Death in Old Mexico : The 1789 Dongo Murders and How They Shaped the History of a Nation

von Germeten, Nicole

Cambridge University Press（2023/03発売）

• 製本 Paperback:紙装版/ペーパーバック版／ページ数 240 p.
• 言語 ENG
• 商品コード 9781009261500
• DDC分類 364.152309725309033

Full Description

In a Mexico City mansion on October 23, 1789, Don Joaquín Dongo and ten of his employees were brutally murdered by three killers armed with machetes. Investigators worked tirelessly to find the perpetrators, who were publicly executed two weeks later. Labelled the 'crime of the century,' these events and their aftermath have intrigued writers of fiction and nonfiction for over two centuries. Using a vast range of sources, Nicole von Germeten recreates a paper trail of Enlightenment-era greed and savagery, and highlights how the violence of the Mexican judiciary echoed the acts of the murderers. The Spanish government conducted dozens of executions in Mexico City's central square in this era, revealing how European imperialism in the Americas influenced perceptions of violence and how it was tolerated, encouraged, or suppressed. An evocative history, Death in Old Mexico provides a compelling new perspective on late colonial Mexico City.

Contents

Introduction; Part I. Murder: 1. The scene of the crime; 2. The Dongo house; 3. October 23, 1789; Part II. Context: 4. The setting; 5. The viceroys; 6. The judiciary; Part III. Justice: 7. Investigations; 8. The drop of blood; 9. Confessions; Part IV. Characters: 10. Dongo; 11. Rogue lives; 12. Motive: honor; Part V. Consequences: 13. Ceremonies of death; 14. Punishment; 15. Law enforcement reform; Part VI. Interpretations: 16. Violent city; 17. Omens; 18. Artifacts; Part VII. Texts: 19. The anonymous account; 20. The Dongo massacre in texts; 21. Two Dongo novels; Conclusion.