INTRODUCTION 29 



Progress was also rapid in the north. NTuno de Guz- 

 man departed in L529 od a mission to conquer Michoa- 

 can and the great aorthern province known as New 

 Galicia. His rule was marred by many acts of cruelty. 

 In L538 Coronado, the successor of Guzman, led his 

 army northward to the land of the Pueblo Indians and 

 then out into the Great Plain.-. Before the first Eng- 

 lish settlement was made in North America the power 

 of Spain was firmly established, not only throughout 

 Centra] America and Mexico, but also in the south- 

 western part of the United States. 



The spiritual conquest was no less remarkable than 

 the territorial. The priests accompanied and even 

 preceded the armies with the doctrine of the cross. The 

 rough and ready characters that enliven the wonderful 

 drama of this period had the vices of greed and cruelty, 

 but nearly all were imbued with a pride of religion, if not 

 with the true flame. The firmness and bigotry on the 

 one hand and the open sympathy on the other with 

 which the Catholic fathers met the practical problems 

 before them resulted in vast achievements. Either by 

 accident or design certain patron saints and efficacious 

 shrines of special interest to the natives were not long in 

 becoming known. The Virgin of Guadeloupe and the 

 Black Christ of Esquipulas brought many converts to 

 the foreign faith. Church building was carried on 

 apace. The various religious orders became rich and 

 powerful and exerted a strong influence upon civil 

 administration. 



The later history of this great region can be passed 

 briefly. Cortez was the first governor general of 

 Mexico but he was soon -horn of hi- power as dictator 

 at large. The First Audiencia was appointed in 1528 

 and i- noteworthy -imply by reason of it- misrule. The 

 Second Audieneia. beginning two year- later, put 



