Many historians strongly agree that Columbus was not simply "a man of his time," pointing out that his contemporaries in Spain actively condemned his brutality and removed him from power.
Contemporary Condemnation in the 1500s
• Arrested by the Spanish Crown: In 1500, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella sent royal investigator Francisco de Bobadilla to Hispaniola after receiving reports of tyranny and mismanagement. Bobadilla arrested Columbus and his brothers, stripped them of their governorship, and shipped them back to Spain in chains.
• The Bobadilla Report: Rediscovered in Spanish archives in 2005, Bobadilla's official inquiry collected testimonies from 23 witnesses—including both critics and supporters—documenting how Columbus used mutilation, execution, and enslavement against both Indigenous people and Spanish colonists.
• Bartolomé de las Casas: Contemporary Dominican friar Bartolomé de las Casas, who initially participated in the colonization before becoming a fierce advocate for Indigenous rights, wrote detailed accounts condemning Columbus’s cruelty as morally indefensible even by 16th-century Christian standards.
• Queen Isabella's Opposition to Enslavement: When Columbus shipped hundreds of Indigenous captives back to Spain to be sold as slaves, Queen Isabella ordered them freed and returned to the Americas, declaring them subjects of the Spanish Crown rather than property.
Why the "Man of His Time" Defense Falls Short
• Standards Already Existed: While conquest and violence were common in the 15th and 16th centuries, the fact that Columbus's own peers, monarchs, and churchmen were horrified by his actions shows he crossed the moral and legal lines of his own era.
"Well... I have to admit, whoever edited this nailed my expression," Mio said proudly, tossing one of her long red twintails over her shoulder. "Anyone trying to defend slavery or treason deserves to get blasted to ashes. Even if the words are yours, the attitude is definitely mine."
Shana stared at the image a moment longer, her fiery hair gradually settling back down as she crossed her arms with a begrudging nod.
"Hmph. I suppose I can overlook the copyright infringement just this once," Shana muttered, glancing back toward the bakery counter. "Crushing corrupt traitors who treat people like property is something any Flame Haze would approve of. Just make sure they credit me properly next time—and buy me some melon bread for the trouble."
Shana and Mio stood side by side, staring down at the glowing phone screen showing the red-haired twin-tailed girl glaring furiously over the bright red caption.
For two full seconds, neither of them said a word. Then, sparks erupted from Shana’s dark hair as it ignited into a roaring, fiery crimson, her eyes locking onto the very first line of text.
"Excuse me?!" Shana snapped, jabbing a finger right at the words URUSAI URUSAI URUSAI. "That's my line! Why is my signature phrase pasted onto your face?!"
"H-Hey, don't look at me like I put it there!" Mio shot back, her face turning bright red as she waved her hands defensively before crossing her arms with a flustered huff. "I didn't ask whoever made this to borrow your catchphrase! Honestly, I have plenty of my own ways to yell at idiots without copying you!"
"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Shana barked automatically, before pausing and glaring sideways at Mio. "See?! That's how it's supposed to sound!"
Mio let out an exasperated sigh, rubbing her temple before leaning closer to read the rest of the glowing red text at the bottom. As she read the words condemning the "Confederate States of Slavery" and calling out traitors, her flustered expression melted into a sharp, confident smirk.
Mio stared at the screen, blinking in total bewilderment at the giant, star-spangled flag, the oddly specific historical math, and Basara standing right in the middle of it all looking completely deadpan.
"H-Huh?! What is this even supposed to mean?!" Mio blurted out, pointing a finger at the caption in the top right corner. As soon as she read the words "THE LAND OF ZOLGIA 'MARQUIS ZOLGEAR,'" her crimson eyes narrowed into a fierce glare, dark purple demonic aura briefly flaring around her shoulders.
"Zolgear?! Why is that slimy, treacherous bastard's name being compared to some human history rebellion?!" she snapped, crossing her arms with a huff. Remembered hatred for the scheming demon noble who tried to usurp her father's legacy and manipulate her immediately got her blood boiling.
Then her eyes drifted down to the bottom left, reading the exact breakdown—4 years 3 months versus 8 years 6 months—and glancing back over at Basara's serious portrait pasted onto the white stripes. Suddenly, her anger melted into an amused, proud smirk—quickly followed by a faint pink blush on her cheeks.
"Well... I suppose whoever made this at least has good taste!" Mio said, tossing her red twintails over her shoulder with a haughty, confident nod. "Of course our story outlasted a bunch of greedy traitors like Zolgear! With Basara protecting me, we'd crush any corrupt empire in half the time!"
Pausing for a second, she squinted closely at the upside-down triangle of white stars in the corner, tilting her head in confusion. "...Wait a minute. Why are all those stars arranged like a giant heart or triangle? Is this some kind of weird human magic circle?!"
Shana narrowed her fiery crimson eyes, gripping the hilt of Nietono no Shana as she stared at the meme. Sparks briefly danced along the tips of her long, flaming red hair before she let out a sharp, annoyed huff.
"First of all, it's Shakugan no Shana, not Shana no Shakugan!" she snapped, her brow furrowing as she glared at the misspelled caption at the bottom. "Whoever made this can't even get my title right! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"
After a moment of fuming over the reversed words, her gaze shifted up to the image of herself slicing the red-and-blue banner cleanly in half amidst roaring flames. Her expression cooled from flustered irritation into a fierce, resolute scowl.
"Still... if this 'Confederacy' was an organization built on subjugating human beings and tearing a nation apart for selfish greed, then they're no better than the Crimson Denizens who devour human existence," Shana said coldly, resting her hand on her sword. "A pathetic rebellion that barely lasted four years isn't even worth my blade—burning it to ash is only natural."
Crossing her arms with a proud nod, she turned away, her hair settling back into its normal dark shade. "Just make sure they spell my name properly next time. And... maybe bring some melon bread if they want me to look at another one of these."
