El fantasma de la guerra en el septentrión novohispano: el informe de Berrotarán de 1748 y su trasfondo

Abstract

According to the speech of the colonial authorities -one that the historiography continues reproducing- in the middle of 18th century began the war against the apaches in the province of Nueva Vizcaya, located in the center-north of the viceroyalty of New Spain. Nevertheless. an allernative reading of the context allows to discuss this idea and to reconstruct the framework of particular interests of several captains of presidio and other powerful residents in the area. Those people agreed to stimulate the idea of the war and the presence of the enemy to maintain privileges and to assure some autonomy to counterbalance the increasing interference of the crown. The paper centers on the figure of the captain of San Francisco de Conchos presidio, José de Berrotarán, author of a renowned report directed to the viceroy of the New Spain in 1748.