Catholic civilization and the evil savage: Juan Nuix facing the Spanish Conquista of the New World

Abstract

This paper analyzes the Riflessioni imparziali sopra l’umanità degli Spagnuoli nell’Indie, published in 1780 by the exiled Spanish Jesuit, Juan Nuix (1740- 1783). This work, conceived as an extensive commentary on Raynal’s Histoire des deux Indes and Robertson’s History of America, presented two main points: a strong censure of the black legend version of the Spanish enterprises in America and, secondly, a peculiar point of view on 'otherness' in relation to the Spanish conquista of America. The most interesting aspect of the Riflessioni is its explicit attempt, according to the ideological positions of a ‘conservative’ Jesuit like Nuix, to revive – through a modern language – the ‘Imperial Spain paradigm' within a Counter-reformist frame: to this purpose he simply turned upside down, by claiming them as positive, all the black legend arguments.