American Demons

Pobre Diablo

In the name of Emperor Charles, special ambassador Cristóbal Vaca de Castro improves the situation of the original population in his sovereignty's overseas provinces. The official welfare drives the colonists up the wall. Castro sees himself forced to harshly enforce royal decrees. The settlers are outraged. Gonzalo Pizarro is at the head of their uprising. And so another half-brother of the eliminated Viceroy Francisco Pizarro González comes into play.

Castro is recalled in chains. Don't worry, this is standard practice and doesn't change the fact that Castro dies highly respected. Blasco Núnez de Vela takes over the command bridge. The viceroy gambles away, the sympathies of the colonists belong to Gonzalo Pizarro. In 1546, the matter is decided in favor of the rebels. They behead Vela and nail his head to a gallows.

How do you lead an outraged empire back to obedience? The forces of the Spanish crown are tied down by the Turks. Byzantium is history, the Ottoman Empire assumes the role of the oppressor of Christendom. Charles V initiates a new Reconquista. As emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, he is able to assert his ideas. His concept falls short of the Ottoman approach. Suleiman the Magnificent did not drive a "Turkish" army westwards. Instead, he gathered and integrated whoever crossed his path through Europe. Balkan peoples form alliances (to gain supremacy in their territories). You don't have to be Muslim to join in. In this way, the padishah avoids the inherent adversities of military campaigns.Charles is not as modern as Suleiman. He sends Pedro de la Gasca to Peru. As the ringleader of the uprising against the government, Gonzalo Pizarro emerges from the shadows into the light of history. His new adversary is a priest, lawyer and soldier. Smashing uprisings is in Gasca's blood. Even as a student, he proved himself to be a staunch royalist. Blattschneider writes: "When Valencia was attacked by corsairs, Gasca's prudence alone saved the city."

I emphasize that Gasca does not demand a title for his difficult mission, unlike every "explorer" from Columbus to Pizarro. People who know Gasca well don't think his modesty is just a pretense. The man wants nothing for himself. He achieves his successes through prayer, for what is a man if God does not help him?To the fickle, it often seems insane how unwavering people can be, because (in their world of imagination) as "instruments of God" they cannot go wrong.Pedro is one such person. The priest in Peru threatens with the Bible. There is a remark by Figo de Cervantes, who holds the Isthmus of Panama in his grip and is commander of Nombre de Dios, where the booty from the silver mines is shipped every year. (The silver trains start at a place called Pobre Diablo - Poor Devil). The Spaniards destroy locals with labor. Africans involuntarily replace the battered. Cervantes thinks that the king's envoy is a joke that he cannot keep from Gonzalo Pizarro.Gonzalo Pizarro becomes viceroy and keeps everything in the family. Almagro's son Diego continues a family tradition as a rival. Everything as usual in slightly different personnel constellations. This goes on for two or three generations and then you're a very old, highly decorated family. You often only need a potent killer at the beginning and by the end you are so refined that it is no longer possible to deal with normal mortals. Then you live with a handkerchief under your nose and look like the late Michael Jackson.