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This study of the history of Derecho Indiano proposes to analyze the role played by the Spanish-American jurist in the New World, as both elaborator as well as a practitioner of an art and a practice.

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Esta obra de historia del Derecho Indiano propone observar el papel desempe¤ado por el jurista castellano-indiano en el Nuevo Mundo como constructor y ejecutor de una ciencia y arte, puesta al servicio de la organización y desarrollo del poder público y de la sociedad nueva, enfrentando en sus instancias temporales, realidades y situaciones tan diversas como ellos mismos la proclamaban. Los trabajos reunidos en este volumen aparecieron originariamente en revistas y obras colectivas de distintos países y se ofrecen hoy en una edición revisada.
The present work addresses the history of Derecho Indiano (Spanish Colonial Law) and proposes to examine the role played by Indiano-Castilian jurists in the New World as creators and enforcers of a science and the practice of law. They were given the task of organising and developing public authorities as well as the new society, and in their engagement with the temporary institutions, they were confronted with realities and situations as diverse as they themselves proclaimed them to be. The works brought together in this volume originally appeared in journals and collected works from different countries, and they are now being presented here in a revised edition.

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Víctor Tau Anzoátegui is an Honorary Researcher of The Argentinian National Research Council (CONICET) and head of the Instituto de Investigaciones de Historia del Derecho (INHIDE). He was a senior lecturer in legal history at the University of Buenos Aires. His research focus is on derecho indiano and Argentinian national law. Among his publications are Casuismo y Sistema. Indagación histórica sobre el espíritu del Derecho Indiano (1992) and La codificación en la Argentina (1810-1870). Mentalidad social e ideas jurídicas (2¦ edición, 2008).

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