 The laws are composed of myriad decrees issued over the centuries and the important laws of the 16th century, which attempted to regulate the interactions between the settlers and natives, such as the Laws of Burgos (1512) and the New Laws (1542).Throughout the 400 years of Spanish presence in these parts of the world, the laws were compiled several times, most notably in 1680 under Charles II in the "Recopilación de las Leyes de los Reinos de las Indias" (Compilation of the Laws of the Kingdoms of the Indies).This became considered the classic collection of the laws, although later laws superseded parts of it, and other compilations were issued.