Alguacil Mayor
Alguacil Mayor
Alguacil mayor, the chief constable of an audiencia or sheriff of a municipality. By the late sixteenth century he purchased the position for life, was able to bequeath it to an heir upon payment of the requisite tax, and received a portion of the fines he imposed. His responsibilities included executing court orders, arresting suspects, and maintaining public order. Since he could name assistants throughout the audiencia district, he enjoyed substantial patronage. The position could be very lucrative, but initially it was expensive; in 1611 a purchaser of the post in New Spain paid 115,000 pesos for it.
The alguacil mayor of a municipality also bought his post and held it for life. The responsibilities and patronage were similar to those of the audiencia counterpart but on a municipal scale. In addition, the alguacil mayor was usually entitled to participate in the city council's deliberations.
See alsoAlcalde Mayor .
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Clarence H. Haring, The Spanish Empire in America (1947).
John H. Parry, The Sale of Public Office in the Spanish Indies Under the Hapsburgs (1953).
Additional Bibliography
Alfaro Ramírez, Gustavo Rafael. "¿Quién encarceló el alguacil mayor de Puebla?: La vida, los negocios y el poder de don Pedro de Mendoza y Escalante, 1695–1740." Estudios de Historia Novohispana. 17 (1997): 31-62.
Mark A. Burkholder