Rebellion, Religion, and Reform

Chapter two focuses on the events surrounding the Juan Santos Atahualpa Rebellion. Specifically, it examines how the viceregal government ultimately failed to support Ocopa against the rebels. It narrates the initial expulsion and murder of the Ocopa friars and the unsuccessful attempt by local militia to end the rebellion quickly. The chapter then looks at the larger geopolitical context of the rebellion examining how the Lima earthquake and tsunami ultimately shaped the viceroy’s decision to abandon attempts to dislodge Juan Santos from Ocopa’s missions. At the same time, chapter two uncovers the role that Ocopa’s support for one of their former missionaries, Friar Calixto, played in kindling the viceroy’s animosity toward the College. It ultimately argues that the viceroy ordered military efforts against Juan Santos abandoned, not because of strategic concerns, but to limit the influence of Ocopa, which he saw as a threat to royal authority.