Black Robes in Paraguay

How the Guaraní Missions Hastened the Pope's Abolition of the Jesuit Order

                       Detailed Table of Contents

Prologue     

What Was Paraquaria – Forces Acting on Catholic Church – Jesuit Republic of the Guaraní –British Authors’ Influence: Southey, Cunninghame-Graham – Author’s Conclusion About Jesuits of Paraguay

 

Chronology of Events                                                                                                                                                                                                

                                                           

                                   PART  ONE                                                 

The Scene in South America and 

The Jesuits’ Founding

 

Chapter 1: Why the Europeans Went to the Land of the Guaraní                                 

Díaz Butchered at Río de La Plata – Spain Seeks a Passage to Asia – Columbus’ Third Trip – The Treaty of Tordesillas – Popes Divide the Globe to Limit Competition – Europeans Compete for Hegemony over South America – South America and Economic Globalization, Colonization and  Trade – Portuguese Jesuits Arrive in Brazil – Make a Mark for Their Country

 

Chapter 2: Who Were These Jesuits?                        

How Did the Jesuits Get Started – Jesuits Formally Founded 1540 – Catholic Church Threatened by the Reformation – Jesuits Come from All Over; Have Special Talents – Jesuits and the Jews; the Inquisition and the Index – Jesuits Own Slaves – Jesuit Order Grows Exponentially – Jesuits Become Educators – Jesuits Evangelize – Jesuits Help Launch The Enlightenment – Jesuits Take on Jansenism and Nationalism – Jesuits’ Many Reputations

 

Chapter 3: Who Were the Guaraní Before the Europeans Invaded?                          

The Guaraní, a Stone Age People – Ubiquitous Cannibalism – Tupinamba Capture Others, Enslave and Consume Them – Other Fierce Irascible Tribes 

 

Chapter 4: Portuguese Defeat French and Dutch in Brazil – Introduce Slavery     

French Challenge Portuguese for Brazil – Jesuit Helps Portuguese in Battle for Rio de Janeiro – Portuguese Reciprocate – Dutch Join the Struggle for Brazil – Hans Stade’s Saga –Europeans Employ Cannibals against Other Europeans – Portuguese Destroy England’s Only Settlement – Portuguese Prevail Over French and Dutch

 

Chapter 5: Jesuits Missionaries Find Peril at Every Turn

Atlantic Ocean Takes Heavy Toll – Pirates Murder and Plunder – Cannibals Horrify Europeans – Deadly Lust in the Neighborhood – Carnivores Lurk Everywhere – Small Pox, Measles Claim Thousands

 

Chapter 6: Spain Begins to Settle Paraguay      

Cabot Sails Up the Paraná – Pedro de Mendoza Settles Buenos Aires – Ayolas Is Slaughtered – Gonzalo de Mendoza Founds Asunción

 

Chapter 7: Spain Occupies Paraguay – The Middle Years (1537-1639)

Spain Focuses on Treasures of Mexico and Peru – Asunción Grows Slowly – Spaniards Mix With Guaraní – Spain Appoints Governor Cabeza de Vaca – He Subdues Guaycurú – Rebels Overthrow Him – Inept Governors Follow – Franciscans Begin Conversions – First Jesuits Arrive – Jesuit General Gives Up on Guaraní – Angry Paraguay Jesuits Rebel – Jesuit General Relents – Settlers Oppose Jesuits over Slavery – Jesuits Begin Their Missions – Jesuits Struggle with Cannibals, Shamans, Small Pox – Missions Grow Rapidly – González Takes Center Stage – He Has Rapid-Fire Successes – Caaroans Slay González – Spanish and Christian   Indians Defeat Caaroans – Ruíz de Montoya Appointed as Superior

 

Chapter 8What The Missions Were Like

Government of the Missions – Council of the Indies – Economics, Agriculture and Industry – Site Selection for New Missions – Mission Building Construction – Daily Regimen – Labor and Slavery

 

Chapter 9: Slaver Hunters Invade the Guayrá – Desperate Guaraní Escape (1630)        

Guayrá Missions Thrive – São Paulo Harbors Slaver Hunters – Mamelucos Invade Guayrá –Indians Suspect Jesuit Betrayal – Spanish Governor Refuses Help – Jesuits Vote to Flee Guayrá – Great Exodus down Paraná – Normalcy Returns – Spaniards Discover Amazon Women

 

Chapter 10: Guaraní and Jesuits Fight Back – Savage Battle at Mbororé         

Slavers Attack the Tape – Spain Needs the Guaraní – Ruíz de Montoya Gets King’s Permission to Arm the Guaraní – Portugal Breaks with Spain – Slave Hunters Plan Huge Invasion of Tape – Slavers Try Surprise – Jesuits Lead Savage Battle at Mbororé – Guaraní Become Spain’s Army; Golden Age of the Jesuit Republic of the Guaraní Begins – Great Celebrations Held Throughout Paraguay – Ruíz de Montoya Never Returns Home

 

PHOTOGRAPHS          

                        

Chapter 11: A Rapscallion Bishop Persecutes the Jesuits for 125 Years                             

Cárdenas Arrives on the Scene – Cárdenas Nominated to Be Bishop – Seeks Support of Jesuits – Becomes Bishop – Attacks Jesuits – Quarrels With Governor – Issues Manifesto against Jesuits – Raises an Army – Is Defeated – Guaraní Scandalized; Flee into Jungle – Cárdenas Alleges Jesuit Mines – Expels Jesuits from Asunción – Governor Captures Him – Cárdenas Leaves Lasting Shadow over Paraguay’s Jesuits

 

Chapter 12: Jesuit Republic’s Golden Years of Prosperity & Growth (1651-1721)  Then Civil War and a Communist Revolt (1721-1736)

Missions Radiate Outward from the Republic’s Core – Portuguese Raiders Cause Mission Growth in Far North – Guaraní Serve as Spain’s Military – Civil War Breaks Out in Paraguay – Pro-Slavery Cabal Rebels in Asunción; Jesuits Expelled – Rebel Leader Is Executed – Jesuits Return to Asunción – Communists Seize Power in Asunción – Spanish Restore Law and Order; Jesuits Reinstated

 

Chapter 13: Spain and Portugal Try to Resolve Their Paraguay Dispute – Treaty of Madrid and the Guaraní War – Beginning of the End 

Treaty of Madrid Sells Out Seven Guayrá Missions – Jesuits Oppose Treaty – Jesuit Visitor Altamirano Arrives on Scene; Disaster Follows – Paraguay Jesuits in Open Revolt Against Rome – They’ll Follow Their Conscience – Spain and Portugal Join to Attack Guayrá Missions – Europeans Lose First Round – Europeans Attack Again – Slaughter Ensues Guaraní Plead to Governor to Spare Them – Spain and Portugal Have Falling Out – Charles III Annuls Treaty of Madrid – Spain Battles Portugal and England in La Plata –Treaty of Paris Ends Fighting – Jesuits of Paraguay Lose in the End

                                PART TWO

           Jesuits Are Expelled From Europe and South America

 

Chapter 14: Portugal’s Jesuits – The First to Fall             

Portugal in the Mid-18th Century – Pombal, the Man and Politician – Earthquake of 1755 Destroys Lisbon – Why Pombal Broke with the Jesuits – Pombal’s Business Deals Cause Conflicts with the Jesuits – Pombal Sees Jesuit Intrigues – Pombal’s Pawn, Cardinal Saldanha, Appointed Primate – Attempted Assassination of Joseph I – The Távora Affair – Conspirators Tried – Horrifying Executions Follow – Pombal Expels the Jesuits – Downfall of  Pombal

 

Chapter 15: The Enlightenment Overwhelms France’s Jesuits – They Fall     

Wars of Religion and Sectarian Assassinations Set the Stage for the Enlightenment and the Jesuits’ Downfall – Kings Have Brief Reigns; Persecution and Religious Massacres Ensue – Crises Lead France to Withdraw from Brazil – Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre – Calvin Encourages Execution of Servetus – Religious Civil War Rages as Monk Assassinates Henry III – Henry IV Issues Edict of Nantes on Tolerance – Parlement Expels Jesuits from Paris Over Regicide – Religious Zealot Ravaillac Assassinates Henry IV – Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin Run France – The Santarelli Treatise Fiasco – Louis XIV Persecutes Huguenots; Builds Versailles; Drains the Treasury – Louis XV Reigns during the Enlightenment – Philosophes’ Predecessors and Christian Humanism – Erasmus and the Philosophy of Christ – Philosophes of the Enlightenment Rise; Disparage Jesuits – Voltaire Dominates the Scene– Diderot Publishes L'Encyclopédie - Rousseau Influences Revolutionaries, Declaration of Independence – Attempted Assassination of Louis XV Blamed on Jesuits – Jesuit Financial Scandal Enrages Paris Parlement – French Jesuits Surrender – Pope Reacts Rudely – Jesuits Expelled from Paris and then France

 

Chapter 16: Spain Turns on Her Favorite Sons – The Main Event         

Spain’s Favorite Sons – Louis XIV’s Grandson Becomes Philip V of Spain (1700) – War of the Spanish Succession – What Charles III’s Early Years Were Like – Charles Marries María Warburg – Queen Maria Dies at 36 – Charles in Naples Protests Treaty of Madrid (1750) – Charles Ascends the Throne – Madrid Riots Threaten Monarchy – Charles Appoints Aranda Prime Minister – Charles’ Anti-Jesuit Feelings Grow – the  Teaching of Suarez and the Palafox Case – Charles Angry at Vatican over Censorship – Fallout Lingers from Charles’ Rescinding Treaty of Madrid – Aranda Takes Charge –Ricci’s Letter on Charles’ Illegitimacy – Aranda Initiates Secret Trial of the Jesuits – Court Issues Formal Charges – Paraguay Jesuits Singled Out – Trial Finds Jesuits Guilty – Charles Expels Jesuits – Expulsion Is Carried Out – Pope rejects the Jesuits –  They Become Refugees Stuck at Sea – Jesuits Finally Land in Italy – History Judges the Expulsion, the Aftermath

 

Chapter 17: Spain and Portugal Expel Jesuits from Paraguay and Brazil                          

Anti-Jesuit Governor Bucareli Arrives in Buenos Aires – Bucareli Arrests Buenos Aires Jesuits – Jesuit College of Córdoba Closed Down – Córdoba Jesuits Expelled New Jesuits Arrive, Are Imprisoned, Expelled – Bucareli Afraid to Attack Missions – Fears Clouds of Guaraní Warriors – Bucareli Finally Invades the Republic of the Guaraní – Guaraní and Jesuits Surrender Peacefully – Other Tribes Resist – Old, Sick Jesuits Trek Long Distances into Exile – Brazilian Jesuits Expelled to Portugal

 

                                  Part Three 

 

      Pope Abolishes Jesuit Order Forever It Is

                Rescued and Reestablished       

 

Chapter 18: Pope Abolishes the Society of Jesus – the Suppression      

Jesuits Survive Expulsions – Bourbons Demand Complete Suppression – Jesuit Defender Pope Clement XIII Dies – Clement XIV Elected – Charles III Pressures Clement to Liquidate the Jesuits – Clement Issues Brief of Suppression – Clement Imprisons Jesuit General Ricci, Puts Him on Trial – Clement Dies in Agony; Ricci Dies in Prison – What the Real Issue Was – Vatican Has Medallion Struck to Commemorate the Abolition of the Jesuits

 

Chapter 19: Frederick and Catherine: The Great “Heretics” Rescue the Jesuits              

Frederick the Great King of Prussia – Frederick Welcomes Jesuits, Delights in His Heresy, Tweaks Pope – Frederick Prussianizes Jesuits – Catherine the Great, Empress of all the Russias – Catherine at Her Zenith Welcomes Jesuits – Warns Pope Not to Interfere – Catherine’s Son and Grandson Support Jesuits

 

Epilogue  

Pius VII Reestablishes the Society of Jesus Worldwide – An Emotional Aftermath