colony · Mesoamerica and the Caribbean

Province of Yucatán

1542 CE – 1821 CE · capital Mérida

The Spanish colonial province of the Yucatán peninsula, governed from Mérida, where Maya communities kept much of their language and identity.

Origins

After two failed attempts, Francisco de Montejo the Younger conquered western Yucatán and founded Mérida in 1542 on the site of T'ho. Campaigns of 1543-46 subdued the eastern provinces, and the Great Maya Revolt of 1546-47 was crushed.

Rule and society

Yucatán was governed by a governor and captain-general with considerable autonomy within New Spain. With no precious metals, its economy rested on Maya tribute in cotton cloth, wax and honey, and later on cattle estates and logwood. Franciscans led evangelisation; Bishop Diego de Landa burnt Maya books in 1562. Campeche was its fortified port, often raided by pirates, and Maya revolts such as Jacinto Canek's in 1761 recurred.

Decline and legacy

Yucatán became an intendancy in 1786 and joined independent Mexico in 1821. Its strong regional identity later produced attempts at secession and the Caste War of Yucatán.

Lineage

Acalan 1350 CE – 1557 CE Cochuah 1441 CE – 1544 CE Uaymil 1441 CE – 1544 CE Chikinchel 1441 CE – 1544 CE Ecab 1441 CE – 1544 CE Cozumel 1441 CE – 1544 CEProvince of YucatánFirst Mexican Empire 1821 CE – 1823 CE

Connections (2)

Province of Yucatán was part of New Spain1542 CE – 1821 CE
Province of Yucatán was a colony of Spanish Empire1542 CE – 1821 CE

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Cite this page

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Province of Yucatán. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/province-of-yucatan
MLA: “Province of Yucatán.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/province-of-yucatan. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Province of Yucatán.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/province-of-yucatan.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Province of Yucatán’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/province-of-yucatan (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻