The early systematic evangelization by mendicants in Mexico became known as the 'Spiritual Conquest of Mexico'.
Notes on verification
Multiple independent academic sources corroborate this claim, including the original 1933 scholarly work by Robert Ricard, peer-reviewed journal articles from Duke University Press, and university exhibits. The terminology 'Spiritual Conquest of Mexico' is well-documented in academic literature as the specific term for mendicant evangelization efforts in New Spain from 1523-1572.
Sources
- Catholic Church and the Age of Discovery (wikipedia)