Description
Book SynopsisExamines the changing legal landscape of eighteenth-century Mexico through the lens of the jurist Francisco Xavier de Gamboa (1717-1794). Gamboa was both a representative of legal professionals in the Spanish world and a central protagonist in major legal controversies in Mexico.
Trade ReviewFrancisco Xavier de Gamboa was neither famous nor a nobody. But he was in the 'pivotal middle' of Spanish society, of colonial Mexican politics, and of the dynamic developments in the law and in the silver-powered economy of his century. Christopher Albi therefore sets out to persuade us that 'Gamboa's world' opens a unique, eye-opening, opinion-changing window onto how Spain's late-colonial empire functioned. He does a superb job. I am fully persuaded. From now on, anyone interested in better understanding eighteenth-century New Spain will need to spend time in Albi's world." - Matthew Restall, author of
Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest and
When Montezuma Met Cortés: The True Story of the Meeting That Changed History"
Gamboa's World offers a powerful new vision of governance in New Spain, detailing the ways of a regime that was primarily judicial by focusing on the career of one of its most engaged judges. We see anew how 'Bourbon reforms' were contested and contained by jurists committed to working with--and at times against--powerful economic interests and diverse popular communities to preserve the kingdom that sustained Spain's empire and fueled its trades through the eighteenth century." - John Tutino, author of
Mexico City, 1808: Power, Sovereignty, and Silver in an Age of War and Revolution"This book is both very smart and highly entertaining, even funny at times. It is a treasure trove of material on law and legal culture, the silver economy, and late-colonial Spanish rule overall. Yet because the author smuggles all this in with a skillful narration of the life and times of a scrappy, brilliant Mexican jurist named Gamboa, readers hardly need to work for it at all." - Bianca Premo, author of
The Enlightenment on Trial: Ordinary Litigants and Colonialism in the Spanish Empire"In exploring the private life, educational trajectory, and distinguished legal career of Francisco Xavier de Gamboa, Christopher Albi challenges various long-held assumptions regarding eighteenth-century New Spain. This is required reading for all those interested in Spanish America's tumultuous eighteenth century." - Frances L. Ramos, author of
Identity, Ritual, and Power in Colonial Puebla"In this excellent book, the world of Francisco Xavier de Gamboa, one of the premier lawyers of colonial Mexico, comes to life again. Christopher Albi delves deep into the archival record to grasp how the complex colonial law actually worked in litigation. While providing this innovative analysis, Albi also crafts a wonderfully enjoyable read for undergraduate students and experts alike." - Christoph Rosenmüller, author of
Corruption and Justice in Colonial Mexico, 1650-1755
