Captives of Conquest: Slavery in the Early Modern Spanish Caribbean

Captives of Conquest explores the early indigenous slave trade in the Spanish Caribbean, revealing that 250,000 people were removed through slavery, forming the foundation of economic, legal, and religious policies. Indigenous slaves were shipped to various islands and became military auxiliaries, guides, miners, pearl divers, servants, and sexual partners, helping mold the greater Spanish Caribbean. African and Indian slaves worked side by side, influencing one another throughout the centuries.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 11 June 2021
Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press

Captives of Conquest is a groundbreaking work that delves into the early indigenous slave trade in the Spanish Caribbean. Erin Woodruff Stone compellingly demonstrates that the indigenous population of the region did not succumb to disease or warfare alone. Instead, an astonishing 250,000 individuals were forcibly removed through slavery, a lucrative enterprise that thrived for centuries and laid the foundation of economic, legal, and religious policies in the Spanish colonies. The enslavement and trade of indigenous peoples played a pivotal role in the processes of conquest, driving much of the early Spanish exploration into Central and South America. Once captured, some indigenous slaves were transported to various islands or even as far as Spain, where they were swiftly sold for immediate profit. Others were enlisted as military auxiliaries, guides, miners, pearl divers, servants, or, in the case of women, unwilling sexual partners. In all these roles, indigenous slaves exerted a significant influence on the broader Spanish Caribbean.

While the number of African slaves increased in the Americas, enslaved Indians did not fade away. On the contrary, African and Indian slaves worked side by side, sharing methods and practices that mutually influenced each other over centuries. Together, these two forms of slavery contributed to the formation of the greater Spanish Caribbean, a region and economy built upon the bondage and coerced labor of both indigenous and African peoples. Captives of Conquest is a vital contribution to our understanding of the complex and intertwined history of the Spanish Caribbean, shedding light on the enduring legacies of slavery and its profound impact on the region's societies and economies.

Weight: 508g
Dimension: 159 x 236 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780812253108