Spanish Empire
The British Empire was an imperial complex centered on
The Spanish empire was an imperial complex centered on Spain.
Structure
The empire was principally subdivided into royal councils. These were:
- Councils of Aragon and Castille, corresponding to the constituent kingdoms of Spain and their distinct peerages
- Council of Portugal (during the Iberian Union)
- Council of Italy
- Council of the Indies
- Council of Flanders
There were also up to a dozen royal appelate courts (real audiencia) based in various cities. These jurisdictions were highly variable.
Administratively, the colonies were governed as viceroyalties.
New Spain
Theviceroyalty of New Spain was created to oversee all of the New World and Asian colonies. It fell under the purview of the Council of the Indies.
The viceroyalty was then subdivided into several captaincy generals:
Santo Domingo, with a real audiencia also of Santo Domingo
Philippines, with a real audiencia in Manila
- TODO: more!
The viceroys and governor-generals that oversaw these administrations, respectively, were all royal appointments with effectively absolute power. (Governor-generals chaired the corresponding audencias ex officio.)
Peru
New Grenada
In 1777 the viceroyalty of New Spain was split, with most of South America being moved into the new viceroyalty of New Grenada.
The subdivisions were: