Le père las Casas

Bartolomé de Las Casas's 'A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies' is a scathing indictment of Spanish colonial policies and their brutal impact on the indigenous populations of the Americas. Written in 1542, the book vividly describes the atrocities committed by the conquistadors, including massacres, torture, and enslavement, portraying the indigenous people as innocent victims of Spanish greed and cruelty. Las Casas aimed to inform and shock the Spanish court, particularly Charles V, into enacting reforms and preventing further exploitation. The book contributed significantly to the 'Black Legend' of Spanish colonization. Its accounts of extreme violence and exploitation served to critique the moral justifications for empire.