Toledo Reforms facts for kids

The Toledo Reforms were important changes made to how Spain ruled its lands in Peru during the 1570s. These changes were put in place by a Spanish leader named Francisco Álvarez de Toledo.

For many years, from 1533 to 1569, the Spanish lands in Peru were in a difficult state. There were many problems that needed fixing. The Spanish conquistadors, who were explorers and conquerors, found it hard to keep things organized in the Andes mountains.

Problems Before Toledo Arrived

One big problem was the "New Laws of 1542." These laws were created by Blasco Núñez Vela. They aimed to stop the Spanish from taking advantage of the Amerindian people. The laws also tried to set up a fair taxation system.

However, these new rules made many Spaniards angry. They felt the laws interfered with the lands they had won. The laws also hurt them financially.

Another issue was the weakening of a system called encomienda. In this system, Spanish settlers were given control over groups of Amerindians. They could collect taxes and labor from them. The settlers wanted to pass these controls down to their children, almost like a royal family. But the King of Spain did not want them to become too powerful.

The encomienda system became weaker for several reasons:

• Other Spanish businesses started to compete.
• The encomenderos (those in charge of the system) faced heavy taxes and labor demands.
• European diseases spread among the Andean people, causing many to die. This meant fewer people were available to work or pay taxes.

All these problems led to a big economic crisis that needed serious attention.

Toledo's Plan: Three Big Changes

To fix these growing problems, King Philip II of Spain chose Francisco de Toledo to be the new leader, or Viceroy, of Peru in 1568. During his twelve years in charge, Toledo made several important changes. He believed these changes would help solve the economic crisis in the Andes.

Francisco de Toledo's reforms focused on three main areas:

New Towns: Reducciones

First, Toledo organized the native peoples into large towns called reducciones. These towns were designed to make it easier for the Spanish to control, tax, and teach the Amerindians. The reducciones were then divided into 614 smaller areas called repartimientos. Each repartimiento was led by a local chief, known as a kuraka.

Fair (and High!) Taxes

Second, Toledo set up a regular system for collecting taxes. This was called the tribute tax. The amount of tax was quite high. All native males between 18 and 50 years old had to pay this tribute. The amount they paid depended on their social standing. The kurakas (local chiefs) did not have to pay the tax themselves. Instead, they were responsible for collecting the tribute from their people.

Forced Labor: The Mita System

The third major change was the creation of a system of forced labor called the mita. Under this system, native men were made to work in the mercury and silver mines of Peru and Upper Peru (which is now Bolivia). This forced labor system was put in place so that the valuable metals found in these mines could be sent to Spain. This helped Spain become very wealthy.