Francisco de Toral

[2] As part of his effort to Christianize the Indians of New Spain, Toral learned to speak the Nahuatl and Popoloca languages, and compiled a dictionary and grammar of the latter.

[3] In addition to his overseeing of these artifacts’ destruction, he actively tortured Mayans in order to produce confessions of idolatry.

Mayans that confessed to idol worship faced severe penalties, ranging from flogging to ten years of forced labor for minor offenses.

There was a large controversy among Mayans and secular government officials with regards to Landa’s treatment of allegedly idolatrous Indians.

In response to these events, Toral forced Landa’s return to Spain in 1563 in order to answer the accusations that were being drawn against him.

Charges were brought against him by Governor Céspedes for usurping royal jurisdiction as animosity towards him as a religious leader began to grow.