Ordenamiento jurídico y política en los bordes de la monarquía católica: Reflexiones en torno al oficio de alguacil mayor (Santa Fe, Gobernación del Río de la Plata, 1573-1630)

when the new río de la plata governorate was created, the vast territory of what had been hitherto known as the governorate of paraguay y río de la plata was consequently divided in two different jurisdictions. since 1618, santa fe was therefore no longer under asuncion’s jurisdiction, but under buenos aires’, the new head of jurisdiction. most of the published studies have focused on political faction dynamics during this period and on buenos aires as head of jurisdiction. disregarded by scholars, santa fe -one of the smallest cities in the rio de la plata region- was and still is a fertile observatory. i intend to examine some episodes that took place at santa fe’s cabildo, as a gateway to studying the relationship between legal regulations and political practice in this remote territory recently annexed to the hispanic monarchy.