Bartolomé De Las Casas

About the Author

Bartolomé de Las Casas (1484–1566) was a Spanish Dominican friar, historian, and one of the earliest European advocates for indigenous rights in the Americas. Born in Seville, he initially participated in the colonial conquests as a planter and priest but underwent a profound moral transformation after witnessing the brutal exploitation of native peoples by Spanish settlers. Renouncing his encomienda, he dedicated his life to defending the humanity and dignity of the indigenous populations, arguing vehemently against their enslavement and mistreatment. As a prolific writer and lobbyist, Las Casas traveled multiple times to Spain to petition the Crown, influencing key reforms like the New Laws of 1542. His works, including A Short Account of the Destruction of the Indies, In Defense of the Indians, and All Mankind is One: A Study of the Disputation Between Bartolomé de Las Casas and Juan Ginés de Sepúlveda in 1550 on the Intellectual and Religious Capacity of the American Indian, remain foundational texts in the history of human rights and colonial critique, exposing the atrocities of the Spanish conquest and championing the equality of all peoples under God.