Alcalde

Two sitting men and one standing man. All wear a haedscarf and a hat and a stick in their hands. — Mayan *alcaldes* from Guatemala, 1891

Alcalde (/ælˈkældi/; Spanish: [alˈkalde]) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An alcalde was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian cabildo (the municipal council) and judge of first instance of a town. Alcaldes were elected annually, without the right to reelection for two or three years, by the regidores (council members) of the municipal council. The office of the alcalde was signified by a staff of office, which they were to take with them when doing their business.^[1]^[2] A woman who holds the office is termed an Alcaldesa.

In New Spain (Mexico), alcaldes mayores were chief administrators in colonial-era administrative territories termed alcaldías mayores; in colonial-era Peru the units were called corregimientos.^[3]

Alcalde was also a title given to Indigenous (Native American) leaders inside the Spanish missions, who performed a large variety of duties for the Franciscan missionaries.^[4]

^ The Osuna Codex Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine depicts Viceroy Luís de Velasco granting the staffs of office to the alcaldes and alguaciles of the Mexica municipality of Mexico City.
^ For a contemporary recording of an alcalde receiving the staff of office from the ayuntaminto, see The Installation of the new Ayuntamiento of Figueres.
^ Mark A. Burkholder, "Alcalde Mayor" in Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture, vol. 1, p. 45. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1996.
^ Hackel, Steven (2005). "Social Control, Political Accommodation, and Indian Rebellion". Children of Coyote, Missionaries of Saint Francis: Indian-Spanish relations in colonial California, 1769-1850. UNC Press Books. ISBN 978-0807856543.

[1] The Osuna Codex Archived 2008-07-24 at the Wayback Machine depicts Viceroy Luís de Velasco granting the staffs of office to the alcaldes and alguaciles of the Mexica municipality of Mexico City.

[2] For a contemporary recording of an alcalde receiving the staff of office from the ayuntaminto, see The Installation of the new Ayuntamiento of Figueres.

[3] Mark A. Burkholder, "Alcalde Mayor" in Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture, vol. 1, p. 45. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons 1996.

[Hackel-4] Hackel, Steven (2005). "Social Control, Political Accommodation, and Indian Rebellion". Children of Coyote, Missionaries of Saint Francis: Indian-Spanish relations in colonial California, 1769-1850. UNC Press Books. ISBN 978-0807856543.

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