The Church at the Service of Taxation. The Administration of the Bull of the Holy Crusade in New Spain between 1586 and 1598: Pious Gift or Imposed Levy?

Towards the end of the 16th Century, the Spanish Crown found it necessary to extract more resources from its kingdoms. As a result, and on top of the colony’s other taxes, the Bull of the Holy Crusade was introduced in New Spain, which offered various graces and spiritual prerogatives in exchange for alms. The predication of the bull among the Indians greatly increased its profitability. As a consequence of this, in New Spain, the crusade became the crown’s fifth-most-profitable source of income. To collect these alms, the crown turned to third parties who were named treasurers of the crusade, which benefitted them personally as much as it did the monarchy