Control del agua y transformación económica: el caso de La Peña Pobre en el México colonial

The ‘La Peña Pobre’ hacienda, founded in the 16th century in Tlalpan, was established around the strategic control of water, which influenced its expansion and economic transformation during the viceregal period. This study examines how access to and control over the springs and watercourses in the southeastern region of the Basin of Mexico shaped its development and evolution. Through the analysis of land grants, legal disputes, and administrative records, the conflicts between the estate’s owners and the indigenous communities disputing rights over these water resources are reconstructed. It is argued that these disputes not only influenced the consolidation of the hacienda’s property but also highlight the role of the Republic of Indians as an intermediary in defending indigenous territorial rights. This study offers a new perspective on the relationship between water control and the economic and social dynamics of the Basin of Mexico during the New Spain period.