Episode #91: Bartolomé de las Casas: Empire, Conquest, and Conscience

Conqueror, colonist, priest, and critic—Bartolomé de las Casas lived through the birth of Spain's American empire and became one of its most influential witnesses. Arriving in the Caribbean in 1502 as a young settler seeking opportunity, he participated in the colonial system before undergoing a profound transformation that would make him the most famous defender of Indigenous peoples in the New World. In this episode, we explore the world that shaped Las Casas: the rise of Spain after the Reconquista, Columbus's voyages, the Taíno societies of the Caribbean, the encomienda system, and the devastating demographic collapse that followed European arrival. We examine his journey from colonist to reformer, his writings on conquest and Indigenous rights, the famous Valladolid Debate, and the lasting controversy surrounding his legacy. Was Bartolomé de las Casas an early champion of human rights, a flawed reformer within empire, or something in between? Join us as we explore the life, ideas, and historical world of one of the most important—and controversial—figures of the Age of Exploration.