Bartolomé de las Casas | Changing Your Mind | European History | Extra History

[@icthiolavarunt5363]

One thing I'd like to point out, not to Extra Credits crew, but to the audience, is that the Dominican friars are not from the Dominican republic, but a Catholic order popular here in Spain. Just an FYI.

[@martinconway8174]

Didnt know that, nice one

[@daviddavis4885]

I was thinking “no shit they’re Dominican, they’re in Dominica” lol

[@jemmytaveras]

It's the other way around the Dominican Republic is named after the Dominican Order.

[@colinsanders9397]

There was a Dominican Friar that taught my history class. He was a pretty cool dude.

[@DuranmanX]

The Dominican Republic was actually named Santo Domingo at the time

[@Eramiserasmus]

The challenges of moving the mountain, is that others will not try.

[@Matthew_Calmert]

That's a good quote

[@falnica]

where is the quote from?

[@SirSoliloquy]

Geez, I’m gonna have to remember that one

[@ghostofury9755]

im14andthisisdeep

[@ryang6865]

This is my life summed up in one sentence.

[@mkosmala1309]

One of the most important points Las Casas articulated: "Human rights must be universal, or else they are arbitrary." In other words, if we base our determination of who gets human rights on anything other than being a human organism, then that means that we are applying our personal biases to the application of rights, and we are all in danger of having our rights taken away by people in power. To protect my own rights, I must protect every human being's rights.

[@amerashi1111]

Freedom is just privilege extended unless everyone has it

[@alexs.5871]

You could extend that to sentient beings in general. In most western countries abusing or killing a dog or a cat will get you a fine or even jail time, while abusing and killing cows, pigs, etc. is a profession. (Almost) all animals are sentient (being able to feel emotions and pain). Dividing based on species can be argued to be just as arbitrary as dividing by ethnicity or gender.

[@jhutt8002]

@@alexs.5871 Killing a cat or dog is finable only if it's not your property. While it may sound ugly. That is how human society and life in general works. Good person takes care of his/her animals. But we can't start to treat animals like humans, or our society will literally fall apart. Also: Mistreatment of animals IS illegal at least in North Europe regardless of species. You'll get fined and lose right to own animals, if you do so.

[@alexs.5871]

@@jhutt8002 women used to be viewed as property. Slavery existed throughout the vast majority of human history. Don't act like society doesn't change, lol.

[@jhutt8002]

@@alexs.5871 Society can change, but we still have to abide the nature for our sustenance. It's not a choice, but necessity. When you farm a land, you use up the nutrients in the soil. There's only three ways to continue farming. 1) Leave the patch to forest (takes 80 years), and burn new forest to ground for new field. (VERY bad for environment) 2) Rotate edibles and grasses to let the fields rest, and use mined, factory produced industrial fertilizers to revitalize the growth. (Also bad, and need at least 30 % more farmland to account for resting furrows, than our current agriculture) 3) Previous,, but use otherwise useless grassfields for animal fodder, and fertilize with tbeir waste which greatly reduces, the need for industrial fertilizers destructive to environment. As a side extra, animal waste can, and is, also used to produce biofuels, before used as fertilizer. PS wild pigs are almost as destructive to environment as 17th century humans, and cows or sheep can't even survive in nature, but will die suffering and wholly disappear without being cared.

[@ArgentumFox]

I’m kind of disappointed on this one. The work done by Bartolomé de las Casas didn’t fell on deaf ears. His work, alongside the work of the school of Salamanca, eventually convinced the king to put an end to the encomienda system, and to establish a set of legal principles called “Derecho de Gentes” that is consider a precursor of human rights. Sadly, the king later failed to properly implement these reforms in the Americas, but that doesn’t detract from de las Casas success. That king by the way, was not other than Charles V of Habsburg, called Charles I in Spain.

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

He would not even be famous if he completely failed. Additionally he would not have had such powerful supporters if he has not been respected by some people in his time. Maybe Extra History wants to build an underdog narrative or explain why slavery didn’t just end in simplistic way representing the story this way but it’s not quite right.

[@leonzoful]

@@sarasamaletdin4574 de las Casas received the support of the empress, Charles' wife. Btw, Charles was Emperor and king.

[@toledochristianmatthew9919]

@@sarasamaletdin4574 I sometimes don't like how they present history like this. A lot of times they make up stuff like this to make the story sound cooler and relatable which ends up with them having to make another video to correct their mistakes.

[@johncao6516]

The fact that the debate returned "inconclusive" hinted that he at least moved some of the judges. But to be fair to EH, their job is to create an interesting narrative for the public, more as a gateway for people to find out more on their own. I have not heard about de las Casas before, and now I'm in a Wikipedia rabbit hole thanks to this video. I'd say they did a good job.

[@Danieleon12man]

They also didn't mention that the Sublimus Deus papal bull published in 1537 gave the argument that even the spaniards were pagans at some point of history and therefore natives too were fully rational human beings, giving them rights to own property and not being enslaved

[@a.h.tvideomapping4293]

Las Casas: “you go to hell if you don’t treat humans like humans” Literally everyone else: *n o*

[@mokka1115]

Still applies today

[@jacobv2172]

@@mokka1115 I getting a subtle feeling that's why EC made this video

[@mokka1115]

@@jacobv2172 me too

[@corneliali7747]

i don't think the majority of spaniards saw aboriginals as "human".

[@jokuvaan5175]

@@corneliali7747 Or rather they didn't want to see

[@Double_D__]

Despite his failings, Bartolome managed to do something that people nowadays grapple with and so often fail to do: see the wrongs you've committed and own up to them, and work to make things right. It's stories like these that remind me that regardless of who is in power or what twisted ideology is prevalent in the moment in history; all it takes is a single drop to start a ripple.

[@marloyorkrodriguez9975]

A lot of people never understood that concept of reflection, people want to damn each other for whatever wrongs they did for their whole lives, we all should be like Bartolome de las Casa, imperfect but willing to change ourselves for the better.

[@jamesanderson5465]

Literally Nestle...

[@doomdimensiondweller5627]

I don't like the way they talked about Bartolome. It feels like they are shaming him because he tried to do the right thing and didn't succeed. Suleiman the magnificent who was the Ottoman sultan at the time had slaves, millions of them yet he is considered a hero. So why do we consider Suleiman who had slaves and the power to free yet did nothing a hero and Bartolome who's acts helped so many people a villainy ? Applying contemporary morality to history is always messy but I don't see why the historical community shames people like Bartolome who tried to do the right thing and failed as opposed to people like Suleiman who did the wrong thing.

[@CarlosLopez-wb2qn]

A clarification for non-Spanish speaking people (Including the EC crew). In Spanish, you don´t "divide" long last names and remove the "de las" part when calling someone by their last name. He is either "Bartolomé de las Casas" or "de las Casas".... you never say just "las Casas", as seen several times in this video.

[@augustus4832]

Well, they also butchered the local pronunciations for the Three Kingdoms' videos.

[@Mo10tov]

So, Casas?

[@antonxuiz]

@@augustus4832 yeah but english and spanish are much closer than english and chinese

[@CarlosLopez-wb2qn]

@@Mo10tov Some people do have the last name "Casas"... but for others is "de las Casas".

[@antonxuiz]

@@Mo10tov the name literally means "Bartholomew of the Houses" so "of the Houses" or "Bartholomew of the Houses", not "the Houses", the same way no one would say "Bartholomew of".

[@cole4783]

Slave owner: “ i wont free my slaves” Las Casas: “Literally go to hell.” Champion

[@ThomasTubeHD]

Probably every Spanish slave owners Las Casas encountered has gone to hell, probably

[@hiimryan2388]

@@ThomasTubeHD no crap they gonna go to hell for murder

[@thethirdsicily4802]

@@ThomasTubeHD well depends o whether they repented of their sins or not.

[@georgesteele4838]

Correction: He really said "Use Africans instead."

[@juanramirezgonzalez2213]

Alarik vvas a Roman vassal slavik

[@FX434]

about him not being against conversion the man was a priest, and bishop that mean he really really believe in Christianity And if he cared about them of course he will want their souls to be saved and not go to hell

[@sarasamaletdin4574]

Agreed. If you really believe in something of course you want people to be saved and their lives here improved. And if conversion is a choice I don’t know why it’s an issue. Of course culture changes as a result but so would general education, trade, intermarriage and time in general.

[@aturchomicz821]

And with "On the Origin of Species" not being out for about 400 more years going Secular in these would be seen as absolute insanity...

[@mr.stargazer9835]

@@aturchomicz821 Plenty of people did, they where wrong then as well.

[@Bill_Garthright]

@@aturchomicz821 _And with "On the Origin of Species" not being out for about 400 more years going Secular in these would be seen as absolute insanity..._ Um,... say what? What does "On the Origin of Species" have to do with secular thinking? I really don't see any connection. And Thomas Paine, for example, died a half-century before that book was even published.

[@aturchomicz821]

@@mr.stargazer9835 lol no

[@napoleonibonaparte7198]

Fun Fact: Queen Isabela banned slavery. The implementation though, varied...

[@PlatinumAltaria]

Slavery wasn't allowed but serfdom was, which is a fairly minute difference.

[@PatrickWilliamsI]

Non-fun Fact: Slavery wasn't abolished in Spanish Colonies and Territories until 1811! This excepting Cuba which carried on their "merry way" until a Royal Decree of 1886". That's 2 years before Brazil. That means there were still survivors living in the 1960's and 70's. That's in my lifetime!

[@JuanGomez_rz]

Indian Law was known by the lack of implementation that their policies stated.

[@leonzoful]

@@PatrickWilliamsI yeah, like most Europeans did. In fact, many Anglo-Hispanic armadas were sent to patrol the west African coast to stop smuggling of Slaves to the US.

[@BothHands1]

always takes a woman to do a man's job properly. thank you queen isabela, you truly deserved your title, unlike the kings who came before you.

[@timmckee6340]

cool, its nice to hear about a guy who was generally concerned about the about the natives back then, granted Bartolomé de las Casas did help to create the African slave trade though to be fair he apparently regretted that too even writing. " I soon repented and judged myself guilty of ignorance. I came to realize that black slavery was as unjust as Indian slavery... and I was not sure that my ignorance and good faith would secure me in the eyes of God" For all his sins he (for the most part) at lest attempted to look at his fellowman as just that.

[@couragew6260]

I can’t say for sure, but I hope he’s gone to Heaven. True repentance is respected by God, so that’s an encouraging thought to have.

[@thethirdsicily4802]

@@couragew6260 According to the Catholic Church he is a "servant of God" which, unlike being a saint isn't total confirmation, but pretty likely

[@thirtyseconds2589]

@@thethirdsicily4802 he needs a miracle to be a Saint.

[@thethirdsicily4802]

@@thirtyseconds2589 oh I know. I was just saying that someone being a servant of God gives us a pretty good idea of where they are rn

[@thirtyseconds2589]

@@thethirdsicily4802 Dont worry my friend, i understand that, i just want to make that point.

[@AzureIV]

The fact that he spent more than half his life in atonement says a lot about his character. Sure, he once was a slave owner and all that, but I think his good deeds far outweigh his sins.

[@soddymilkkk]

Yeah true but he still enslaved people at a point

[@giacomoromano8842]

​@@soddymilkkk If purgatory is a thing, we are all going to go through it at one point, you, me, everyone, no man is a saint and even saint sinned, so... yeah, i am sure he will repent those sins though.

[@AndrewJohnson-oy8oj]

Congratulations, you now understand vegans.

[@Livingdiamond1]

​@@AndrewJohnson-oy8oj Dawg what.

[@AndrewJohnson-oy8oj]

@@Livingdiamond1 Spending your life atoning for the time you spent treating thinking, feeling, sentient beings as objects to be bought and sold.

[@ReydelCiguay]

Cool fact: Bartolomé de las Casas was the one who helped raised and educate Cacique Guarocuya who would be baptized as Enrique, known as Enriquillo. Enriquillo would go on to fight a 14 year long guerrilla warfare against the Spanish empire, never being beaten. He was trained how to speak in Castilian Spanish, read, write, and the laws a normal Spanish citizen would have. Because of his skill and tactics as well and being difficult to fight as the Spanish Calvary was made useless in the Bahoruco region, he was able to sign an armistice with the king of Spain Charles V where the encomienda system would be abolished and not apply to the Tainos of Modern day Dominican Republic 🇩🇴. Unfortunately, Enriquillo died of tuberculosis after gaining their quasi-independence around 1535 at the age of 40. Today, Dominicans hail him as a national hero and is one of my favorite historic figures of my country 🇩🇴🇩🇴🇩🇴. Hope you guys can do a small video of his story as Padres Las Casas was the only one able to communicate efficiently with Enriquillo and the only Spaniard he trusted.

[@blueorchid9455]

that is indeed a very cool fact

[@shaneleskinen2111]

That is absolutely amazing my friend

[@haleemaabdalla845]

Eres Dominicano?

[@ReydelCiguay]

Haleema Abdalla Sí. Cibaeño/Santiaguero pero e vivido en EEUU por 15 años. ¿Y tú?

[@haleemaabdalla845]

@@ReydelCiguay De la capital, pero me mudé hace 2 años y medio

[@JohnnyElRed]

I kind of expected some mention to the Laws of Burgos and the New Laws. Bartolome's pressure helped in their promulgation. It's not like his protests fell completly on deaf ears, or had no real effects. It helped change a lot.

[@galfinsp7216]

Can this be explained further? I’m interested.

[@MrCyberGal]

@@galfinsp7216 Basically, his arguments did resonate with the Spanish crown, which promulgated a new set of laws (the Laws of Burgos first and the New Laws later) to try to curb abuses against the natives and grant them more rights. How successful those laws were is another thing however, since the crown had little way to control what exactly was going on in a distant continent they had never (and would never) even visit, so in effect many abuses against the natives continued.

[@michaelliu8542]

​what

[@RodrigoVelizGTR]

@@galfinsp7216 The New Laws abolished Encomienda and gave natives the same rights as any other spaniard.

[@jaceladag]

@@galfinsp7216 Basically the encomienda system was abolished and indigenous people were allowed to organize their own townships based on the same structure as Spanish townships, with their own government, their own management of communal land and other such protections against abuse from the crown. Other provisions included forbidding any Spanish colonist other than a single priest in charge of the local church to ever spend a night in indigenous towns without explicit permission and set up taxation/tribute systems closer to what was had back in Europe. That last one was still not great as the tribute included a certain number of days of forced labor a year for things like building roads and such, but it's still a huge improvement over the original system and at least it was equal treatment.

[@AnaPaula-rn9et]

You guys should really make a video on the society of Jesus, I don’t know much about in other parts of the world but in Brazil they defended the natives against slavery and violence and tried to understand their culture and customs.

[@alejandroojeda1572]

If i recall correctly In Paraguay they defended the rights of the guaranis

[@zackerycooper1206]

@@alejandroojeda1572 The same is also true for California where the Spanish military controlled their convents but they protested again and again to the brutality even trekking across Mexico to appeal for better treatment.

[@PabloNavarrete5780]

In mexico they tried their best to protect the indigenous people and did their best to give them housing and transcribe their writings so that they could be preserved iirc

[@Saeiyu]

They are the metal branch of the catholic church.

[@johnkronz7562]

They even ended up getting expelled from several Catholic nations for their opposition to slavery and abuses of the Indians. Fun fact: the Benedictine Junipero Serra founded his missions in California because the Jesuits were just removed from that role.

[@3vilTeddybear]

I really don't think he can be condemned for supporting conversations, he was a devout man that genuinely believed he was saving souls. He lived in a redicilously religious time, and to him he would just have been spreading good

[@MrGksarathy]

Yeah, but the whole idea was saturated in a deeply proto-racist context in which the natives needed to be "saved" to be treated as full human beings, and that they needed to adopt the religion of the invaders.

[@MrGksarathy]

Yeah, but the whole idea was saturated in a deeply proto-racist context in which the natives needed to be "saved" to be treated as full human beings, and that they needed to adopt the religion of the invaders.

[@icyboy140lol2]

Bartolome is one of my favorite people in history.I did a project on him in 5th grade.I passed with flying stars

[@SanderDoesThings]

Good for you

[@pete2389]

I got a ✔️➖😔

[@a.h.tvideomapping4293]

Pete sad life

[@pete2389]

Haven’t found Dad yet Cold world 😢

[@cramw139]

Me too!

[@jorgeamadosoriaramirez8953]

Bartolome de las Casas is recognized in Cuba as one of the first heroes of equality and national identity. Even after 1959, he is a revered figure both officially and popularly.

[@vergil61]

There are a LOT of cities in Mexico with streets named after him, and I'm sure there's at least one town named after him, also, I believe in Guatemala there's also a town named after him.

[@reivajbkr]

There is even a city in Chile named after him

[@UnPuntoyComa]

San Cristobal, which was the capital of Chiapas during most of its history, got the sufix "De Las Casas" after him. Now the city is called San Cristobal De Las Casas

[@user-fg5zh1ri7h]

His face is in the one cent coin in Guatemala too

[@Lexender]

@@reivajbkr yeh, I live there lol

[@niranjanr8075]

KeePach wish india had one. Then the human rights commision would know what human rights they shud actually fight for

[@mariecarie1]

This story reminds of John Newton, the man who wrote "Amazing Grace". He was a slave trader who converted to Christianity and became an abolitionist of the African slave trade. He was even a slave himself for the princess of the Shebro people in West Africa for a period of time! I'd love to see a one-off about him!

[@zackerycooper1206]

Heh, my confirmation name is Bartolomé for "Servant of God" Bartolomé de las Casas. There is something to be appreciated in a person, no matter their creed, who will devote their life to the fair legal treatment of others.

[@Daughterofminerva]

Confirmation name?

[@disconnected7737]

@@Daughterofminerva Confirmation is a sacrament in the Catholic church.

[@Finn-xw4vn]

@@disconnected7737 in a lot of churches

[@williamrosson1572]

Bartolomé de las Casas is not a canonized saint of the Catholic Church

[@zackerycooper1206]

@@williamrosson1572 His status as a "servant of God" makes him a valid name for confirmation. Servants of God can be used as the Code of Canon Law softened the requirements for confirmation names to not simply be Saints, I should have been specific.

[@BlueflameKing1]

Good to hear these kind of stories, escpecially back in colonial times, which were basically under the idea of 'Might makes right.' Great episode, and could we get a series on say the establishing of the Spanish colonies in the future?

[@benlaskowski357]

Might makes right also makes people hate you.

[@josemiguelcaballerorestrep2101]

You talk as if might makes right wasn’t used by literally everyone back then

[@jordinagel1184]

Will Black might makes right isn’t in effect within a nation, that’s what legal systems are for.

[@yucol5661]

Jose Miguel Caballero restrepo not by everyone, it’s an expression. They where still humans not machines

[@unyieldingmonotony4453]

@@jordinagel1184 The legal system is might makes right. If you don't have the might to enfore laws than they are nothing. Laws are inherintely violent.

[@Blackrunestol]

"He changed his mind." wait you can do that?

[@Niklas.K95]

getting rare these times

[@p0xi842]

@@Niklas.K95 Ohoho that profile pic dirty

[@Niklas.K95]

​@@p0xi842 only for those who know

[@Freekymoho]

It's not a technique the Jedi would teach you

[@billylauwda9178]

You can. Even i did a few years back.

[@emperorofwends8875]

Nobody is perfect And thouse Who say they are. Are the least

[@Tuning3434]

are the least?

[@emperorofwends8875]

@@Tuning3434 I am not Amerikan Sorry for bad gramar And its meanth in the way like The worst people thing they are the best

[@jjnn2]

I'd like to translate for you. Nobody is perfect, and those who say they are, are the least perfect. That's what you meant, right?

[@emperorofwends8875]

@@jjnn2 yes

[@yucol5661]

“Nobody is perfect. / and those who say they are. / Are least so. ” sounds better.

[@isaacschmitt4803]

Extra History in 2020 AD internet: "The first human rights activist." Solon in 594 BC Greece: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@Toonrick12]

Ok, fine. The first Modern Human Rights Activist.

[@zackerycooper1206]

The problem is we know almost nothing about his actual real-life works or writing because he was attested to by others over a hundred years after his death.

[@volodymyrboitchouk]

@@zackerycooper1206 actually, far as I can tell, historians are fairly confident that Solon was alive and that most of his documented life us accurate. An important point is that Solon happened to establish democracy in Athens during a time when writing was already prevalent among the elite, so fragmentary written records do exist. Moreover, the writers whose works still exist in enough detail to give us insight into his life beyond creating the Athenian constitution all tend to agree and were not too far removed from his own time.

[@ShinigamiInuyasha777]

Cirus the Great "Am i a joke to you?"

[@008TheDen]

Solon can not really be said to be a human rights activist as he did not seem to believe in universal human rights. He was a proponent for Athenian democracy, but Athenian democracy still had slavery and only allowed citizenship for landowners.

[@jdmj707]

Dude was a champion, my God. I hope we have more people like him today

[@Pikazilla]

Bartolome de las Casas: refused to forgive slave owners and racists; got ostracized Preston Brooks: clubbed an abolitionist senator almost to death; got praised

[@johnyoung4441]

Social darwinism am I right

[@ElBandito]

Same people who praised Preston would have been Trump cultists today.

[@zackerycooper1206]

Two entirely different periods with a distance of 300 years between them? Also, Brooks was not universally praised and instead ostracized completely in the north with his seat being left vacant to remind everyone of "Southern brutality".

[@shadiafifi54]

Charles Sumner: Got beaten to an inch of his life by Brooks, gets to have the last laugh as the CSA burned years later.

[@zackerycooper1206]

@Joel Strong Well, of course, the South viewed him as a hero. My point is that it was not as universal praise (as most in the North saw him as a violent brute) as was universal the ostracization of de las Casas.

[@thegreyman1575]

This made me cry, for some reason... thank you for the making of this, and I appreciate your dedication towards these endeavors of knowledge. Please stay safe. Don’t give up.

[@artsman412]

Yet another person who I'd never heard of, and am so glad I now did. Las Casas, you may have been a flawed man, but when shown the error of your ways, you did what is so difficult for so many of us to do; you repented. You did well for the Lord my friend, and we thank you for your efforts. May your story inspire others to do the right thing, no matter how hard.

[@anactaneustheeleventh2542]

Yep!

[@leopoldozambrana8067]

i am from dominican republic and we really admire his work ,our country is name in honor of those who fought against indigenous slavery

[@ReydelCiguay]

Leopoldo Zambrana Eeeyyy klk. Me gusta que en nuestro país de RD, el museo del hombre Dominicano tiene estatuas de Enriquillo (Guarocuya), Sebastián Lemba, y al Padre Las Casas en frente. Creo que no hay mejor simbolismo del país de nosotros como estos tres.

[@ahmedamine24]

cómo se percibe a Haiti allá ?

[@ReydelCiguay]

Ahmed Amine Ramdani no puedo hablar por una nación entera pero para discutir la relación entre Haití y República Dominicana, hay que entender la historia completa. En mi opinión, conmemoró a Haití por ser el primer país en tener su libertad tras el esfuerzo de los esclavos que pelearon por su libertad y además ser el poder que ayudó a países como Colombia (Gran Colombia) en su pelea de independencia contra España. Pero de la otra forma, hay cicatrices entre los dos países. Como un Dominicano, no le tengo mala fé a ningún Haitiano, pero para todos los Dominicano ( y en realidad todo país) valoramos nuestra identidad como Dominicanos y como país independiente de Haití.

[@AceofDlamonds]

What about African slavery?

[@ahmedamine24]

@@AceofDlamonds You close the door, and a window opens, and the zombies come in.

[@kgw72]

Bartolomé de las casas, 16th century: _"Native people are humans, too"_ Gen. Philip Sheridan, 1869: _"The only good Indians I ever saw were dead"_

[@RodrigoVelizGTR]

No even one mention to the Abolition of the Encomiendas in 1542, with Las Leyes Nuevas. Or even Francisco de Vitoria who preceded Bartolomé de las Casas on the fight for indigenous people rights.

[@johnkronz7562]

The abolition of the Encomiendas was haphazard, and generally just changed the system’s name rather than actually replacing the system.

[@JuanGomez_rz]

The Encomiendas as a system was not abolished until 1718 thou. Even if Las Leyes Nuevas existed by the time, governors had the chance of not following them if they wanted to, that's the reason why the taino people went extinct by 1560, 28 years after its approval.

[@Haekz]

The focus on him is because he went from oppressor to activist, hence the title "Changing your Mind". Vitoria preceded him as a defender of native rights, but didn't come from a background of directly harming natives himself so he doesn't illustrate the concept of self reflection and redemption the EC crew wanted to highlight here. Vitoria also defended them from a scholarly and academic perspective rather than writing and distributing letters and pamphlets which is likely why they didn't consider him to be a preceding activist specifically. They usually cover events or specific periods rather than choosing the topic for an idea like this so I think maybe your expectations were more prepared for a video on the Encomiendas.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

@@Haekz Still, Vitoria arguably deserves a video all for himself. His concept of "natural law" pioneered the development of human rigths and international law as we know them today, and even if he didn't go around distributing pamphlets, he did get in trouble for defending his ideas.

[@goldenecho76]

Thank you! Now I have a new person to research. :-)

[@redpanda7967]

Something they forgot to mention Las Casas is in the process of being canonized as a saint

[@zackerycooper1206]

He's already canonized as a Saint. He's even a Servant of God which places him within a higher echelon of saints.

[@DrBernon]

It's amazing how slow the church is recognizing someone as a saint.

[@timothyhicks3643]

He is not a saint at present; he has the title of Servant of God, which only means that the Catholic Church has begun considering making him a saint. There are numerous additional steps that would need to he taken to make him a saint. Also yes, the church is really, really slow about this stuff, as demonstrated by the fact that they began the sainthood investigation process for de las Casas in 1976.

[@prestonjones1653]

@@DrBernon Joan of Arc wasn't canonized until 1920.

[@shawnv123]

@@prestonjones1653 bruh...

[@espvp]

Here in Dominican Republic we have 2 monuments (one is a huge statue) in honour of Bartolomé de las Casas. He's statues are in a shouting pose, symbolizing him speaking out loud for the indigenous people.

[@theshow3521]

On the behalf of all of the community I would just like to say thank you for making these videos, thanks you for making history free and easily accessible -sincerely, the viewers

[@jamesgates]

Wow, to change ones mind against everything one's been taught is courage.

[@shaafalikhan3704]

Assuming you have good reasons as de las Casas had.

[@yucol5661]

It’s a clear show of being a good person. Changing your own mind takes something most don’t have

[@jamesgates]

@@shaafalikhan3704 agreed

[@jamesgates]

@@shaafalikhan3704 yeah

[@benruniko]

A great story to hear, a reminder that being born in a certain time doesnt doom you to the same mistakes everyone else makes.

[@dianalopez130]

I remember the teacher talking about him in history class 🇵🇷 he defended the Taino when no one would❤️

[@vincenzorutigliano5435]

Yep, that's what the Church did 🇵🇷🇻🇦🇪🇸 Queen Isabel commanded protection for the natives, unfortunately not everyone complied.

[@goodaimshield1115]

Except that many people had defended Taino people before.

[@cxarhomell5867]

@@goodaimshield1115 This man is more notable.

[@Fellknauel]

*sees that only one character has a nametag* gee, I wonder who the protagonist is

[@minoreror9961]

Well, the vid is about him. And he’s not the only one.

[@g.ricepad9470]

anime protagonists and hairs

[@hfar_in_the_sky]

A much needed reminder that heroes can be found in all places and across all times.

[@reterbid6215]

"What if we just weren't assholes?" -Bartolomé de las Casas

[@Aceshot-uu7yx]

"What if we actually followed are Bible and not act like the demons we are supposed to be saving these people from" -De Las casas

[@samrevlej9331]

Rest of the world: "HAHAHAHAHA no"

[@Pravaification]

That last part is so important, especially today. If someone is willing to make up for their past indiscretions and make an honest effort to repent or fight for reform, their current actions should be applauded and they should be welcomed into the conversation, not shunned and cast out for past wrongdoings.

[@rubencid2575]

The crown disaproved the cruelty against the indigenous and the slaves, Isabel of Spain signed the Act of Burgos which says that indigenous were crown citizens and couldnt become slaves.

[@PlatinumAltaria]

Serfs are technically not citizens.

[@PatrickWilliamsI]

The Crown disapproved of the savagery of their vassals and refused the Galleons filled with gold they brought to Spain. Say what? They took the gold and lined their coffers!

[@xTheacefrehleyx]

I read that Charles V, upon hearing about the brutality of the conquistadors, wrote to Hernan Cortes telling to not be so violent with the natives, because they were subjects of the crown too. Cortes replied that if they could not exploit the natives, nobody would bother traveling half the world to the new world.

[@jp7625]

@@xTheacefrehleyx "human rights are not fun dude, chill"

[@jorgebarriosmur]

And that´s why the encomiendas where invented......salvery without slaves......just servants with no rights and the duty of full obidience......but not slaves.......slavery is bad........ ;)

[@hancocklowpoly774]

"Be good to each other, that's heroism enough" -exurb1a

[@Alexander-tu3iv]

That man is legit a planetary treasure.

[@toopieare]

The existentialist turtle

[@jonathanherring2113]

This reminds me of the life of John Newton, he was an african slaver (he worked and owned slave ships), He eventually did a 180 after joining the anglican clergy and was instrumental in the dismantling of the english slave trade(largely through his friendship with William Wilberforce). You may have heard a song he wrote called Amazing Grace.

[@goldenecho76]

I haven't watched this yet but I'm giddy with excitement. I mean, I actually squealed when I saw this. I have read many of las Casas works, and want to share about this man with my kids but so far there is nothing out there I can show them. I've shared many of your other videos with them and am so happy to be able to share this too. So, so freaking happy. This just made my day.

[@mauritshoumes744]

4:41 a third hand will sure come in handy pondering a point. :)

[@benzed4756]

Was wondering if anyone else saw that...

[@kaigengos8678]

Love your work. Been a watching these stuff for like 4 years now. A part of me wants to see you guys cover the Heroes during the Philippine Revolution and etc.. Either way Awesome work ❤️🇵🇭

[@johncarterofmars47]

Guess you missed thier whole controversy way back, eh?

[@zackerycooper1206]

@@johncarterofmars47 You can still appreciate their work even if the controversy, was yeah, bad.

[@johncarterofmars47]

@@zackerycooper1206 true, I too love thier work, sadly its thier older stuff when they were different

[@codysing1223]

It's because of people like him we natives are alive and well today.

[@Freekymoho]

That and a truly staggering ammount of interbreeding.

[@spiffygonzales5899]

@@Freekymoho To be fair, that part is just humans in General.

[@codysing1223]

So basically everyone alive

[@jacoblevenson7934]

The well part is questionable.

[@codysing1223]

Better then dead

[@dannified77]

Thank you, this made a lot more sense than the hour long podcast my professor assigned us.

[@sebastianriemer1777]

Thank you for making this. I knew his story already but I think it's important to show to the public that Europeans didn't just mindlessly slew and enslaved other nations but that there was a active debate about how to handle people who were on a lower level compared to them.

[@liamglassford]

That little bit you put at the end, about everyone being able to change. That hit me hard right now. I haven’t been taking care of myself and am currently trying to change my habits to become a healthier person. Thank you for that. Makes me feel like I can definitely change, especially if someone like De Las Casas could in such a dramatic manner. Thank you guys, EC and Extra History have been my escape for the last few months

[@dariomeneses5756]

Wait, De las Casas was certainly not alone in his struggle, and his efforts eventually led to the introductions of the Nuevas Leyes (the New Laws), given by Charles V in favor of the indigenous population. Also, bear in mind that while the Spanish colonisation may seem terribly cruel, they at least were concerned and had an official, earnest debate about the validity of theirconquests and the rights that the conquered peoples shoud be afforded. Which is more than can be said of other European colonial powers.

[@jorgenoname6062]

exactly the contrast is stark considering there are very large indigenous populations in Latin America but the same cannot be said of the plains natives as the americans sought to truly genocide and wipe them from the earth

[@anactaneustheeleventh2542]

That is very true.

[@stephenjenkins7971]

@@jorgenoname6062 This is a very whitewashing of history here. The fact of the matter is that the only "very large" indigenous populations in Latin America are either mixed-race from the oppression of the Encomienda or holdouts from constant state oppression. The Plains Natives did not have sprawling civilizations and were instead numbering in the thousands; they were at a size that were already insignificant to 1500's or modern Native American populations in places like Mexico. If the Spanish got control over the region in North America, their policies would have exterminated them outright. Disease played its role, but records show that places like Hispaniola lost akin to 80% of their entire Native population as much to war and oppression as disease. By every definition of the word, the Spanish enacted one of the worst genocides in human history. The Plains Natives were comparatively lucky in that the US and Canada only went so far as cultural genocide and ethnic cleansing rather than massive enslavement, with the only exception being in California...where the Spanish system still reigned supreme to begin with. Unlike down south, the Plains Natives did not have the numbers to survive such mass enslavement policies.

[@krakesgarrick5203]

Thank you for this episode- Las Casas is someone everyone should know about.

[@GameCrafters11]

I need to point out something. The encomienda was a system, yes, where the conqueror had a priomordial role, though they weren´t necessarily as you mention. The encomiendas weren´t pieces of land that one conqueror owned. The castillian king granted specific groups of native americans to one conqueror. The mission of that was that the encomenderos needed to teach the indigenous people catholicism, and also give them protection. Yes, they could ask for tribute or works from the natives in exchange, and yes, the great majority of the encomenderos abussed this system. That´s why, in 1542, the spanish created the "Leyes Nuevas", where the encomienda system was restricted and was changed by the repartimientos. Also, with the encomiendas, not all the indigeonous people were treated as workers. The encomenderos created alliances with the local authorities, like having marriages and that kind of stuff. That is, at least, how the encomiendas worked on the New Spain, my now dear country of Mexico. They were basically the same thorugh all the spanish territories in the continent.

[@GameCrafters11]

I have many book or authors that can bring light upon this particular topic, though most of them are mexicans. I don´t know if the have translated books, though maybe

[@mamelu711]

@@GameCrafters11 I am interested could you send me some pdfs

[@pamspray5254]

Thanks for this, we are literally studying this dude and various other people and peoples of the early American colonies right now!

[@Daughterofminerva]

Standing ovation for Bartolomé de Las Casas

[@legosamurai732animation2]

My goodness, This channel has the most impeccable timing of any channel I've watched. I had a test on this subject and if this video hadn't come out, I probably would have forgotten. Thank you so much Extra History!

[@nileshkumaraswamy2711]

I remember his writing was the only pro-human rights passage in my AP test from Latin America.

[@benjaminbeitz4023]

My new favorite extra history episode 😁

[@prophetofthe20th45]

Keep up the good work and I believe that I’m not the only one who you’ve helped when all seemed lost

[@bethpotterveld1172]

Sharing today for Indigenous People’s Day. Thank you so much for all y’all do at Extra History, et al.!

[@aguerrero]

@Extra Credits, I have loved your channel for years but the initial tone of this video caught me off guard. Saying that the oppressor views represented "a majority of Spaniards" in a time (1500s) where the 98% of Castilians and Aragonese people (no "Spaniards" just yet) were farming serfs with no opinion whatsoever and subjugated to a feudal regime is just feeding some sort of "black legend" that equates all Spaniards of that time with evil blood thirsty fanatics. Nothing to do with reality. The fascinating thing, in fact, is that debates about human rights were taking place so early in the University of Salamanca in the middle of the 16th century in Europe (and its conclusions becoming imperial law) even if back then enforcement was so feeble because of distances (3-4 months just to send a message to the American colonies), cultural background of feudal roots (nobility saw everybody else as serfs), administrative weaknesses and a long list of failed initiatives to protect the natives. Much worse, the spread of Eurasian diseases was a cataclysm for Amerindian populations. But the beginning of the video could have been more neutral. We know nothing, John Snow, about what the majority of Spanish serfs thought about the status of the Amerindian populations... and I doubt they knew anything at all about their existence, looks or nature to have any sort of opinion. P.S. I was surprised you failed to mention the 1512 Laws of Burgos protecting indigenous peoples: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_Burgos?wprov=sfla1. In the Portuguese, French or English colonies, that simply never happened, to the point that Portuguese colonists would raid indigenous communities in Spanish Paraguay to enslave them or that former Spanish Texas, where slavery was outlawed, would become an independent Anglo republic, then US state, where slavery was reimposed.

[@warriorpoet458]

Thank you for making this video!

[@salesman687]

6:58 "This made him: not popular" I actually chuckled a bit at that.

[@twi3031]

Cases like this are particularly meaningful to me personally, because I have had my own experiences with this. Having harmed people, and later choosing to change my ways and atone.

[@soulzero22]

Pretty ballsy of him :)

[@InterloperBob]

Extra History has long been an excellent animated series. It's becoming one of the best productions on the internet or on television. The last few months of production has so elevated over what I thought they were capable of. Just incredible stuff, really.

[@edwardm8292]

The thumbnail looks like a 1500s john wick poster XD.

[@skyes4552]

John Wick: Chapter 4 - Inquisition

[@umedtahir2644]

Lol

[@umedtahir2644]

True

[@wendychavez5348]

It's wonderful to hear about people choosing to improve themselves! I don't recall ever understanding the tenet that "once a always a " because NOTHING is static in this world.

[@abthedragon4921]

I heard about this guy in a videos by Ted Ed and Overly Sarcastic Productions. Very interesting figure, and his story shows how Spain was effected socially by the Conquest of the New World.

[@artsman412]

Where was he mentioned on OSP?

[@fandemusique4693]

@@artsman412 i was going to ask the same thing 👍

[@fandemusique4693]

But seriously, in what vidéo overly sarcastic productions had talk of Bartolome de Las casas ?

[@marloyorkrodriguez9975]

I'm going to ask that question too!

[@Т1000-м1и]

Whatever this channel does, it's better then clickbait will ever be

[@dionadair8195]

Bartolome de las Casas: *changes his mind* The rest of Spain: Is that true? I wasn’t aware that was something a person could do...

[@whiteangel8923]

hey @ExtraCredits thanks a lot for making an episode about Bartolome Greeting from Spain

[@jeremy1860]

Advocacy for the rights of indigenous peoples goes back half a millennium. Yet those groups still face hardships today. How many centuries more must pass? 😟

[@Toonrick12]

One or two, if we're lucky.

[@prestonjones1653]

Wait, they're still alive?

[@Monki_29]

@alex' Also Guatemala, and if we consider mestizos as descendants of indigenous, which they are, We can also count Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Chile

[@savyskunk6683]

@@Monki_29 I can't see my self or other half mix native and I still wish the protection for them and my help

[@magicaltour1]

“How many roads must a man walk down, Before you call him a man? The answer my friend, Is blowin’ in the wind. The answer is blowing in the win.” -Bob Dylan

[@barakdan1858]

Great video, it's nice to know people like Bartholome existed :), he sounds remarkable, he deserves why more credit, thanks for making this 💪

[@davidschaftenaar6530]

I think you guys are looking at this man's life through a modern lens a little too much here, especially when it comes to his early life. I think that's causing you to understate how revolutionary this guy was and how radically he tried to redeem himself. At the end of his life this man held social values that wouldn't be out of place in the modern world - But he wasn't raised with them like all of us, he arrived at them on his own *in the 16'th century* and gave up his social status, wealth and safety to promote them. If anyone in history is worth forgiving and celebrating, it's men like Las Casas.

[@bluetubearodany]

Thanks for sharing this a few days before our independence celebration, warm regards from México.

[@BardovBacchus]

500 years later and far too many people still want to argue about this, cause they never changed their minds.

[@BardovBacchus]

I have no idea what you mean by that

[@stephenjenkins7971]

@@BardovBacchus Too many people want to argue what? That people should be enslaved? Because I haven't heard of that.

[@coyote4237]

One of my historical heroes, in spite of his not being perfect.

[@subtotalaljar3620]

I think in a time like these. Its important to look at situations. In our current society and see why you do or don't support issues. Then like Casa. See if you can put away your Pride and change your mind.

[@nutriapeluda]

I think a lot of Mexicans would benefit from knowing more about Bartolomé. I knew of him because of the city named after him in Chiapas but never bothered to learn more about him. Thanks guys for educating us.

[@royalbandit8106]

I'm actually playing the America conquest expansion to Medieval 2, RIGHT NOW!!! HOW DO THEY KNOW!!!??

[@eastverrater1222]

What game might I ask?

[@royalbandit8106]

@@eastverrater1222 medieval 2 total war. You'll get all 4 expansions on steam. One of which involves the Spanish invasion of America.

[@theanglo-lithuanian1768]

I was playing Shogun II FOTS when they released the Boshin war episodes.

[@consciouscode8150]

This has a wonderful message - even those you consider the most morally hideous (slave owners, perpetrators, etc) are still human and still capable of change for the better. I vote we make Bartolome de las Casas the patron saint of human rights and social justice because he represents the process of becoming better rather than simply embodying an impossible perfect standard

[@Aceshot-uu7yx]

I'm Baptist and I think he would be a great addition to the catholic saints.

[@nicoangelobado9913]

As what John Green has said in his Atlantic Slave Trade Infographic video, "...to blame one group is to exonerate others including us". The clichè that white on black slave, exonerates the other civilizations, leader, ethnicities or nations because the word "slavery" is stuck in being a political rhetoric or excuse for violence. And yes, John Green knew that "slavery" still exist today usually even perpetrated by their own people. We are obliged to study harder the facts of life and our species to fully understand one another.

[@DaSaintDemon]

As an Honduran I can say Bartolome de las Casas was a great man which made life better for natives. Thanks to him we didnt saw the massacres like USA or CANADA

[@stephenjenkins7971]

US and Canada has massacres, but they paled to what occurred in Latin America by far, to be blunt Edit: Because Bartoleme de las Casas ultimately failed and the system continued on until African slaves started to replace Natives; but their suppression continued on even under the Latin American nations

[@chrisaustin7644]

@@stephenjenkins7971 Any crimes committed by the Spanish crown or the independent governments of Hispano-America against the Indians are child's play with what the United States and Canada have done, these countries have literally wiped them off the map, and the few surviving natives are on reservations, and You hardly even see them, in Latin America you see Indians everywhere and mestizos.

[@speedypichu6833]

A bit random, but Bartolommeo de las casas has very disliked by Francisco Franco, who portrayed him as a traitor, because you know, Facism

[@alexsalentine739]

I go to a Dominican church and I am a Dominican myself! SO PROUD OF MY ORDER OF PREACHERS!!!!

[@vc6956]

No ones life matters until we change our minds and the systems that are broken. He is proof that we can change

[@michieldemeester4033]

Dear extra history guys, love all the video's you make and love them ! there is a dokter from my country's (am from belgium) called pater damian. He whent to an island full of maroond lepra victems. There he doktert and build a comunety. He secrificed his life fore the Nedee and forgoten end he was made a Saint. I think its a man to be rememberd

[@StephySon]

I appreciate you showing the types of homes the Taino Indians lived in. As a Haitian and like all Dominicans, Puerto Rican’s and Cubans I am a descendant of them and I appreciate their stories being told

[@drewanderson2768]

Honestly I like extra history before I even watch because I already know it’s going to be great.

[@Pikazilla]

Political perspective is important It seems effortless today to be anti-war, anti-slavery, or anti-racist. If anything, being an advocate of such sins would be more difficult today due to both the social and legal repercussions. Obviously being pro-slavery today is effectively impossible without being in a criminal syndicate, and owning a business that abuses its workers even slightly can lead to fines and potentially arrest. But when the world is different, the taboos are different. I never knew about Casas before today but his story is an excellent example of just why such 'modern' ideas were not established in past governments: it was not from a lack of voices, it was because both the people and the government were resistant to such change and mostly ignored the voices.

[@zackerycooper1206]

There was a serious lack of voices though, while not everyone was as brutal as Columbus or Cortes, even the average person did not believe the Natives were humans and few voices did really exist to condemn this horror. de las Casas was so enraging to many because his voice was unique and a standout, far removed from what anyone else was saying with not many alongside him (aside from some number of Jesuits, Dominicans, and Franciscans in the Americas). I agree with your point that we often forget there were voices of change, but in many ways, it's not just simply the resistance that keeps those voices down (it is nonetheless true that repression certainly is a large factor), but also the sheer near-absolute majority of those who hold completely different viewpoints and the almost complete lack of opposition (opposition like de las Casas that is, granted there were many who advocated less violence, but few advocating as humane of treatment, at least not in the 16th century).

[@ElBandito]

It is why I like Bernie Sanders, because he was advocating LGBT rights in the military before it was cool to do so. One day Americans will realize that his call for universal and affordable education and healthcare was correct too.

[@RodrigoVelizGTR]

Voices were not ignored, on 1542 the Encomienda was abolished with the creation of Las Leyes Nuevas, and the Virreynatos were the new system, indigenous people were put on the same level as peasants from the peninsula, and had the same rights. Also Bartolomé de las Casas was not the first one to fight for human rights, Francisco de Vitoria did it earlier and his work inspired De las Casas.

[@stephenjenkins7971]

@@ElBandito True, but he also claimed that places like Cuba with its government oppression was also a good system; so just because you argue against the grain doesn't mean that you're right.

[@ElBandito]

@@stephenjenkins7971 Doesn't change the fact that Bernie is correct more often than mistaken--especially compared to the slugs and slimes that are prevalent in both parties. Also, he was not specifically praising the oppression, but the universal healthcare, and education Cubans had.

[@HunterKiller762]

It’s men like him that make me proud of my Spanish heritage

[@uaidezzahhar7390]

The encomiendas where abolished in 1512, in the laws of Burgos,where slaveholding was decreted illegal. If you dont trust me,go google and search leyes de Burgos 1512, or laws of Burgos

[@RodrigoVelizGTR]

The video is either biased or uninformed.

[@ArkadiBolschek]

Sorry, but that isn't the full story: the laws of Burgos were never fully implemented, and poorly enforced. Successive kings of Spain tried to abolish or reform the system but always found resistance among the colonial elites. The encomiendas didn't really disappear until 1791; that's _279_ whole years after the laws of Burgos were signed.

[@alfredodiaz297]

@@ArkadiBolschek Not only that, some forms of slavery of natives might have persisted in parts of Latin America well into the late XIX century.

[@Mitaka.Kotsuka]

@@ArkadiBolschek Well... as i said before, your vassals dosent always obey you as king... pretty much they do the opposite... begin king is a pain in the ass

[@average_enby]

As I’m learning about the beginning of New Mexico, we only had a footnote about de las Casas. Happy there’s this video.

[@ZhouBiden]

Now that’s character development

[@LordBloodySoul]

To change is something scary for many. Change is something not coming easily. But those who change may grow beyond what they could be. Change is what made civilizations. It is what made us press forward and reach beyond the limits we thought we had.

[@bluecup1129]

I bet the extra history crew tried to say that name at least 100 times

[@Desyx14]

Most people have to put on history goggles to enjoy a guy like this, me? I really like him. Changing your mind, especially int hat time period, is not an easy thing to do.