A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies

In 1526 (actually 1528) a treaty between the Spanish and the Germans put the valuable region of Venezuela in German control. German merchants, “devils in human form” (96), were subsequently responsible for depopulating 400 leagues of land and annihilating 4 to 5 million. This equates to the destruction of “entire nations, and with these people have disappeared a multitude of languages” (97). These German merchants, a footnote tells us, are part of the Welser banking house of Augsburg, a prominent player in the slave trade.

Like in other regions, the king of Venezuela was captured and tortured for gold. Germans and Spanish also tortured and murdered civilians. As always, this was despite the natives’ hospitality and graciousness.

In another large province bordering the kingdom of Santa Marta, Europeans were hosted for some time by natives before building a stockade around them all. This was organized by the German governor, who ransomed each individual for gold. If any person was able to ransom themselves, the Europeans recaptured and ransomed them again. Other natives were forced to carry large loads in shackles inland to Peru, and if they died on the way were decapitated.

Eyewitnesses provided evidence of these events to a legal advisor, but no one was prosecuted; “[i]ndeed, the justices have proved unpardonably deaf” (100).