The Royal Audience and Chancellery of Santiago de Guatemala ( Spanish: Audiencia y Cancillería Real de Santiago de Guatemala ) is a court of appeal and administrative structure in the Viceroyalty of New Spain .
The Spanish conquest of Central America began in 1524. In the north, Pedro de Alvarado and Hernan Cortes led expeditions to the territories of modern Guatemala and Honduras; in the south, Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba (founder of Nicaragua) invaded the territory of modern Nicaragua.
Initially, the Spanish territories in America, located south of Mexico, were subordinated to the Panama Audiencia, but by royal decree of November 20, 1542, it was liquidated and its lands divided between two new Audiencia - Guatemala and Lima. The lands of the liquidated provinces of Chiapas, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua fell under the jurisdiction of the Audiencia of Guatemala. By decree of September 13, 1543, Komayagua was designated the location of Audiencia, and the Yucatan Peninsula was transferred under its jurisdiction. On May 16, 1544, Audiencia was temporarily transferred to Gracias a Dios , and by decree of October 25, 1548 and June 1, 1549 was returned to Santiago de Guatemala. The decree of July 7, 1550 confirmed the transfer of Yucatan from the jurisdiction of the Audiencia of Mexico to the Audiencia of Guatemala, and the decree of January 20, 1553 also transferred the province of Soconusco from Mexico to Guatemala.
On September 8, 1563, Philip II liquidated the Audiencia of Guatemala, its lands were divided between the Audiencia of Mexico and Panama. By a decree of January 15, 1568, Audiencia was recreated within its former borders, with the exception of Yucatan, who had forever departed to Mexico, and Sokonusko. By decree of January 25, 1569, Soconusco was again transferred from Mexico to Guatemala.
The captain-general of Guatemala was created in 1609, and the president of Audiencia became simultaneously captain-general.