miahuatlán

Oax.

2,576

1,313

.510

Necotepec

Oax.

212

136

.642

Olintepec

Oax.

209

105

.502

Sola

Oax.

1,385

789

.570

Tepextepec

Oax.

378

808

2.138

Tequixistlán

Oax.

1,283

422

.329

Totolapan

Oax.

570

388

.681

Totolapilla

Oax.

257

93

.362

Tututepec

Oax.

8,500

6,887

.811

Total

23,345

16,407

0.703

Number of cases

17

Region VII

Zacatula–Guerrero. This region includes two natural areas grouped together because of similarity. The first is the long coastal strip extending from the Oaxaca–Guerrero state line, past Acapulco, to the western extremity of the old province of Zacatula in the southwestern corner of Michoacán. The second area is the inland group of towns south of the Balsas basin centering around Tlapa, Chilapa, and Tixtla. In a strict sense, the area is neither coastal nor plateau but, rather like similar areas in Oaxaca, ranges from tierra templada toward tierra caliente . The Balsas basin here constitutes a natural dividing line; to the south there is no such boundary.

Our data are in Table 1.1, Region VII, parts A–E. Part A lists the names of 51 places which occur in both the 1568 and 1646


73

reporting. In 1568 the population of these 51 places is 58,403; in 1646 it is 20,036. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.343. According to part B, 5 places found in the 1646 report had to be omitted from part A. The population of these 5 places is 470, making the total for the 1646 report 20,506. Conversely, part C shows 101 places which occur in the 1568 list but are not in the 1646 report. The total 1568 population of these 101 places is 52,376. The aggregate for 1568 would be 58,403, plus 52,376, or 110,779, of which the towns omitted in the 1646 list would account for 47.3%.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VII, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Acapulco (province) Incl. Zitlaltomagua, Tepesuchil, Tesca

Gro.

8,470

491

.058

Acatlán, San Luis

Gro.

145

65

.458

Anacuilco

Gro.

69

117

1.695

Arimao

Mich.

439

255

.581

Atenchancaleca

Gro.

98

114

1.163

Atlan

Mich.

79

10

.116

Ayutla

Gro.

591

394

.668

Ayutla (A855), Chiuli, Azolo, Guexulutla

Gro.

121

184

1.520

Borona

Mich.

142

31

.218

Cacahuatepec

Gro.

1,042

143

.137

Cayaco

Gro.

129

56

.434

Chacala

Mich.

87

14

.161

Chilapa

Gro.

12,111

3,817

.315

Ciutlán, Tepeapulco, Puchitlán, Zacatula

Mich.

459

114

.248

Copalitas

Gro.

69

37

.537

Coyuca

Gro.

528

112

.212

Coyuca and Lacoaba

Gro.

1,624

408

.251

Cuaucayulichan

Gro.

106

31

.292

Cuautepec

Gro.

189

92

.487

Cuitlatenamic

Gro.

2,214

513

.232

Cuilutla

Gro.

233

58

.249


74
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Huitziltepec

Gro.

341

62

.182

Iguala

Gro.

1,128

175

.155

Igualapa

Gro.

1,924

1,280

.666

Ihuitlán

Mich.

25

36

1.440

Ixcateopan

Gro.

940

156

.166

Ixtapa

Mich.

168

39

.232

Jalapa

Gro.

106

56

.529

Mechia

Mich.

119

32

.269

Mezquitlán

Gro.

851

46

.054

Olinala

Gro.

4,468

1,064

.238

Ometepec

Gro.

1,693

938

.551

Oxtutla

Gro.

458

58

.129

Pantla

Gro.

212

48

.226

Papalutla

Gro.

924

73

.079

Petatlán

Gro.

31

9

.290

Pochotitlán

Gro.

254

117

.461

Pustlán

Gro.

133

10

.075

Tecomatlán

Gro.

121

31

.256

Tecpan

Gro.

644

248

.385

Temalhuacán

Gro.

102

17

.167

Tiaupan

Mich.

528

68

.129

Tlacozautitlán

Gro.

4,264

1,256

.295

Tlapa, Atliztac, Caltican, Atlamajalcingo

Gro.

8,572

6,581

.768

Topetina

Gro.

106

25

.236

Ximaltoca

Gro.

100

29

.290

Xochixtlahuaca

Gro.

568

296

.521

Xocutla

Gro.

282

182

.645

Zihuatlán

Gro.

86

17

.198

Zihuatlán

Mich.

144

2

.014

Zoyatlán

Mich.

166

29

.175

Total

58,403

20,036

0.343

Number of cases

51


75
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VII, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Aguacayuca

Gro.

48

Not in 1568 list

Anacuilco

Gro.

61

"

Asuchitlán

Gro.

5

"

Mexcaltepec

Gro.

325

"

Pochotitlán

Gro.

31

"

Total

470

Number of cases

5

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VII, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Acaguapisca

Gro.

46

Acalpica

Gro.

13

Acamalutla

Gro.

771

Acayaco

Gro.

108

Atlán

Gro.

90

Atlán

Mich.

79

Autepec

Gro.

90

Ayutla

Gro.

169

Azoyú

Gro.

693

Cacalotepec

Gro.

189

Cacatipa

Gro.

341

Camutla

Gro.

88

Capulalcolulco

Mich.

502

Cintla

Gro.

121

Ciquila

Gro.

282

Coatepec

Gro.

33

Cocoalco

Gro.

604

Cocula

Gro.

1,696


76
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Colutla

Gro.

287

Copalillo

Gro.

891

Coyuca

Gro.

45

Coyuquilla

Gro.

564

Cuacuatlán

Mich.

42

Cuachapa

Gro.

310

Cuezala

Gro.

23

Cuitlapa

Gro.

2,078

Cuscacuautlán

Mich.

19

Chacala

Mich.

87

Chachalacametla

Gro.

87

Chiepetlán

Gro.

584

Chipila

Gro.

66

Echancaleca

Gro.

21

Guaytlaco

Gro.

26

Guimixtlán

Gro.

787

Hinhitlán

Gro.

45

Huamuxtitlán

Gro.

5,660

Huetlaco

Gro.

26

Huitlalotla

Gro.

390

Huiztlán

Gro.

168

Ixhuatlán

Gro.

375

Ixtapa

Gro.

138

Ixtapancingo

Gro.

70

Japutica

Gro.

56

Juluchuga

Gro.

32

Maucuila

Mich.

126

Metlalpan

Mich.

43

Mexcaloacán

Mich.

25

Mila

Gro.

705

Miquitla

Gro.

256

Mitepec

Gro.

155

Mitancingo

Gro.

178

Mizquitlán

Gro.

621

Mochitlán

Gro.

1,525

Nexpa

Gro.

317

Nexpa

Gro.

62

Nexuca

Gro.

256


77
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Nuxco

Gro.

69

Oapan

Gro.

2,201

Ocuyuo

Gro.

282

Omitla

Gro.

113

Ostopila

Mich.

106

Pamutla

Gro.

34

Paxalo

Gro.

211

Pechique

Gro.

28

Petlacala

Oax.

416

Piquitla

Mich.

75

Quiotepec

Gro.

26

Suchitepec

Gro.

26

Suchitonalá

Gro.

330

Tamaloacán

Gro.

127

Tamazula

Gro.

310

Tecamalacazingo

Gro.

730

Tenancingo

Gro.

638

Tenango–Tepexi

Gro.

522

Tequepa

Gro.

982

Teutla

Gro.

116

Tlacolula

Gro.

122

Tlachinola

Gro.

15,025

Tlapistla

Mich.

57

Tolimán

Gro.

224

Tonatla

Gro.

1,370

Totomixtlahuacán

Gro.

984

Tulimán

Gro.

321

Tututepec

Gro.

564

Xaputegua

Gro.

539

Xihuacán

Gro.

160

Xocutla

Gro.

465

Xochitepec

Gro.

42

Xuchitepec

Gro.

85

Zacalutla

Gro.

71

Zacualpán

Mich.

128

Zacualpán

Gro.

590

Zahuatlán

Gro.

77

Zapotitlán

Gro.

62


78
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Zigua

Gro.

24

Zihuatanejo

Gro.

33

Zintla

Gro.

79

Ziutla

Gro.

53

Zolcoacoa

Gro.

108

Zoytlán

Gro.

677

Zumpango

Gro.

113

Total

52,376

Number of cases

101

We calculate the probable true population of Region VII in 1620–1625 by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 110,779 × 0.343 = 37,997. The difference between this value and that of the actual list (20,506) is considerable. It should be noted that Region VII contains a group of fairly large interior towns, such as Tlapa, Chilapa, and Iguala, all of which continued to exist, but that it also had many small places in Zacatula, most of which had disappeared by 1646. These two components should give quite different results, but the difference is obscured by their fusion into a single region.

Our verification by use of 1595 data is in Table 1.1, Region VII, parts D and E. According to part D, we have values for 14 places in both the 1568 and 1595 data; almost all of them are relatively large towns. In 1568 the population of these 14 places is 34,400; in 1595 it is 24,761. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.720. By proportion, the entire Indian population of Region VII in 1595 would be 110,779 × 0.720 = 79,761. Part E shows similar data for 1595 and 1646, with 8 places. Here the totals are respectively 18,078 and 9,006, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.498. The entire Indian population of Region VII, calculated from the total in 1646 (20,506 ÷ 0.498), would be 41,177. The two results are widely different, and may be referable to the extinction of the coastal strip of Zacatula.


79
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VII, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Acaguapisca

Gro.

46

28

.609

Ayutla

Gro.

591

1,054

1.783

Cacahuatepec

Gro.

1,042

180

.173

Chilapa

Gro.

12,111

7,880

.650

Huamuxtitlán

Gro.

5,660

2,430

.429

Huitziltepec

Gro.

341

302

.886

Huiztlán

Gro.

168

127

.756

Mochitlán

Gro.

1,525

1,241

.814

Oapan

Gro.

2,201

2,180

.992

Ometepec

Gro.

1,693

2,183

1.290

Tixtla

Gro.

3,729

3,160

.848

Tlacozautitlán

Gro.

4,264

2,444

.573

Xocutla

Gro.

465

677

1.456

Xochistlahuaca

Gro.

564

875

1.551

Total

34,400

24,761

0.720

Number of cases

14

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VII, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Ayutla

Gro.

1,054

394

.374

Cacahuatepec

Gro.

180

143

.794

Chilapa

Gro.

7,880

3,817

.485

Huitziltepec

Gro.

302

62

.205

Ometepec

Gro.

2,183

938

.429

Tixtla

Gro.

3,160

2,100

.665

Tlacozautitlán

Gro.

2,444

1,256

.514

Xochistlahuaca

Gro.

875

296

.338

Total

18,078

9,006

0.498

Number of cases

8


80

Region VIII

Michoacán. This region is Tarascan Michoacán, except for the area south and west of the Tepalcatepec River. The region is true plateau, but in aboriginal times was separate from the core of the Central Plateau because of the clear independence of the Tarascan state from the Triple Alliance and the cultural divergence of the inhabitants from the Nahua linguistic groups. Even today it has regional individuality.

Our data are in Table 1.1, Region VIII, parts A–E. Part A shows 35 places which occur in both the 1568 and 1646 lists. In 1568 the population of these 35 plaees is 138,364; in 1646 it is 34,310. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.248. According to part B, the 1646 report contains the names of 3 places not found in the 1568 list. The population of these 3 places is 1,033, making the total for the 1646 list 35,343. Conversely, part C shows 20 places which occur in the 1568 list but are not found in the 1646 report. The total 1568 population of these 20 places is 60,596. The aggregate for 1568 would be 138,364 plus 60,596, or 198,960, of which the towns missing in the 1646 list would account for 30.5%.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VIII, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Acámbaro

Gto.

7,897

5,140

.651

Capula

Mich.

2,280

167

.073

Chilchota

Mich.

1,914

597

.312

Chucándiro, Cupándaro

Mich.

1,409

68

.098

Comanja

Mich.

3,102

361

.116

Cuitzeo

Mich.

5,735

1,302

.227

Cutzco

Mich.

2,162

1,405

.650

Huacana

Mich.

1,043

112

.107

Huango

Mich.

1,960

156

.080

Huaniqueo

Mich.

1,330

190

.143

Indaparapeo

Mich.

944

240

.254

Jacona

Mich.

15,329

906

.059

Jaso, Teremendo

Mich.

1,281

313

.244

Jiquilpan

Mich.

1,129

1,119

.992

Jirosto

Mich.

6,489

2,322

.358

Maravatío

Mich.

3,142

544

.173


81
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Necotlán

Mich.

604

298

.494

Sevina, Pomucuarán

Mich.

6,050

3,188

.527

Taimeo

Mich.

1,205

648

.538

Tancítaro

Mich.

2,129

1,549

.728

Tarécuato

Mich.

1,690

910

.539

Tarímbaro

Mich.

3,934

471

.120

Tepalcatepec

Mich.

930

673

.724

Tigüindín

Mich.

1,716

510

.297

Tiripitío

Mich.

3,509

340

.097

Tlazazalca

Mich.

1,950

541

.278

Turicato

Mich.

2,247

536

.229

Ucareo

Mich.

3,775

430

.114

Uchichila, Tzintzuntzan, Santa Clara

Mich.

35,759

5,296

.148

Uruapan

Mich.

4,752

1,495

.315

Yuriria, Celaya

Gto.

4,488

945

.210

Zacapu

Mich.

2,820

476

.169

Zinagua

Mich.

726

284

.391

Zinapécuaro

Mich.

2,105

308

.146

Zirándaro, Guayameo

Mich.

829

471

.569

Total

138,364

34,310

0.248

Number of cases

35

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VIII, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Huanajo

Mich.

474

Not in 1568 list

San Francisco del Rincón

Gto.

241

Not in 1568 list (new town)

Tacámbaro

Mich.

318

Not in 1568 list

Total

1,033

Number of cases

3


82
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VIII, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Ario

Mich.

2,123

Bacaneo

Mich.

800

Coeneo

Mich.

3,515

Chiquimitío

Mich.

1,082

Erongarícuaro

Mich.

2,592

Guayangareo

Mich.

310

Iztaro

Mich.

706

Jerécuaro

Mich.

122

Matalcingo

Mich.

1,835

Mutzantla

Mich.

980

Pajacuarán

Mich.

14,120 (from 1580 list)

Pátzcuaro

Mich.

13,200

Peribán

Mich.

3,944

Pómaro

Mich.

2,492

Puruándiro

Mich.

1,690

Suchi

Mich.

267

Tanátaro

Mich.

1,062

Taximaroa

Mich.

8,455

Undameo

Mich.

1,037

Xichú

Gto.

264

Total

60,596

Number of cases

20

We calculate the probable true population of Region VIII in 1620–1625 by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 198,960 × 0.248 = 49,342. The difference between this value and that of the actual list (35,343) is moderate and probably can be accounted for mainly by the omission on the 1646 list of fairly large towns, such as Pajacuarán and Pátzcuaro, which continued to exist throughout the colonial period.


83

Our resort to 1595 data for verification is in parts D and E. Part D shows the population of 17 places which are in both the 1568 and 1595 reporting. The total of the former is 63,188 and of the latter 38,182. The ratio 1595/1568 is 0.604. By proportion, the entire Indian population of Region VIII in 1595 would be 198,960 × 0.604 = 120,172. Part E shows similar data for 1595 and 1646, with 14 places. Here the totals are respectively 30,586 and 18,330, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.599. The entire Indian population of Region VIII, calculated from the total in the 1646 data (35,343 ÷ 0.599), would be 59,003. This is very different from the value obtained from the 1568 data.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VIII, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Acámbaro

Gto.

7,897

3,480

.441

Comanja

Mich.

3,102

1,391

.448

Cuitzeo

Mich.

5,735

2,086

.364

Huacana

Mich.

1,043

344

.330

Indaparapeo

Mich.

944

525

.556

Jirosto

Mich.

6,489

4,428

.682

Peribán

Mich.

3,944

2,482

.630

Pomucuarán, Sevina

Mich.

6,050

6,110

1.010

Puruándiro

Mich.

1,690

795

.470

Suchi

Mich.

267

993

3.715

Tancítaro

Mich.

2,129

2,014

.947

Tarécuato

Mich.

1,690

994

.588

Tarímbaro

Mich.

3,934

1,082

.275

Taximaroa

Mich.

8,455

4,310

.510

Turicato

Mich.

2,247

2,093

.933

Uruapan

Mich.

4,752

3,184

.670

Zacapu

Mich.

2,820

1,871

.664

Total

63,188

38,182

0.604

Number of cases

17


84
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION VIII, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Acámbaro

Gto.

3,480

5,140

1.478

Comanja

Mich.

1,391

361

.259

Cuitzeo

Mich.

2,086

1,302

.625

Huacana

Mich.

344

112

.325

Indaparapeo

Mich.

525

240

.457

Jirosto

Mich.

4,428

2,322

.524

Sevina, Pomucuarán

Mich.

6,110

3,188

.522

Tacámbaro

Mich.

984

318

.323

Tancítaro

Mich.

2,014

1,459

.769

Tarícuato

Mich.

994

910

.915

Tarímbaro

Mich.

1,082

471

.435

Turicato

Mich.

2,093

536

.256

Uruapan

Mich.

3,184

1,495

.469

Zacapu

Mich.

1,871

476

.254

Total

30,586

18,330

0.599

Number of cases

14

Region IX

Eastern Jalisco–Zacatecas. This region is in the high cold country of west-central Mexico. It includes the Avalos towns and the Guadalajara plain as far west as, but not including, the volcano of Colima and the low-lying valleys of Autlán and Milpa. To the north, the region extends to the great canyon of the Santiago River and the southern valleys of Zacatecas. To the east, it extends to Tarascan Michoacán and the Chichimec frontier. Part of the western boundary lies in what in the sixteenth and seventeenth century was the deeply dissected, inaccessible country of eastern Nayarit and the Bolaños area of Jalisco. A very large part of our Region IX lay in the Audiencia of Nueva Galicia and was governed from Guadalajara. Accordingly, its Indian towns paid tribute to the royal treasury in Guadalajara. Only the Avalos towns in southwestern Jalisco were in the Audiencia of Mexico, or New Spain.

Table 1.1, Region IX, part A shows 16 places which occur in both the 1568 and 1646 lists. These 16 places are all within that


85

part of Jalisco that was under the jurisdiction of New Spain, and were located either on the plateau or in the zone intermediate between the plateau and the coast. In 1568 the population of these 16 places is 26,878; in 1646 it is 10,347. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.385. Part B shows 1 place found on the 1646 list which is not in the 1568 reporting. The population of this place is 1,081, making the total for the 1646 list 11,428. Part C shows 10 places which are in the 1568 list but not in the 1646 report. These 10 places are all located in New Spain. All others which could be identified as being located in Nueva Galicia were omitted. The total 1568 population of these 10 places is 5,354. The aggregate for 1568 of that part of Region IX lying within New Spain would be 26,878 plus 5,354, or 32,232, of which the towns not found in the 1646 reporting would account for 16.6%.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IX, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Amacuoca

Jal.

2,090

648

.310

Ameca

Jal.

779

134

.172

Ajijic

Jal.

835

398

.477

Atoyac

Jal.

2,346

486

.207

Chapala

Jal.

614

656

1.068

Cocula

Jal.

1,838

610

.332

Etzatlán

Jal.

2,291

626

.273

Jilotlán

Jal.

849

94

.111

Jocotepec

Jal.

386

332

.861

Sayula

Jal.

2,630

1,826

.695

Tamazula

Jal.

1,393

457

.328

Techalutla

Jal.

2,083

219

.105

Teocuitatlán

Jal.

1,073

272

.254

Tuxpan

Jal.

2,581

1,035

.401

Zacoalco

Jal.

2,855

1,583

.554

Zapotlán

Jal.

1,135

971

.856

Total

26,878

10,347

0.385

Number of cases

16


86
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IX, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons. Starred populations are omitted from the total .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Atoyac

Jal.

1,081

Not in 1568 list

Milpa, Matlán

Jal.

102*

Should be in Region X

Total

1,081

Number of cases

1

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IX, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted.

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Part I .

Towns in southwestern Jalisco. To be equated with the 1646 list in Nueva España .

Ahualulco

Jal.

351

Atemajac

Jal.

845

Atotonilco

Jal.

339

Copala

Jal.

204

Huachinango

Jal.

1,128

Ixtlán

Jal.

282

Jocotlán

Jal.

1,269

Tala

Jal.

208

Tequila

Jal.

282

Tesixtán

Jal.

446

Total

5,354

Number of cases

10

Part II .

Towns in northeastern Jalisco and adjacent Zacatecas. All towns to the north and east of the Avalos province and Lake Chapala were in Nueva Galicia , not New Spain. The 1646 list includes only towns in New Spain. Therefore the towns in Nueva Galicia must be omitted when the 1646 list is being compared with the 1568 list.


87

We calculate the probable true population of Region IX in 1620–1625 for that portion lying within New Spain by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two dates was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 32,232 × 0.385 = 12,409. The difference between this value and that of the actual list (11,428) is very small.

Our resort to 1595 data for verification is in parts D and E. Part D shows the population of 9 places, all in the province of Avalos, in 1568 and 1595. In 1568 the population of these 9 places is 14,404; in 1595 it is 18,760. The ratio is 1.303. By proportion, the entire Indian population of this portion of Region IX in 1595 would be 32,232 × 1.303 = 41,998. Part E gives similar data for 1595 and 1646, with the same 9 places. Here the totals are respectively 18,760 and 6,544, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.349. The entire Indian population of this portion of Region IX, calculated from the total in 1646 (11,428 ÷ 0.349), would be 32,745. This result is not widely different from the value obtained from the 1568 data.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IX, PART D

Towns found in both 1568 and 1595 lists. Note that this table covers only Avalos towns .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Ajijic

Jal.

835

868

1.040

Amacuaca and Tepec

Jal.

2,090

1,846

.884

Chapala

Jal.

614

1,089

1.770

Cocula

Jal.

1,838

3,554

1.936

Jocotepec

Jal.

386

784

2.031

Sayula

Jal.

2,630

5,085

1.932

Techalutla

Jal.

2,083

1,496

.718

Teocuitatlán

Jal.

1,073

812

.757

Zacoalco

Jal.

2,855

3,226

1.130

Total

14,404

18,760

1.303

Number of cases

9


88
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION IX, PART E

Towns found in both 1595 and 1646 lists. Note that this table covers only Avalos towns .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Ajijic

Jal.

868

398

.458

Amacueca, Tepec

Jal.

1,846

648

.351

Chapala

Jal.

1,089

656

.603

Cocula

Jal.

3,554

610

.172

Jocotepec

Jal.

784

332

.423

Sayula

Jal.

5,085

1,826

.359

Techalutla

Jal.

1,496

219

.146

Teocuitatlán

Jal.

812

272

.335

Zacoalco

Jal.

3,226

1,583

.490

Total

18,760

6,544

0.349

Number of cases

9

Region X

Colima–Nayarit. Actually this region includes Colima, a small part of Michoacán, western Jalisco, and Nayarit. It is large but relatively homogeneous ecologically. The topography and climate vary widely, ranging from temperate valleys, at altitudes of 1000 to 1200 meters, to hot coastal plain. Region X lay partly in the Audiencia of Nueva Galicia and partly in the Audiencia of Mexico, and we have to treat the data as we did for Region IX. Table 1.1, Region X, parts A–E lists the data for the towns in the Audiencia of Mexico. Part A lists 51 places which occur in both the 1568 and 1646 reporting. They include the Autlán–Tuscacuesco area of Jalisco, the entire state of Colima, and the Motines area of western Michoacán. They do not include coastal Jalisco, Nayarit, or Sinaloa. In 1568 the population of these 51 places is 15,892; in 1646 it is 5,692. The ratio 1646/1568 is 0.358. Part B shows 7 places found in the 1646 report but not in the 1568 list. The population of these 7 places is 317, making the total for the 1646 list 6,009. Conversely, part C lists towns in the 1568 reporting but not in that for 1646; there are 57 such places, all within New Spain. (The remainder of the towns, which were in Nueva Galicia, have been omitted.) The total 1568 population of these


89

57 places is 10,528. The aggregate for 1568 would be 15,892 plus 10,528, or 26,420, of which the towns omitted from the 1646 report would account for 39.8%.

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION X, PART A

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Acatlán

Col.

124

82

.661

Ahuacatitlán

Col.

168

19

.113

Alcozahue

Col.

127

46

.363

Almoloya

Col.

53

36

.680

Atenguillo

Jal.

1,690

167

.099

Atengo

Jal.

685

65

.095

Atliacapan

Col.

144

26

.181

Ayuquilla

Jal.

119

48

.403

Ayutitlán

Jal.

246

65

.264

Ayutla

Jal.

557

192

.345

Chiametla

Col.

198

44

.222

Chipiltitlán

Jal.

157

70

.446

Coatlán

Col.

78

27

.346

Comala

Col.

257

150

.584

Cuzalapa

Jal.

244

287

1.177

Ixtlahuacán

Col.

243

145

.595

Juluapan, Zumpamanique

Col.

363

148

.408

Malacatlán

Col.

56

44

.786

Milpa and Matlán

Jal.

970

102

.105

Nahuala

Col.

225

150

.667

Ocotlán

Col.

622

27

.043

Petlatlán

Col.

113

24

.212

Popoyutla

Col.

56

25

.447

Quezalapa

Col.

114

102

.895

Salagua

Col.

130

37

.285

Tamala

Col.

72

63

.875

Tecociapa

Col.

141

53

.376

Tecocitlán

Col.

247

226

.915

Tecolapa and Cajitlán

Col.

241

65

.270

Tecolotlán

Jal.

263

131

.498


90
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Tecomán

Col.

154

56

.364

Tecuxuacan

Col.

418

49

.117

Tenamaxtlán

Jal.

123

136

1.105

Tepetitango

Col.

347

29

.084

Tequepa

Col.

154

34

.221

Teutitlán

Jal.

198

29

.147

Tlacaloastla

Col.

86

20

.233

Tlaquaban

Col.

50

48

.960

Tototlán

Col.

55

56

1.018

Totolmoloya

Col.

40

34

.850

Tuxcacuesco

Jal.

558

352

.631

Xicotlán

Col.

165

24

.145

Xiloteupan

Col.

97

17

.175

Zacapala

Jal.

87

54

.621

Zapotitlán, Amula

Jal.

1,226

836

.682

Zihuatlan

Col.

88

41

.466

Zoquimatlán

Col.

85

133

1.565

Motines:

Col. and Mich.

Aquila

 

287

77

.268

Coalcomán

 

884

258

.292

Maquili

 

371

148

.399

Zinacamitlán, et al .

 

1,716

595

.347

Total

15,892

5,692

0.358

Number of cases

51

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION X, PART B

Towns on the 1646 list for which there is no corresponding figure for 1568, or which should be omitted from Part A, for various reasons .

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Cueyatlán

Col.

20

Not in 1568 list

Ixtlahuacán

Col.

153

Not in 1568 list

Izatlán

Jal.

19

In 1568 included other towns


91
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1646

Comment

Tecocitlán

Col.

34

Not in 1568 list

Tepetlica

Col.

22

Not in 1568 list

Zacualpan

Col.

46

Not in 1568 list

Zapotlanejo

Col.

23

Not in 1568 list

Total

317

Number of cases

7

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION X, PART C

Towns on the 1568 list for which a population is given but which are not found on the 1646 list. Towns on the 1568 list for which no separate population is given are omitted.

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Part I .

Towns in southwestern Jalisco, Colima, and southwestern Michoacan. To be equated with the 1646 list in Nueva España .

Acatlán

Col.

124

Ahuacapan, Mixtlán Tecomantlán

Jal.

622

Ahuacatlán

Jal.

648

Ahuacatitlán

Col.

44

Ahuatitlán

Col.

155

Alima

Col.

108

Ameca

Col.

58

Apamila

Jal.

44

Apatlán

Col.

282

Autlán

Jal.

1,670

Cacalutla

Col.

58

Cayamaca

Col.

101

Chalatipan

Col.

144

Chiapan

Col.

101

Coatlán

Col.

374

Contlán

Col.

31

Copala

Jal.

224


92
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Coxiutlán

Col.

79

Coyutlán

Jal.

40

Coyutlán

Col.

110

Cuzcatlán

Col.

366

Ecatlán

Col.

149

Espuchiapa

Col.

19

Estapa

Col.

58

Estapa

Col.

73

Gualoxa

Mich.

84

Huepantitlán

Col.

42

Ixcatlán

Col.

19

Mahuala

Col.

115

Maloastla

Col.

55

Mascota

Jal.

225

Mixtanejo

Col.

26

Moxuma

Col.

863

Naopala

Col.

52

Petlazoneca

Col.

150

Pomayagua

Col.

71

Puchutitlán

Col.

432

Tapazoneca

Col.

79

Tecociapa

Col.

141

Temacatipan

Col.

110

Tepehuacán

Col.

60

Tepitango

Col.

103

Tezontlán

Col.

235

Tezuacán

Col.

32

Tezuatlán

Mich.

92

Tlacalnagua

Col.

28

Tlacavanas

Mich.

85

Tlapuma

Jal.

74

Tlila

Col.

32

Tototlán

Col.

46

Xaltepozotlán

Col.

66

Xocotlán

Col.

147

Zaliguacan

Col.

662


93
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Zautlán

Col.

43

Zayula

Col.

129

Zecamachantla

Col.

139

Zoyatlán

Col.

409

Total

10,528

Number of cases

57

Part II .

Towns in coastal Jalisco, Nayarit, and Sinaloa. All towns in coastal Jalisco (Banderas, Purificación), and the states of Nayarit and Sinaloa were in Nueva Galicia and hence must be omitted from consideration, since none of them were reported in the 1646 list.

We calculate the probable true population of Region X (i.e., that portion lying within New Spain) by using proportions and assuming that the ratio between the two sets of data was the same for all towns alike (in totals). This would mean that 26,420 × 0.358 = 9,458. The difference between this value and that of the actual list (6,009) is relatively moderate.

Our use of 1595 data is in parts D and E. Part D shows the population of 17 places which occur in both the 1568 and 1595 reporting. The total of the former is 5,338 and of the latter 4,193, most of the difference being referable to Autlán alone. The ratio is 0.786. By proportion, the entire Indian population of this portion of Region X in 1595 would be 26,420 × 0.786 = 20,766. Part E shows similar data for 1595 and 1646, with 13 places. Here the totals are respectively 3,441 and 1,242, and the ratio 1646/1595 is 0.361. The entire Indian population in 1595 of this portion of Region X, calculated from the 1646 data (6,009 ÷ 0.361), would be 16,645. This result differs moderately from that obtained from the 1568 data.


94
 

TABLE 1.1, REGION X, PART D

Towns Found in Both 1568 and 1595 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1595

Ratio

figure

Ahuacatitlán

Col.

168

85

.506

Alcozahue

Col.

127

203

1.598

Atengo

Jal.

685

693

1.011

Autlán

Jal.

1,670

310

.186

Ayuquila

Jal.

119

40

.336

Ayutitlán

Jal.

246

356

1.448

Ayutla

Jal.

557

377

.677

Comala

Col.

257

382

1.488

Chiapan

Col.

101

126

1.247

Chipiltitlán

Jal.

157

65

.414

Ixtlahuacán

Col.

243

632

2.600

Popoyutla

Col.

56

42

.750

Tecocitlán

Col.

247

240

.972

Tenamaxtlán

Jal.

123

225

1.830

Tlacoloaxtla

Col.

86

141

1.640

Zacapila

Jal.

87

45

.517

Zoyatlán

Col.

409

231

.565

Total

5,338

4,193

0.786

Number of cases

17

 

TABLE 1.1, REGION X, PART E

Towns Found in Both 1595 and 1646 Lists

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Alcozahue

Col.

203

46

.227

Atengo

Jal.

693

65

.094

Ayuquila

Jal.

40

48

1.200

Ayutitlán

Jal.

356

65

.106

Ayutla

Jal.

377

192

.510

Chipiltitlán

Jal.

65

70

1.077

Comala

Col.

382

150

.392


95
 

Name

Loc.

Population
in 1595

Population
in 1646

Ratio

figure

Ixtlahuacán

Col.

632

145

.229

Popoyutla

Col.

42

25

.595

Tecocitlán

Col.

240

226

.942

Tenamaxtlán

Jal.

225

136

.605

Tlacaloastla

Col.

141

20

.142

Zacapila

Jal.

45

54

1.200

Total

3,441

1,242

0.361

Number of cases

13

Central Mexico as a Whole

We are now ready to reach totals for the Indian population of the royal treasury district of Mexico City—that is, the Audiencia of Mexico—and for the larger area of central Mexico as we have defined it in previous studies. Our regional tabulations have necessarily been lengthy, and the important point perhaps deeply buried. We summarize regional totals and give overall totals in Table 1.2, parts A–D. Table 1.2, part A summarizes all parts A of Table 1.1, which contained the comparison of values for towns and entities whose names appeared on both the 1568 and 1646 lists. The proportion of change in the paired values gives us our proportion of change between 1568 and the data of 1646 (which must still be adjusted to an average date). For further comparison, we have segregated the regions into the two categories of plateau and coast. Table 1.2, part B is a test of the significance of difference between the values for plateau and coast. Table 1.2, part C summarizes aggregate population for the regions, again segregated into plateau and coast. We here compare aggregate populations for 1568 with aggregate populations for the same regions arrived at by totaling values for towns in the 1646 list. We then calculate the probable true aggregate populations of the regions by correcting for the deficiency revealed in the total for each region in the 1646 data, through our previous examination region by region. Table 1.2, part D summarizes the earlier series of parts D and E of Table 1.1—that is, our comparison with 1595 data for verification.


96
 

TABLE 1.2, PART A

Comparison of population totals in the regions shown in Table 6, page 48 of Ibero-Americana #44. The values for the 1646 lists are as adjusted in the detailed summaries of regions. The values for 1568 are the corresponding ones taken from the appendix to Ibero-Americana #44 .

Region

Population
in 1568

Population
in 1646 list

Ratio

figure

Number
of cases

PLATEAU:

I.

1,321,329

303,717

.230

206

IIA.

22,394

10,065

.449

25

IV.

183,601

60,785

.331

87

VIII.

138,364

34,310

.248

35

IX.

26,878

10,347

.385

16

Total

1,692,566

419,224

369

Ratio of totals

.248

Mean ratio of regions

.329

COAST:

II.

35,316

8,559

.242

28

III.

20,751

5,183

.250

33

V.

37,142

22,774

.613

72

VI.

50,316

30,106

.600

45

VII.

58,403

20,036

.343

51

X.

15,892

5,692

.358

51

Total

217,820

92,350

280

Ratio of totals

.424

Mean ratio of regions

.401

ALL REGIONS:

1,910,386

511,574

Ratio of totals

.268


97
 

TABLE 1.2, PART B

Test for significance between values of plateau and those of the coast for ratio between population in 1568 and 1646 lists. In order to minimize wide variations at the extremes the logarithms of the individual ratios were used .

Plateau

Coast

Sum of the logarithms of the individual ratios after the latter were multiplied by 10

Sum of the logarithms of the individual ratios after the latter were multiplied by 10

500.425

445.822

Number of cases

368

Number of cases

280

Mean logarithm

1.360

Mean logarithm

1.598

Antilogarithm

0.229

Antilogarithm

0.396

Value of t (critical ratio of the mean logarithm)
with 646 degrees of freedom: 7.46
Significant far beyond the 1 percent level.

 

TABLE 1.2, PART C

Total count of population, according to region, 1568 and 1646 lists. The latter is determined in two ways: 1) the actual sum shown in the document itself, 2) the sum calculated by applying the ratios shown in Part A to the figures obtained for 1568. The final column gives the deficiency found in the document. This is expressed as a percent by subtracting the population found in the document from that obtained by calculation from the ratios, and dividing by the calculated population .

Region

Aggregate
Population
in 1568

Aggregate
population
by 1646
document

Aggregate
population
of 1646 list
by calculation
from ratio

Percent
deficiency
in 1646
document

PLATEAU

I.

1,717,635

313,379

395,056

20.6

IIA.

32,700

11,749

14,682

20.0

IV.

223,333

62,074

73,923

16.0

VIII.

198,960

35,343

49,342

28.4

IX.

32,232

11,428

12,409

7.9

Total

2,204,860

433,973

545,412

Mean percent deficiency

18.6


98
 

Region

Aggregate
Population
in 1568

Aggregate
population
by 1646
document

Aggregate
population
of 1646 list
by calculation
from ratio

Percent
deficiency
in 1646
document

COASTS

II.

73,134

8,912

17,698

49.6

III.

47,679

6,646

11,920

44.2

V.

69,569

27,051

42,646

36.5

VI.

62,996

30,128

37,798

20.3

VII.

110,779

20,506

37,997

36.6

X.

26,420

6,009

9,458

34.7

Total

390,577

99,252

157,517

Mean percent deficiency

37.0

Value of t for the mean percent deficiency of the two regions:

3.50 - Highly significant

ALL REGIONS

2,595,437

533,225

702,929

Percent deficiency of total

24.1

 

TABLE 1.2, PART D

The population of New Spain in 1595. The population is calculated for the usual regions in two ways. The first is by determining the ratio 1568/1595 for those towns for which a population is given at both dates, and then applying the mean ratio to the entire population in 1568. The second is by using the same method with the 1646 list. It is noted that the 1646 data consistently give lower populations for 1595. Hence we include the percent deficiency in 1595 population as calculated from the data of the 1646 list .

Region

Population in
1595, calculated
from 1568

Population in
1595, calculated
from 1646

PLATEAU

I.

849,767

773,775

IIA.

19,522

10,909

IV.

119,930

121,002

VIII.

120,172

59,003

IX.

41,998

32,745

Total

1,151,389

997,434

Percent deficiency in value calculated from 1646 data:

13.4


99
 

Region

Population in
1595, calculated
from 1568

Population in
1595, calculated
from 1646

COAST

II.

64,358

24,894

III.

28,750

10,754

V.

44,455

25,837

VI.

52,728

42,846

VII.

79,761

41,177

X.

20,766

16,645

Total

290,881

162,153

Percent deficiency in value calculated from 1646 data:

 

44.3

ALL REGIONS

1,442,270

1,159,587

Percent deficiency in value calculated from 1646 data:

19.6

 

TABLE 1.2, PART E

Towns on the 1646 List That Could Not Be Identified

Name

Population

Coatejo

316

Huchutlan

676

Tequiliac, San Mateo

691

Let us now examine this material in a somewhat different way, less bound to the exact format of these tables. We have already determined that the lag in recounts and reassessments of Indian tributes in the first decades of the seventeenth century indicates that data in the 1646 list really refer to an average date between 1620 and 1625. Accordingly, our references to data in the 1646 list should be given this placement in time. We have also discussed the problem of deficiency in the data of the 1646 list, both in terms of coverage of number of towns and coverage of aggregate population. We anticipated our finding, based upon regional examination, summarized in Table 1.2, part


100

C, that the data cover 75.9% of the aggregate population and constitute a very substantial sample.

Our reconstructed aggregate Indian population for the district of the royal treasury of Mexico City on the basis of data in the 1646 list is 702,929. This is an estimate and hardly exact to the last digit or even the last thousand. It should be compared to a value of 2,595,437 for the same area in 1568 and one of 1,442,270 in 1595. These values for 1568 and 1595 differ slightly from those we arrived at previously for a number of reasons: (1) The selection of data for comparison involves small differences which would result in insignificant variation in totals. One result here is that the total for 1595 is somewhat higher than our earlier one and may suggest a minor adjustment upward of that value in terms of the comparison with data from the 1646 list. (2) Perhaps the more important reason for difference is that our totals here do not cover territories in the Audiencia of Nueva Galicia which were parts of our Regions IX and X, including southern Sinaloa up to and just beyond the Culiacán Valley. To bring our 1620–1625 value to full comparability with our earlier estimate for 1568, we should adjust our total by adding 22,000 as a compromise value between 1620 and 1630 for Nueva Galicia exclusive of southern Sinaloa.[20] ) An adjustment for southern Sinaloa is much more difficult, since we have virtually no information on Indian population there for the seventeenth century. It functioned as an autonomous fiscal entity which reported merely totals to Guadalajara. We may guess from the data in the Suma de Visitas and the general course of Indian population in the Audiencia of Nueva Galicia that the Indian population of southern Sinaloa in the early decades of the seventeenth century fell below 10,000 and perhaps below 5,000. If we add 27,000 as an adjustment for all territories in Nueva Galicia, to bring our corrected aggregate total for Indian population in the Audiencia of Mexico in 1620–1625 to coverage of central Mexico, we cannot be far off the mark. The Indian population of central Mexico in 1620–1625, then, would be approximately 730,000. This value should be compared with our earlier values of 25.2 million for the same area in 1518, 2.65 million in 1568, and 1.375 million 1595. The decline was distinctly greater than we had previously thought.

[20] From our study of the population of west-central Mexico in Cook and Borah, Essays , I, chap. 5, esp. p. 310.


101

There was, of course, great regional variation in the extent of loss of population. Our segregation of regions by plateau and coasts gives evidence on climatic influence. We had previously determined that loss of population proceeded much more rapidly in coastal regions, that here population reached its nadir earlier than on the plateau, and that some measure of recovery started earlier.[21] Our comparison of data from the 1568 and 1646 lists confirms these determinations. (See Table 1.2, parts A–C.) Although the deficiency in reporting in the 1646 data is greater for the coasts than for the plateau, the large sample in the list indicates that the loss of population in coastal regions was less than in those on the plateau. Our test for significance of the difference gives a value of t that is far beyond the 1% level of probability; that is, the chance that the difference arises from mere random variation of the data is much less than 1%.

One further point remains to be discussed here. Does the average date 1620–1625 come close to the low point of Indian population in central Mexico? Most scholars, except for the increasingly fewer ones who insist in the teeth of all evidence that there was no decline, have found the turning point somewhere between 1610 and 1650. In the first decade of the seventeenth century, population loss was still going on. Shortly after the midcentury, the Spanish authorities began to recount Indian towns and found population increase. Obviously, the low point and beginnings of increase of population must have taken place at different times and perhaps in somewhat different circumstances in various regions. In addition, the years between the birth of more Indians and their reaching tributary status, plus the normal lag in royal fiscal awareness of the change and consequent move to reassessment of tributes, would mean some lapse of time before fiscal material would reflect the new state of affairs. Our study of the Mixteca Alta suggested that the turning point came about 1620. In terms of the evidence now available to us, we cannot be sure that 1620–1625 should be taken as the exact low point of all Indian population in the Audiencia of Mexico, but in the present state of our knowledge, it is close enough to the low point to serve—i.e., again a

[21] Cook and Borah, The Indian Population of Central Mexico, 1531–1610 , pp. 49–56; Cook and Borah, "Quelle fut la stratification sociale au centre du Mexique durante la premiere moitié du XVIe siècle?," pp. 238–241; Cook and Borah, "On the Credibility of Contemporary Testimony on the Population of Mexico in the Sixteenth Century," pp. 235–237; Cook and Borah, Essays , I, pp. 79–118.


102

reasonable compromise date in what must have been considerable regional variation involving a small span of years in either direction. We conclude, then, that the Indian population of central Mexico, under the impact of factors unleashed by the coming of the Europeans, fell by 1620–1625 to a low of approximately 3% of its size at the time that the Europeans first landed on the shore of Veracruz.

3—
The Royal Revenues

When we turn from Indian population to royal revenues, the information in the report of 1646 deals directly with that year or a short term of years immediately preceding 1646. The report is one of a long series of similar documents, prepared at irregular intervals during the three centuries of the colonial administration, to give an idea of the yield of the royal revenues. It is a tanteo , a trial balance or estimate, in this instance a mixture of information on theoretical yield of some taxes, such as the bulls of the Holy Crusade, and of actual yield for others, especially those which in part or in whole were leased out to cities or farmed to private collectors and so called for fixed yield. It is striking testimony of the disorder in the royal treasury at the time, that the visitador-general should be unable quickly to get exact information on the nature and yield of taxes from the central fiscal agencies in Mexico City.

Let us start not with yield but with the system of Indian tributes: obligation to pay, assessments, kind of payment, and cession of the royal right to receive tribute to Spaniards through encomiendas. From the middle of the sixteenth century, there was a steady move toward extinction of encomiendas as such grants passed through a third life and reverted to the Crown. By the time of the encomenderos' petition to the Crown in 1597–98, approximately two-thirds of the towns in the Audiencia of Mexico were in the Crown, either through original retention or reversion.[22] By 1646 almost all of the original

[22] In the famous petition of encomenderos of 1597–98 and the legal proceedings carried out in support of it, the encomenderos declared that the proportion of privately held encomiendas still in existence at that time was less than one-quarter. A count of the certified statement of towns still in encomienda gives approximately 463 towns and fractions of towns, or approximately one-third. Francisco del Paso y Troncoso, comp., Epistolario de Nueva España, 1505–1818 , XIII, pp. 3–165, passim .


103

grants for three lives should have run out, since it would require three long-lived males with unusually wide spacing between generations to have held an encomienda for more than a century. On the other hand, a few of the grants, such as the very substantial one to the Cortés family, would not lapse, since they were in perpetuity. Furthermore, the Crown did make further grants, despite a general policy of letting encomiendas lapse, although the later grants were most often pension arrangements secured upon the tributes of specific towns. Some of the new grants were for one or more lives; some were in perpetuity.[23] The report of 1646 shows the interaction of these counterbalancing tendencies. It lists, after elimination of duplicate entries, approximately 871 entities. (We deal here with the listings of 1646, which in many instances divide entities as they existed in 1568. We have had to recombine them for our earlier section on Indian population.) There were 202 towns still held by encomenderos in their entirety, and 32 whose tributes were divided between the Crown and an encomendero. Encomienda then affected 234 entities listed in the report, that is, 26.8%. If the towns omitted from the report were entirely in the Crown, adjustment for omission at maximum would require reducing this value to perhaps 18% as the proportion of towns and other entities still paying tribute to encomenderos through old or new grants. Attrition since 1597 then had reduced the former proportion of one-third by nearly half.[24]

The tribute reform of the middle of the sixteenth century, implemented town by town in a steady series of reassessments, removed exemptions from obligation to pay and imposed a standard definition of tributary and half-tributary. There is no reason to think that these changes, which were fully implemented, changed in any significant way until the middle of the eighteenth century, when unmarried and widowed women were freed from payment of half-tribute. The mid-sixteenth-century reform also began to move assessments toward a standard quota, one silver peso of eight reales and half a fanega of maize as the ordinary tribute. It was supplemented by the half peso of

[23] These matters are treated at considerable length in Lesley Byrd Simpson, The Encomienda in New Spain , chaps. 11 and 12, and Silvio A. Zavala, La encomienda indiana, passim .

[24] A comparison of the number of towns in encomienda in 1646 with that of 1597 yields the same proportion.


104

real servicio instituted in the 1590's, payable by all Indian tributaries whether in royal towns or encomienda.[25] We have ignored the real servicio in this discussion, because it was collected uniformly with perhaps two exceptions.[26]

Movement toward a standard quota per tributary was hampered by the fact that not all Indian towns were able to pay in money and maize and that the commodities in which they could pay were not as yet easily convertible to money by them. Accordingly, many towns continued to be assessed in local products, usually cloth, clothing, and cacao, occasionally more unusual products such as salt or wheat. As access to Spanish markets and the money economy increased, payment in all kinds of products also increasingly became commuted to coin, usually at the average the tribute had sold at in the preceding three or five years.[27] That change introduced new elements of variation, for over the years the rise in prices affected different commodities at varying rates, and the towns which earlier had managed to commute their commodity payments to coin found themselves at an advantage compared to those which did so later. In the years from 1627 to 1631, the royal treasury finally set commutation rates for the two major tribute commodities at 9 reales the fanega for maize and 9 reales the pierna for cloth. That remained the rate despite later fluctuations of prices.[28] Most towns listed in the 1646 report as delivering maize probably paid in coin, for the report indicates that all maize was converted to money at the commutation rate. However, towns which had commuted their maize at an earlier date and lower rate, if the assessment had been changed to coin, continued to pay at the lower rate. Even at the end of the eighteenth century, differences in commutation rates continued to keep tributes, by then almost all paid in coin, from being uniform.29 Towns assessed in textiles continued to deliver products after 1631 despite the permission to commute, for the report of 1646 explicitly declares that no estimate of yield could be made, since tribute cloth and clothing were sold at public auction for varying prices.

[25] Cook and Borah, Essays , I, pp. 19–22.

[26] See below.

[27] See the discussion for the sixteenth century in Borah and Cook, Price Trends of Some Basic Commodities in Central Mexico, 1531–1570 , pp. 5–7 and 18–22.

[28] Cook and Borah, Essays , I, p. 20; Fabian de Fonseca and Carlos de Urrutia, Historia general de real hacienda , I, p. 422.

[29] Fonseca and Urrutia, I, table between pp. 450–451.


105

The extent to which tribute quotas had moved toward the standard assessment by the 1640's may be gauged from the 1646 report. Of 669 entities held in whole or in part by the Crown, 269, or 40.2%, varied from the standard of one silver peso and a half fanega of maize, or the money equivalent of 1/2/6. Accordingly, approximately 60% were at the standard. Our data cover only Crown towns or fractions thereof and do not touch towns entirely in encomienda. Neither can they give information on the very substantial number of towns omitted from the report. Clearly the movement toward a standard quota went somewhat more slowly than studies to date have supposed, and by the end of the sixteenth century came to a halt. It was resumed in the later seventeenth century, but the vagaries of commutation prevented adoption of a uniform tribute in money.

In Table 1.3 we list by region all of the royal towns, or fractions of towns, in the 1646 report that varied from the standard quota per tributary, either one peso and a half fanega of maize or the equivalent in money at the 1627–1631 commutation rate of 9 reales the fanega. The lowest quotas, and the greatest departures from the standard, involved Tlaxcala, Analco, and the two frontier towns. The province of Tlaxcala paid only one-half fanega of maize per tributary as a special royal favor for its services to Cortés and the Spaniards in the Conquest. Analco (Region V) paid only real servicio:

La prouinçia de çapotecas que cuyo suge to es el pu [ebl] o de analco esta reseruado de la paga del tributo y deue por El Seruy [ci] o R [ea] 1 veynte y dos pessos y quatro tom [ine] s por quarenta y çinco tributarios.

(The province of Zapotecas, of which the town of Analco is a dependency, is exempt from tribute and owes for real servicio 22/4 for 45 tributaries.)

Since the other towns of the Zapotecas all paid tribute, this statement and arrangement are both puzzling. The exemption was probably a remnant of a once much wider one which through negligence or difficulty in bringing the town to pay had been allowed to continue.

The two frontier towns, Tancajual and Tanleón in the Huaxteca (Region II), paid respectively totals of 20/ and 15/ because they were on the Chichimec frontier. Those sums included whatever was given on account of real servicio as well.

Much of the variation revealed in Table 1.3 can be ascribed to small adjustments made as compensation for sterility or unusu-


106

ally favorable fertility of land. Thus a number of towns paid at the rate of one peso per tributary without maize, or paid a lower quota in money but more maize, the latter kind of adjustment being particularly prominent in the Chalco district, one of the granaries of Mexico City, where the local quota was 0/6 and one fanega of maize. The Indian suburbs of Mexico City represent another kind of adjustment, since they paid only 1/0 on the ground that they were held to provide special services in the city.[30] It is also true that they raised relatively little maize. Still other towns with quotas ranging from 1/1 to 1/2 without maize probably represent towns that took early advantage of the possibility of commuting commodity payment to coin, that is, they did so when the commutation value of maize was lower. In the instance of Tehuantepec (Region VI), where the commutation of maize took place at different times for two separate fractions of the town, commutation at different rates meant different quotas per tributary within the same town. The heaviest impact of commutation upon tributary quota came in Huapanapa (Region IV), where an original quota of 0/2 and a pound of cochineal became 1/7/4 upon commutation of the cochineal. Tribute quotas calling for delivery of wheat, still not commuted in 1646, were likely to follow a similar course.[31]

[30] See the assessment of Santiago Tlaltelolco, 7 September 1565, in Mexico, AGN, El libro de las tasaciones , pp. 515–516.

[31] Borah and Cook, Price Trends , p. 18.Gastos y alimentación de un ejército en el siglo XVI según un presupuesto de la época , and the long series of studies published in Annales: Economies, sociétés, civilisations , frequently under the heading "Vie matérielle et comportements biologiques." See, for example, the articles in the bibliography by Frank Spooner, Frederick C. Lane, Jean-Jacques Hémardinquer, Michel Morineau, J.-P. Filippini, and B. Bennassar and J. Goy, eds. See also José Gentil Da Silva, Desarrollo ecónomico, subsistencia y decadencia en España , pp. 17–63; and Fernand Braudel, Civilisation matérielle et capitalisme (XV XVIII siecles), esp. pp. 97 et seq . Most of these studies are based on the records of formal provision for soldiers, sailors, people in charitable institutions, and wealthy families. The mass of the population, and especially the lower levels, had far less available. Braudel suggests 2,000 kilocalories a day as a fair estimate for the mass of the European population.

 

TABLE 1.3

Towns with Tribute Quotas Departing from the Standard

REGION I

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Ajuchitlán

Gro.

1/0 + 10 alm m

Amecameca

Mex.

0/6 + 1 fm

Chalco dis.

Atlatlahuacán

Mor.

1/0 + 2 p de huipil

Atlatlahuca

Mex.

0/4 + 1 fm

Atzala

Pue.

0/6

Ayotzingo

Mex.

0/6 + 1 fm

Chalco dis.

Chiautla

Pue.

1/2


107
 

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Chimalhuacán

Mex.

0/6 + 1 fm – near

Chalco dis.

Chinantla

Pue.

2,500 cacao beans

Cuautzotzongo

Mex.

0/6 + 1 fm

Chalco dis.

Cuilucan

Pue.

0/1

Huatlatlauca

Pue.

1/2

Huayacocotla, Zontecomatlána

Ver.

6 v cotton cloth

Tlachichilco, Ixcuincuitlapilco

Hid.

1/2

Ixmiquilpanb

Hid.

0/5/2 1/4 + 5 7/10 alm w

Ixtapan de la Sal

Mex.

1/0 + 1 pilón salt

Ixtepec

Pue.

0/2 + 1 1/2 p de m

Ixtlahuaca

Mex.

0/6 + 1/2 fm

Jalatlaco

Mex.

0/1

Jilotepec de Abasoloc

Mex.

 

Jonotla

Pue.

0/2 + 1 p de m (= 5 v)

Malila

Hid.

1 1/4 p de m (1 p de m = 4 1/3 or 4 3/8 v)

Mexicalcingo

D.F.

1/2

México, Parcialidad of San Juan

D.F.

1/0

Molango

Hid.

1 1/4 p de m (1 p de m = 4 1/3 or 4 3/8 v)

Puebla, Barrios of

Pue.

1/2

Tenango and Ayapango

Mex.

0/6 + 1 fm

Chalco dis.

Teotenangod

Mex.

0/6 + 1 fm

Teotlalpa

Hid.

1 1/4 p de m

Tepeji de la Seda

Pue.

1/0

Tlalmanalco and Chalco Atengo

Mex.

0/6 + 1 fm

Chalco dis.

Tlatelolco, Santiago

D.F.

1/0

Tlatzintlae

Hid.

0/6/8 1/5 + 2 5/8 alm w

Tlaxcala, province

Tlax.

1/2 fm

Tlayacapan

Mor.

1/0 + 2 p de huipil

Totolapa

Mor.

1/0 + 2 p de huipil

Xochiaca

Mex.

0/4 + 1 fm

Xochicuautla

Mor.

1 1/4 p de m (6 1/4 v)

Yahualica

Hid.

1 1/3 p de m

Zumpango

Gro.

0/6 + 1/2 fm


108
 

TABLE 1.3, REGION II

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Alcececa

Ver.

1/0

Atlán

Ver.

2 p de m

Chalchitlán

Ver.

1 p de m

Huejutla

Hid.

1/4 p de m

New

Maguayos

Ver.

1 fm

Mecatlán

Ver.

1 p de m

Metateyuca

Ver.

1 p de m

Nexpa

Hid.

0/6

Tamohi (Tamuín)

SLP

0/6

Tampamolón

SLP

0/6

Tanboate

SLP

1 fm

frontier

Tancalicoche

SLP ?

1 fm

frontier

Tancajualf

SLP

 

Tanchinamol

Ver.

1 p de m (5 v)

Tancuayalab

SLP

0/6

Tancuiname

Ver.

1 fm

Tanleónf

SLP

 

Tempoal

Ver.

0/6

Tesontlal

Ver. ?

1 p de m (5 v)

Tezapotitlán

Ver.

2 p de m

Tlacolula de los Maguayos

Ver.

0/6

Tlacuilola de Busto

Ver.

0/6

Tlalchicuautla

Ver.

1 p de m

Tlamintla en las Loxas

Ver.

0/6

Zozocolco and Tonatico

Ver.

0/3 + 1 fm

TABLE 1.3, REGION IIA

Actopan

Ver.

1/2

Almolonga

Ver.

1/0

Chicocentepec

Ver.

1/2

Chiconquiauco and Miahuatlán

Ver.

1/2

Chiltoyac

Ver.

1/0

Jalapa, provinceg

Ver.

1/0 + 4 1/3 alm m

Papalote

Ver.

1/0

Tlacotepec, San Martín

Ver.

1/2


109
 

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Tlateca

Ver.

1/2

Zempoala

Ver.

1/2

TABLE 1.3, REGION III

Acalapa

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Acayucan

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Agualulco

Tab.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Amatlánh

Ver.

0/2/7 + 7/8 p de m

Atecolotepeque

Oax. ?

0/6 + 1/2 fm

Atoco

Tab.

1,450 cacao beans

Ayautla

Oax.

0/1

Chicoacán

Tab.

1,600 cacao beans + 1 fm

Chiltepec

Oax.

0/6 + 1/2 fm

Cihuatláni

Ver.

1,689 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Chilapa

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Chinameca

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Cosamaloapan

Ver.

1/0

Cuitlatlán

Ver. ?

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Goatzoyulapa (Guazuilapa)

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Huatzpaltepec

Oax.

1,000 cacao beans

Hueilutla

Ver.

1,375 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Hueytlán

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Jotlapa

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Macayapa

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Mecatepec

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Miezapa, San Francisco

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Michoacán

Tab. ?

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Minzapa, Santiago

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Moloacán

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Ocoapa

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Ojitlán

Oax.

1/2

Oteapa

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Ostotitlán

Tab.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Otiliacac

Tab.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Ozolotepec

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm


110
 

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Puctla (Acula)

Ver.

3 p de nagua (4 p to 1 nagua) + 3/4 fm

Putlancingo

Oax.

1/2

Tapalan

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Tenango

Oax.

1/2

Tenantitlán

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Teotalco

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Teotalco

Ver.

1/2

Tepeapa

Oax.

1/2

Tequipac

Tab. ?

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Tequistepec

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Teutalco

Tab. ?

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Tuxtepec

Oax.

0/6 + 1/2 fm

Uliacán

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Zayultepec

Ver.

1,600 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

TABLE 1.3, REGION IV

Amatlán

Oax.

1/1

Amoltepec

Oax.

1/0

Coyotepec

Oax.

1/1

Cuautitlán

Oax.

1/2/2 1/2

Elotepec

Oax.

1/1

Estetla

Oax.

1/1

Huajolotitlán (Peñoles)

Oax.

1/1

Huautla

Oax.

1/0

Huapanapa

Oax.

0/2 + 1 1b. cochineal,

Ixcuintepec

Oax.

1/1

Ixtepec

Oax.

1/2

Malinaltepec

Oax.

1/0 + 1/4 fm

Mitlantongo, Stgo. and Sta. Cruz

Oax.

1/2

Suchitepec

Oax.

1/2

Tenatepec

Oax.

1/0

Tepeucila

Oax.

1/0

Tequecistepec

Oax.

1/2

Tequixtepec

Oax.

1/2


111
 

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Tilantongo

Oax.

1/2

Totomachapa

Oax.

0/6 + 1 fm

Tuchitlapilco

Oax.

1/1/8 4/5

Tutla

Oax.

1/2

Tututepetongo

Oax.

1/0

Zoyatepec

Oax.

1/0

TABLE 1.3, REGION V

Amaltepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Analco

Oax.

Only servicio real but RC

Ayacastepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Cacalotepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Camotlán

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Camotlán

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Chimaltepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Choapan

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Coatlán

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Comaltepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Huayatepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Huazcomaltepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Huitepec

Oax.

5 v ropa + 1/2 fm

Huixtepec

Oax.

0/6 + 1/2 fm

Ixcuintepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Jaltepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Lahoya

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Lalana

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Lalopa

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Lobani

Oax.

2 1/2 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Macihuixi

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Malacatepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Malinaltepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Metepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Mixitlán

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Manacatepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Pazoltepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm


112
 

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Petlalcatepec

Oax.

0/6 + 1/2 fm

Petlapa

Oax.

2 1/2 v cotton cloth + 1/4 fm

Quezalapa

Oax.

1/0 + 2 petates

Quiauecuça

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Quilacohe

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Suchitepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tagui and Lazagaya

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tagui

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tava

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Teococuilco

Oax.

0/6

Teotalcingo

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tepetotutla

Oax.

1 p de m

Teotlaxco

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tetepetongo

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tianguillo Achate

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tiçatepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tiltepec

Oax.

2 1/2 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tlacatepec

Oax.

1/0

Tlacoatzintepec

Oax.

1/0 + 2 petates

Tonacayotepec (S. Bartolomé Yautepec)

Oax.

1/0

Tonaguía

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Totontepec

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Usila

Oax.

1/2

Xareta

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Xossa

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yacoche

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yagalaci

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yagavila

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yagayo

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yatao

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yatobe

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yatzilan

Oax.

2 1/2 v cotton cloth + 1/4 fm

Yavago

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Yaxila

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Zapotequilla

Oax.

5 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm


113
 

TABLE 1.3, REGION VI

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Ayutla

Oax.

1/0

Huamelula

Oax.

1/0

Huatulco

Oax.

1/0

Jicayán

Oax.

970 cacao beans

Pinotepa (Nacional)g

Oax.

811 cacao beans

Pochutla

Oax.

1/0

Potutla

Oax.

1/0

Tecpa (Teipa)

Oax.

0/6

Tehuantepech

Oax.

( 1/3/6
( 1/2

Tetepec

Oax.

0/6 + 1/2 fm

Tlacolula

Oax.

0/6

Totoltepec

Oax.

1/0

Xilotepequillo

Oax.

0/6

Yautepec

Oax.

1/0

TABLE 1.3, REGION VII

Acamalutla

Gro.

2,600 cacao beans

Acapulco

Gro.

2,800 cacao beans

Anacuilco

Gro.

1/2

Arimao

Mich.

1/2

Ayacapal

Gro.

2,600 cacao beans

Citlala

Gro.

2,600 cacao beans

Copalitas

Gro.

1/0

Coyuca (de Benítez)

Gro.

2,600 cacao beans

Coyucan, Huatlalutla, Coahualutla, Pustlan

Gro.

1 p de m + 1/2 fm

Cuitlatenamic

Gro.

1/2

Lacoaba

Mich.

1 p de m + 1/2 fm

Pochotitlán

Gro.

1,600 cacao beans

Pustlán

Gro.

1 p de m + 1/2 fm

Tixtlancingo and Sotlavista

Gro.

2,600 cacao beans

Xaltianguis

Gro.

2,600 cacao beans

Xocutla

Gro.

1,600 cacao beans

Zitlaltomagua

Gro.

1,600 cacao beans


114
 

TABLE 1.3, REGION VIII

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Zinagua

Mich.

1/2

TABLE 1.3, REGION IX

Etzatlán

Jal.

0/6 + 1 fm

Jilotlán

Jal.

1 p de m + 1/2 fm

TABLE 1.3, REGION X

Acatlán

Col.

3 p de m + 1/2 fm [sic]

Ahuacatitlán

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Aquila

Mich.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Atliacapan

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Chiametla

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Chiamila

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Cinacamitlán

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Coatlán

Col.

2 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Cuzalapa

Jal.

1 p de m + 1/2 fm

Ixtlahuacán

Col.

2 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Juluapan

Col.

0/6/1 1/2 + 1/2 fm

Malacatlán

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Maquili

Mich.

1,200 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Motín

Mich.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Nahuala (Nagualapa)

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Papatlán

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Quezalapa

Col.

1 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm [sic]

Salagua

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tecociapa

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tecolapa and Caxitlán

Col.

1,200 cacao beans + 1/2 fm

Tepetitango

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tepetlica

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tlaquaban

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Totolmoya

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Tototlán

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Xiloteupa

Col.

2 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Zapotlanejo

Col.

2 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm


115
 

Town

Loc.

Assessment per t
(less servicio real)

Zoquimatlán

Col.

3 v cotton cloth + 1/2 fm

Zumpamanique

Col.

0/6 + 1/2 fm

NOTES TO TABLE 1.3

a Huayacocotla, etc.: The text and accompanying table of the list do not agree. The text states 10 cargas of mantas, 503 piernas, 2 varas (manta is 4 p of 5 v) for 719 1/2 t. That works out to 9.058 v per t. The table gives 4,317 v, which works out to exactly 6 v per t.

b Ixmiquilpan: 694 t pay 455/ o. c. and 330 f w. The quotas shown here are as close as one can come since the global figure does not work out to an exact quota per t, within usual units and fractions of units.

c Jilotepec de Abasolo: 1,456 t, divided between the Crown and an encomendero, yield the royal treasury 1,009/1/4 o. c., 420 f 3 alm m, and 728/ real servicio. The best explanation is that the encomendero had 615 1/2 t, and the rate of assessment was 0/7 + 1/2 f m. The fit in silver is slightly off.

d Teotenango: The quota in the report is 0/3 + 1/2 f m but this is actually the royal share since the town was half in the Crown and half in encomienda. Gerhard, p. 271.

e Tlatzintla: 74 1/2 t pay 62/6 + 16 f 3 alm w. The global figures do not work out to an exact quota per t in normal units and fractions.

f Tancajual and Tanleón: Tancajual pays a total of 20/; Tanleón, 15/. The list states that there are no formal assessments, for both are "frontera de chichimecas ."

g Jalapa, province: The total for the province works out to this average per t. On the other hand, statements for individual towns show a standard quota. Since the sum for the towns reported is less than the total for the province, the most likely explanation is a smaller quota of maize or none at all for one or more towns not reported individually but included in the total for the province.

h Amatlán: 54 t pay 17/3/4 o. c. + 17 mantas 2 p 1 1/3 v (4 p to 1 manta). These figures cannot be brought to an exact fit.

i Cihuatlán: 9 t pay 15,200 cacao beans + 4 1/2 f m. The fit for the cacao is not exact since 1 t pays 1,688.89 cacao beans.

j Pinotepa: 90 t pay 3 cargas 1,000 cacao beans (73,000). This works out to 811.11 cacao beans per t.

k Tehuantepec: 1,843 1/2 t pay 1/3/6; 274 1/2 t pay 1/2. The difference is in the rate of commutation of maize.

Abbreviations and symbols:

alm

almud

f

fanega

m

maize

o. c.

oro común

p

pierna

p de m

pierna de manta

t

tributary

v

vara

w

wheat


116

Inspection of Table 1.3 suggests that implementation of the standard quota was linked rather directly to altitude and its concomitant climate, that is, towns on the plateau were most likely to have been brought to or close to the proposed norm, whereas towns at lower elevations on the coasts or intermediate zone were more likely to be assessed in cotton cloth of various kinds, cotton clothing, and in cacao. Thus Regions III, V, VII, and X had both the highest proportion of variation from the standard quota as well as the highest proportion of quotas in cloth or cacao. Region V, the Zapotecas, was the most prominent in these respects. There tended to be variations in the quotas in cloth and cacao, largely by district and probably based upon quality, capacity to produce, and perhaps accessibility. In Region V the unusually inaccessible area of the Huatenicamanes had a tributary quota of 2 1/2 varas of cloth and 1/4 fanegas of maize, in general half that of the other towns of the region. Since a pierna of cotton cloth, that is, a strip woven on a backstrap loom, most often of 5 varas, was worth 9 reales under the commutation circular of 1631, many of the quotas in cloth came close to the value of the standard assessment.

Variations in quality alone probably will not explain differences in the quotas of cacao, although cacao did come in different grades. In Regions VI and VII, the range of variation in quota was from 2800 beans per tributary through 2600, 1600, and down to 970 and 811. The last, the quota for Pinotepa del Rey, now Pinotepa Nacional, is not exact, since the total tribute divided by the number of tributaries does not come to an exact number of cacao beans. The assessment must have been by global amount. At the standard sixteenth-century long-term wholesale price for cacao, 20/ the carga of 24,000 beans, a quota for 1600 beans had a money value of 1/3 in Mexico City.

Let us turn now to the yield to the royal treasury, and examine the curious mixture of theoretical amount and actual collection in the report of 1646. We have tabulated the sums and amounts given in the report in Tables 1.4A and 1.4B, adjusting the way amounts are listed to reflect somewhat more orderly categories than were customary in seventeenth-century fiscal accounts. One difficulty that there is no way of handling without detailed knowledge of the accounts lies in the reporting of some royal revenue by subtreasury, those of San Luis Potosí


117

and Veracruz, with specification only of what taxes were not covered. Presumably all others for those districts are grouped under the global amounts, but probably the sums represent primarily one tax. Thus, the total for the subtreasury of Veracruz is largely or entirely almojarifazgo (customs revenue), and that for the subtreasury of San Luis Potosí the royal taxes on mined silver and other specie.

We have organized our presentation to show by column the gross revenue, the amount entering the general revenues of the Crown, and the amount earmarked for special application. The important special applications were the diversion of money and maize from tributes for the stipends of doctrineros and the application of new taxes and parts of old to maintain the Armada de Barlovento , a permanent fleet created to deal with the menace of corsairs, pirates, and foreign forces in the Caribbean. The last columns in the table are there because of the fortunate circumstance that when Fonseca and Urrutia prepared a history of the royal treasury for Viceroy Revillagigedo II in 1790–91, they attempted to calculate the average yield of many taxes in the past from the records in the viceregal treasury. In each case they calculated decennial collections and the average for the ten-year period, their decades coinciding with the standard ones of the calendar. Accordingly, we have a means of verifying for some of the revenues the actual average annual collections, as far as Fonseca and Urrutia were able to locate records.

Indian tributes, because of the more intricate nature of the sums and items entering the ramo , are further analyzed in Table 1.4B. The clerks who prepared the report of 1646 counted 160,948 1/2 t, and listed a total yield in coin of 190,522/4/6. In that sum were the payments in coin for the ordinary tribute, the amounts realized from maize and items commuted to coin, and the real servicio. We should note further that already deducted from the maize before calculating its money value at the standard commutation rate were the tithe, a proper charge before calculating treasury yield, and the stipend in maize delivered to the doctrineros, some 9,737 fanegas 10 almudes, worth 10,954/7/8. The clerks did not convert to money value nor estimate the yield in coin of the very substantial quantities of cloth received as tribute nor such relatively minor items as clothing, cacao, wheat, and salt. Their explanation was that


118
 

TABLE 1.4A

Royal Revenues in the Audiencia of Mexico, 1646 (in silver pesos)

Tax or Royal Monopoly

Total

Royal Share

Special Application

Fonseca & Urrutia

Calculation

Reference

Alcabala (Sales Tax) 6%
Mexico City –farm to city to end of 1646

254,800

194,800

60,000

Armada de Barlovento

   

Puebla –farm to city to end of 1646; includes Amozoc

53,300

39,150

14,150

Armada de Barlovento

   

Veracruz –farm

21,500

14,333/2/8

7,166/5/4

Armada de Barlovento

   

San Luis Potosí –farm

8,500

5,666/5/4

2,833/2/8

Armada de Barlovento

   

Carrión, Valley of Atlixco, Tuchimilco –farm

7,700

5,133/2/8

2,566/5/4

Armada de Barlovento

   

Jacona and Zamora –farm

270

180

90

Armada de Barlovento

   

Remainder of Audiencia collected by alcaldes mayores

ca. 60,000

40,000

20,000

Armada de Barlovento

   

Subtotal

406,070

299,263/2/8

106,806/5/4

Armada de Barlovento

266,039

2:93

Zacatecasa (19–20,000)

[ 19,500

19,500 ]

 

Guadalajaraa

[ 4,800

4,800 ]

 

Total Alcabala

[ 430,370

323,563/2/8 ]

 

119
 

Tax or Royal Monopoly

Total

Royal Share

Special Application

Fonseca & Urrutia

Calculation

Reference

Salt Deposits of Peñol Blanco (28,000 f sold at 0/4)

14,000

 

14,000

Armada de Barlovento

   

Playing Cards –farmb

88,400

88,400

       

Gunpowder –farmc

12,200

12,200

       

Censos in favor of the Royal Treasury

1,400

 

1,400

Repair of Casas Reales

   

Pension paid by alguacil mayor of Mexico City

1,102/7/6

 

1,102/7/6

Desagüe and Armada

   

Indian Tributesd

190,522/4/6

170,301/4/2

20,221/0/4

Missionary Stipends

269,224

1:450

Tributes of Free Negroes and Mulattoes

2,600

2,600

       

Customs (Almojarifazgo) and Quinto on Silver –Caja de México

85,000

85,000

       

Taxes on Gold

1,000

1,000

       

Seigniorage

44,000

44,000

       

Bulls of the Crusade

150,000

150,000

       

Rental of the Casas Reales

740

740

       

120
 

Tax or Royal Monopoly

Total

Royal Share

Special Application

Fonseca & Urrutia

Calculation

Reference

Mesadas

1,300

1,300

       

Royal Dos Novenos of Tithes

31,000

31,000

       

Monopoly of Solimán (Mercury Chloride)

1,100

1,100

       

Monopoly of Alum

600

600

       

Tithes of Pánuco

4,000

4,000

       

Customs and Taxes on Freights and Avería of Ships in Philippine Trade

60,000

60,000

       

Customs of Huatulco

600

600

       

Media Anata

60,000

60,000

   

70,258

2:512

Monopoly of Mercurye

120,000

120,000

       

Tax of 25/ per Pipe of Wine

85,000

 

85,000

Armada de Barlovento

   

Caja of Veracruz, less Alcabala and 25/ per Pipe of Wine

89,000

89,000

       

121
 

Tax or Royal Monopoly

Total

Royal Share

Special Application

Fonseca & Urrutia

Calculation

Reference

Caja of San Luis Potosí, less Alcabala

120,000

120,000

       

Subtotal

1,569,635/4

1,341,104/6/10

228,530/5/2

     

Yield of Indian Tribute in Commodities

85,837/6

85,837/6

       

Total

1,655,473/2

1,426,942/4/10

       

122
 

TABLE 1.4B

Indian Tributes

 

Indian
Tribute Products

Rate of
Commutation

Money

160,948 1/2 t paid :

     

Basic tribute in coin

   

79,120/2/7

Real Servicio

   

80,474/2

Maizef

41,108:5 1/4 f

0/9 f

30,667/1/9

Cotton Clothg

917 car. 1 p 1–1/2 v

?

 

Huipilesh

1,003

?

 

Naguasi

51

?

 

Cacaoj

81 car. 11,125 beans

?

 

Wheatj

346:3 f

?

 

Petates

507

0/1

63/3

Saltj

85 pilones

?

 

Cohineal –yield

197/3/2

Total yield in money

190,522/4/6

Possible Yield of Commodities on Auction

Cloth

0/9 p

82,531/2/8

Huipiles

0/6 ea

752/2

Naguas

0/6 ea

38/2

Cacao

20/ car

1,629/2/4

Wheat

2/4 f

865/5

Salt

0/2 pilón

21/2

Total additional yield

85,837/6

NOTES TO TABLE 1.4

a In the Audiencia of Guadalajara, but administered by the viceroy. Since the list indicates no distribution or earmarking of part of this revenue for the Armada de Barlovento, the table carries the whole as going to the Crown without special application. However, it is almost certain that some part of the receipts went to the Armada de Barlovento, probably the third of outlying districts rather than the smaller fraction from Mexico City and Puebla.

b Monopoly was rented for 90,000/ but the tax farmer got 1,600/ a year.

c The monopoly was rented for 200 quintales of gunpowder and 3,000/. At 0/4 a pound the gunpowder brought 10,000/, which, with the money payment by the tax farmer, should be 13,000/, but the contract specified a net yield to the Crown of 12,200/.

d See Part B .


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e No real yield to the Crown since as much was spent on this as the amount collected.

f Maize: Total tribute

 

41,108:5 1/4 f

Tithe

4,110:10 1/4 f

 

Allowance to parish priests according to moderation by Gelves

9,737:10 f

13,848:8 1/4 f

Net maize of Crown

 

27,259:9 f

At commutation of 0/9 f

 

30,667/1/9

g Each carga was 20 mantas of 4 p of 5 v each, or 400 varas to the carga. Since there was as yet, according to the report, no commutation for these items, they were sold at auction. Prices varied greatly since quality varied widely. So the report cites merely the commodity. However, Fonseca and Urrutia (I,422) cite a circular of 1631 setting commutation at 0/9 the pierna.

h Each huipil is stated to have been 3 p even though at least one of the tribute schedules called for huipiles of 4 p. These were also sold at auction and reported in kind for the reasons set forth above.

i No statement of number of piernas; probably as in note h .

j Reported as a commodity with no indication of yield in money on auction.

these items were sold at public auction and varied so much in quality and in the prices bid from year to year that no exact figure could be given. Nevertheless, if we are to glean some idea of the state of the royal revenues, we must arrive at an idea of approximate value. So little is still known about prices in seventeenth-century Mexico that we are forced to guesses. We have used the standard conversion rate of 0/9 the pierna of cotton cloth set by treasury circular in 1631 as the best rate for the cloth. For clothing we have used 0/6 per item, on the theory that quotas per tributary attempted to come close to a standard of 1/2 or 1/2/6. Cacao we have valued at the later sixteenth-century long-term legal maximum of 20/ the carga of 24,000 beans. Wheat we have valued at 2/4 the fanega, on the basis of the trend line in our previous calculation of movement of tribute commodity prices.[32] That would mean a ratio of 20:9 between wheat and maize, so that we are probably low. Lastly, salt has been valued at 0/2 the cone on the same theory as clothing. On the basis of these estimates, the tribute commodities listed without calculation of yield in coin would have

[32] Ibid .


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been worth approximately 85,837/6, a considerable addition to the other tribute and the servicio real together. Since Fonseca and Urrutia found that collections in these years averaged 269,224/ annually for tributes of all kinds, our estimate may be near the mark.

The factors that have to be taken into account in examining yield from tributes are somewhat intricate: (1) The report of 1646 lists the tribute assessments, on which its calculations are based. (2) The proportion of omission in the report should be applied to arrive at the actual value of total assessments of Indian tribute at the time; that is, the totals of the report should be increased by perhaps a third. (3) The report does not take into account the substantial amount of arrears in payment of tribute. The statement in Fonseca and Urrutia relates to actual collections. Failure to pay in full was especially prominent in this period and may have led to global arrearages of nearly a third. Accordingly, it is possible to find a rough agreement among all of this testimony and calculation.

Fonseca and Urrutia included in their estimate of yield for tributes those of free people of color, the negros y mulatos libres . For this item the report of 1646 gives an estimate based on actual collections, 2600/. The yearly quota for this group of tributaries was set by Viceroy Enríquez in 1579, when the levy was instituted, at 2/ a married couple and 1/ for each unmarried or widowed adult male or female, effectively a quota of 1/ a year per adult.[33] In 1646 the population of color in the Audiencia of Mexico must have comprised approximately 50,000 persons.[34] We have no means of determining at this time the proportion of slaves, but it cannot have been much more than half. Of the free people of color, less than half at maximum would have been exempt from tribute as too young or too old. So there would be left at a minimum perhaps 12,500 adults subject to a quota of 1/ a year. The royal treasury collected from approximately a fifth of these. Two factors were operating: a proportion of exemption for militia service on the coasts, even at this early date, and, most important of all, very substantial evasion. In the degree of evasion from tribute, the Audiencia of Mexico shared the experience of other jurisdic-

[33] Fonseca and Urrutia, I, p. 418.

[34] See Cook and Borah, Essays , II, chap. 2, esp. table 2.1b.


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tions as fiscal agents attempted to enforce collection upon the free people of color.[35]

Simple inspection of Table 1.4A indicates that the tax yielding the most revenue was the alcabala. The estimate in the report is based upon actual yield, since most of the tax was leased to cities. Within the district of the Caja de México, the ordinary alcabala yielded 299,263/ and the extraordinary levy for the Armada de Barlovento another 106,806/. The calculations by Fonseca and Urrutia of average yield in the 1640's, probably to be equated with the ordinary tax, come only to 266,039/, a discrepancy of about 11%. The next largest yields were those of the taxes on silver and customs (almojarifazgo), which in the report of 1646 are somewhat difficult to disentangle since for the collections directly in the Caja de México the two items are lumped as a single amount and the subcajas are listed as to total yield without a breakdown. The total of the two sets of taxes comes to 399,600/. If we allocate all of the yield of San Luis Potosí to imposts on mining, all of that of Veracruz to customs, and divide the mixed item for the Caja de México equally, taxes on mining would come to perhaps 207,500/ and customs to 192,100/. The yield of both fell below that of tributes from Indians and pardos. Fifth in order of yield came the Bulls of the Crusade, which theoretically were worth 150,000/ a year to the royal treasury. The remaining items each fell below 100,000/ annually, ranging from the 88,400/ a year theoretically due from the monopoly of playing cards, farmed out to a private holder, to the small sums derived from rental of the royal houses in Mexico City (actually the rental of the ground floor for shops) and the royal monopolies of mercury, chloride (solimán ) and alum. The royal monopoly of mercury, carried in the report as worth 120,000/, involved an equal amount of expenditure for the royal treasury, since the Crown had to buy the mercury, transport it to Mexico, and then to the mines.

A substantial part of the royal revenue was specifically earmarked for the Armada de Barlovento, which constituted the overwhelming destination of earmarked revenue.[36] An addi-

[35] Cook and Borah, Essays , I, pp. 33–34; Borah, "Los tributos y su recaudación," p. 39.

[36] On the armada, see Fonseca and Urrutia, II, pp. 12–16 and 304–305; Palafox y Mendoza, Instrucción reservada, Bancroft Library, Mexican MS 162, ff. 16v–22v.


126

tional quota of 2%, added to the standard sales tax, and an additional impost of 25/ on each pipe of wine landed at Veracruz, yielded a theoretical 205,806/5/4 for the fleet plus its share of any surplus in the pension paid by the alguacil mayor of Mexico City that was not absorbed by the drainage of the Valley of Mexico.

The actual facts of collection and yield were somewhat different from the estimates in the report of 1646. The Fonseca and Urrutia calculations indicate that the collection of the ordinary alcabala ran perhaps 11% below the theoretical yield, although we cannot tell exactly where the discrepancy lay; tributes including yield from auctions were in reasonable agreement as to yield if one allows for arrears; and the yield of the third tax for which Fonseca and Urrutia give a calculation, the media anata (half of the first year's income of a new appointment), came to more than the estimate in the report of 1646. The worst discrepancies show up through the relación de mando prepared by Palafox. According to that report, the revenues earmarked for the Armada de Barlovento fell far short of raising the funds needed to maintain the fleet. When the armada was established, it had been estimated that an additional 2% of alcabala and 2 reales per pack of playing cards would raise 200,000/. The province of Yucatan was to contribute 40,000/ a year through a new levy of a tostón or half-peso per tributary, and the Audiencia of Guatemala was to raise 40,000/. The rise in alcabala indeed provided the sum envisaged, but it had never been possible to persuade the concessionnaire of the royal monopoly on playing cards to accept the new burden, and he was 500,000/ behind on the existing contract. The tax of a tostón in Yucatán had had to be abandoned; the Audiencia of Guatemala was able to contribute only 12,000/. At the time Palafox prepared his relación de mando , the sum of 200,000/ was urgently needed for the Armada de Barlovento merely to keep it in operation.[37]

Palafox reported great arrears and negligence everywhere in the collection and administration of the royal revenues. The administration of the Bulls of the Holy Crusade was 300,000/ behind; the miners of Zacatecas, which lay outside the district

[37] Palafox y Mendoza, ff. 16v–22v.


127

of the Caja de México, owed the royal treasury 600,000/, probably a mixture of arrears of payments for mercury and slowness in paying the tax on mined silver.[38] So the royal treasury in its sales of mercury was actually advancing credit to the miners through deliveries of mercury which the Crown had paid for. We know from other sources that the assessment and collection of Indian tributes was under an especially negligent and corrupt administration.

It is true that some ramos undoubtedly existing in the royal treasury at that time are not included in the report of 1646. A major one, stamped paper, recently instituted, was expressly excluded because it had not been in existence for three full years preceding the preparation of the report. Quitas y Nuevas Leyes , essentially the yield of encomiendas forfeit under the New Laws, was earmarked for the support of descendants of conquerors. It yielded small sums that may have been subsumed under tribute yield in the report of 1646. Penas de Cámara y Gastos de Justicia , the yield of fines and assessments for costs, probably had no surplus after charges, for from it were paid many costs of the courts and special grants. There should have been yield from other ramos such as Oficios Vendibles y Renunciables , the sale and transfer of office; licenses for slaughter of cattle and other livestock; goods confiscated as contraband; and the fees for Ventas, Composiciones y Confirmaciones de Tierras y Aguas , that is, the sums paid the Crown for grants of land and water or for issuing clear title to land and water in cases of clouded title or none at all. In addition, there were the payments for composiciones of all other kinds, the payments to the Crown for overlooking irregularities in status or violation of ordinances and laws. So there was royal revenue of varying but probably not substantial amounts that does not show up in the report of 1646.[39]

Nevertheless, there can be no doubt of the basic truth of Palafox's judgment. It may well be that the yield of the royal revenues did not meet the costs of royal government. Even less did it provide a surplus to be sent to Spain for a Crown perennially short of revenue and embroiled in the quagmire of

[38] Ibid ., ff. 40f–44f.

[39] These are ramos antedating 1646 but not listed in the report of 1646. See Fonseca and Urrutia, I–VI, passim .


128

European wars. It was not until the administration of Mancera (1664–1673) that a steady deficit in the treasury of the Audiencia of Mexico was brought to surplus.[40] The fiscal confusion of the mid-seventeenth century was so bad that there was substantial reform and overhaul in advance of the far-reaching changes of the eighteenth century.

[40] "Instrucción que de órden del Rey dió el virey de Méjico (D. Antonio Sebastian de Toledo, marqués de Mancéra) á su sucesor (el Excmo. Señor D. Pedro Nuño Colón, duque de Veraguas), 22 October 1673," in Colección de documentos inéditos para la historia de España , XXI, pp. 523–552.


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Chapter I— Royal Revenues and Indian Population in New Spain, ca. 1620-1646
 

Preferred Citation: Cook, Sherburne F., and Woodrow Borah Essays in Population History, Vol. III: Mexico and California. Berkeley:  University of California Press,  1971-1979. http://ark.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/ft5d5nb3d0/