The apparatus of colonial government in the Spanish Empire consisted of multiple levels, starting with the monarchy and Council of the Indies at the top and moving down to the viceroy, audiencias, mayors, and local councils. The system was designed to extract wealth from the colonies and to spread the Christian faith, but these two aims were often in conflict, as were the various branches of colonial government throughout the imperial period.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original content at https://www.worldhistory.org/article/2017/colonial-government-in-the-spanish-empire/.