Resumen

ROA LOPEZ, Mario Alberto. Between Climatic Phenomena and Agricultural Crisis. The Smallpox and Matlazahuatl Epidemics in Mexico City, 1761-1762. Estud. hist. novohisp [online]. 2026, n.74, pp.98-134.  Epub 03-Dic-2025. ISSN 2448-6922.  https://doi.org/10.22201/iih.24486922e.2026.74.77935.

This article examines the smallpox and matlazahuatl epidemics of 1761 and 1762 in Mexico City. The primary sources for this study are historical documents produced during these epidemic events, particularly records concerning the arrival of the first patients in the city, as well as decrees issued by the archbishop and the City Council in response to the crises. Through a comparative analysis of historical records and climate reconstructions based on treering data, this research contributes to the study of two epidemics that significantly affected the capital’s population. Adopting an environmental history approach, the article explores the epidemics and their possible connection to atmospheric fluctuations associated with the Little Ice Age. The integration of historical sources and paleoclimatic data enables a deeper understanding of the spatial impact of disease across different areas of the city.

Palabras llave : smallpox; matlazahuatl; climate variability; epidemics; New Spain.

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