BD-Basiliensis

Cortes and Montezuma

série:	Conquêtes et Découvertes
éditeur:	Faber+Faber
auteur:	Collis Maurice
classement:	biblio2A
année:	1954
format:	hardbook
état:	TBE
valeur:	10 €
critère:	***
remarques:	English book, first edition 1954, rare book the Portuguese were going east (East India) and the Spaniards were going west (West Indies), this book will give a better impact on Cortes' expedition as well as on Montezuma, a mysterious person the Aztec should be called the Mexicas (the name Aztec was brought up by the Spaniards) and the natives of America should no longer be called Indians 2 books of reference about Cortez and Montezuma: - the conquest of Mexico by Prescot (however the book does only describe and does not explain the events taking place) - Hernan Cortez by Madariaga 1) Cortes in the West Indies to avoid any clash between Portuguese and Spaniards, the Borgia pope Alexander VI made the bull called "Inter Caetera"; first landing on the American continent was made 1498 by Colombus on the north coast of South America near the Orinoco river, the coast west of the Orinoco was explored by Vespucci (1502), Cabot landed in Florida and Cabral in Brazil, both did not know about the Pacific Ocean, and only 1513 Balboa discovered the Pacific Ocean with an expedition from Panama called then isthmus of Darien 1504, arrival of Hernan Cortes in Hispaniola, 1511 aged 26, Cortes participated on the expedition of Diego Velazquez to subdue Cuba, Cortes remained 8 years in Cuba before entertaining the expedition to the empire of Mexico 2) the discovery of Mexico Bernal Diaz el Castillo accompanying Cortes wrote the book "the true history of the conquest of New Spain" = the most reliable book on this event 1517 Hernandez of Cordoba first reached Yucatan, only 150 miles from the west point of Cuba, he discovered the Maya civilization and continued up to Campeche and Chanpoton; 1518, the year during which Charles, nephew of Ferdinand, became Charles V (Charles-Quint) king of Spain, a second expedition led by Jean de Grijalva left for Yucatan and landed in Chanpoton, discovering the city of Tabasco and then continued further north following the coast of Mexico and landed at the place where the future Vera Cruz would be founded n.b. already then Montezuma was advised about the arrival of these white men who were taken for the messengers of the god Quetzalcoatl 3) Cortes sets out under Velazquez, Cortes was charged to make an expedition to the country unknown so far which should lay behind the coast of Mexico; February 1519 Cortez left Santiago de Cuba making further dockings for supply at Trinidad and Havana 4) Cortes arrives in Mexico first landing of Cortes was in Tabasco where he subdued the inhabitants of the city making one important prisoner: the daughter of a Mexican noble who was called dona Marina and sometimes also the Malinche, she became a councellor and translator as well as the mistress of Cortes, then Cortez sailed to San Juan de Ulua near the future Vera Cruz and Montezuma was already watching 5) Montezuma Montezuma thought that Cortes may be the god that the Mexicas were expecting to return (Quetzalcoatl), the Mexicas were the successors of the Olmecs, the oldest American civilization and started to build Mexico called Tenochtitlan, 1324 and up to 1400 developed a great empire, they were organized for war, they lived in luxury from the tributes and taxes from no less that 371 subdued cities, they had an important military caste, however they did not know the steel and their weapons were mostly made of stone (obsidian) and sometimes of bronze; they had no cattle, no dairy products, no horses and therefore no cart although they knew the wheel but it was not put to practical use, religion was the over-riding duty, to prevent catastrophes, mostly with human sacrifices which took place in a magical ritual at certain periods of the year >> p. 53 the interpretation of Mexican symbols >> p. 54 description of the Mexican gods, - Tezcatlipoca (smoking mirror) was king of the gods, - Uitzilopochtli (humming bird) was god of war, the second god was Quetzalcoalt (feathered serpent) which was driven away by Uitzilopochtli but was expected to return Cholula near the Popocatepelt volcano was the rich city of Quetzalcoatl with the loftiest pyramid in the country 6) the landing of Cortes-Quetzalcoatl at Cortes' landing, Montezuma was impressed by the news he received from his emissaries and he had a difficult choice to make, so he decided to find a compromise with the Spaniards but in no case let them come to Mexico city >> p. 66 the insignia of Quetzalcoalt 7) Cortes tricks Velazquez 3 months were to elapse before Cortes marched on Mexico (15.5. to 15.8.1519), the first step of Cortes was to outmanoeuvre the opposition of Velazquez' supporters and free himself of Velazquez' control, he therefore founded a new city and municipality he named Vera Cruz and which would be directly subordinated to the crown; then he visited the nearby city of Tajin inhabited by the Totonacs who were subdued to Montezuma and succeeded to make alliance with them against Montezuma n.b. at that time Montezuma's army could well have tried to destroy the small force of Cortes but Montezuma dared not give the order to attack somebody who was recognised as a god 8) Cortes prepares then cortes discovered that other peoples between the sea and Mexico were not happy with Montezuma and the Mexicas and decided to make further alliances, meanwhile he had his ships wrecked to prevent any possible opponents to leave him; then he prepared to march on Mexico leaving in Vera Cruz Juan de Escalante holding the city with some soldiers 9) Cortes marches on Mexico on 15.8.1519 Cortes started a march of great difficulty and danger, the first city he entered was Jalapa within the Totomac confederation and after crossing the pass of Jalapa, they arrived at Xocotla, one of the first cities of the Mexicas; then they entered the city of Tlaxcala which was independant of Montezuma, they were first taken for enemies and had to fight them, the Tlaxcalans were hardy warriors but the Spaniards had better weapons, better military tactics, greater skill and discipline, the Tlaxcalans were beaten and became Cortes' allies 10) Cortes at Tlaxcala Cortes entered Tlaxcala on 23.9.1519 where Cortez received much information about Montezuma and Mexico, the envoys of Montezuma invited now Cortez to come to Cholula, about 20 miles south of Tlaxcala 11) Cortes at Cholula when Cortes arrived at Cholula, he was suspicious to be lured into a plot and in fact through dona Marina he learnt that he and his men would be attacked during the night while resting, so Cortes stroke first immediate terror and with the help of 6000 Tlaxcalan warriors accompanying Cortez, he scoured the city, executing about 3000 persons mostly noble men 12) Montezuma and Cortes meet Montezuma was not amiss for the massacre of Cholula because he thought it was the act of a god, finally he accepted to invite Cortes in Mexico and on 7.11.1519 Cortes reached the southern shore of the lake of Mexico at Ayotlzinco and arriving at the end of the promontory at Iztapalapan, the Spaniards could admire the beautiful view on the city of Mexico situated at about 2200 m above sea-level >> p. 123 first meeting with Montezuma on 8.11.1519 >> p. 125 the visit of Montezuma's palace with gardens, pyramids and zoos 13) Montezuma converses with Cortes Montezuma's plan was to placate Cortes and find a way to convince him to return to his land but Cortes' ambition was to conquer Mexico, to make fortune and converse the people to the catholicism >> p. 128 description of MOntezuma who had a thin black beard for the time being Cortes remained no more than a honoured guest, however for Cortes the next target was to reconnoitre the city >> p. 133 description of Mexico city, espc. the city's market with public conveniences as well as with an aqueduc bringing water from the hill of Chapultepec 14) Cortes confines Montezuma >> p. 137 discussion about the human sacrifices, a mad religion? although Montezuma had agreed to submit to the Spanish king, he was reluctant to change religion and he still got the executive power and to strengthen his grip, Cortes decided to put Montezuma under restraint, then Cortes had news there had been a revolt at Vera Curz led by the Mexican governor Quauhpopoca, on 14.11.1519 Cortes accused Montezuma of this revolt and until an investigation was settled, Cortez decided to retain MOntezuma in his palace 15) Montezuma bows to his fate although Montezuma was flattered and given much attention, he was now a puppet and some Mexican lords did not agree to this new situation a conspiracy started to take place 16) Montezuma's treasure Montezuma decided to offer to Cortes and his king all the riches contained in his treasure room = about 1 mio gold pieces >> p. 154 description of the tlachtli game which was not a sport but a ritual 17) the installation of the Virgin another problem raised for Cortes: if Montezuma's power was declining, Cortes' own power would also evaporate and in fact the Mexican opposition increased day by day so, Cortes put a cross on top of a pyramid and the image of the Virgin in a shrine to counteract the witchery of the Mexican gods 18) Smoking Mirror demands Cortes' death however this time Cortes went too far in his action, it was a miscalculation and the Mexican priests informed Montezuma that the war god Tezcatlipoca (= Smoking Mirror) had ordered to kill the Spaniards 19) Velazquez' counterstroke is defeated at the same time, Velazquez prepared a punitive expedition against Cortes under the command of Pamfilo de Narvaez who landed in Vera Cruz at May 1520, Cortes was surprised but he had a winning card with his gold, so that he could debauch the whole of Narvaez' army, Cortes hurried to leave Mexico and on his way to Vera Cruz, he won many soldiers of Narvaez to his side and destroyed the remaining forces by a surprise attack during the night on 29.5.1520; this victory had now brought to Cortes reinforcements at his arch-enemy Velazquez' expenses 20) the Mexicas rise against Cortes Cortes had been absent from Mexico by one month when he heard that the Mexicas had risen, help was urgently needed for Alvaredo under siege in Mexico, Cortes immediately returned to Mexico where he arrived without great problem 24.6.1520 21) the death of Montezuma the opposition in Mexico was led by Quauhtemoctzin (lord Falling Eagle), son of the predecessor king and Montezuma's nephew who had deprived Montezuma of his legal powers; on the morning of 25.6.1520 the attack began, Cortes tried a sortie in force, but failed because all bridges in the city had been destroyed, the Mexican assaults were nevertheless repulsed but the Spaniards were unable to endure a siege; Cortes sent Montezuma to arrange an armistice but when Montezuma appeared in front of his people, a volley of stones were flung to him and he was deadly injured >> p. 191/192 discussions about Montezuma 22) Cortes flees from Mexico city now Cortes was in real danger and the best way to get out was through the Tacuba causeway (2 miles long) but the 8 bridges on the causeway were destroyed, so Cortes and his men had to build a portable bridge, however only half of the Spaniards succeeded to reach the mainland, luckily Cortes, Bernal Diaz and dona Marina were among them, it was known as the noche triste 23) the magical battle of Otumba for religious reasons, the Mexicas wanted first to offer to their gods the human sacrifices of the Spaniards captured before starting the final battle, which took place in the field of Otumba, it was a magical battle because the Spaniards were overwhelmed by the numerous Mexicas but luckily again, some horsemen were able to kill the Mexican commander-in-chief Serpent Woman and following their religious belief, the Mexicas accepted defeat and ceased battle 24) Cortes recuperates at Tlaxcala the Tlaxcalans admired the Spaniards for their bravery and continued to be their allies, Cortes and their men could recuperate and received some reinforcements through their communication lines with Vera Cruz which had remained intact; next step of Cortes was to secure these communication lines by establishing midway a fortress called "segura de la Frontera", then Cortes ordered to build 13 sloops to control the lake of Mexico and in December 1520 Cortes left for Mexico with 500 men-at-arms, 40 horses, 80 musketeers, some cannons and 10'000 Tlaxcalans 25) Cortes beleaguers Mexico city arrived at Tetzcuco (eastern shore of Mexico), the first step of Cortes was to launch his 13 sloops on the lake, encircle Mexico and cut-off the supply lines together with the aqueduc then he attacked on all 4 causeways at the same time but it was not before August 1521, after Mexico's population was starving and that their leader Falling Eagle had been captured that Mexico City, nearly completely destroyed, was firmly occupied Postscript Cortes' first task was to rebuild the city where Christian churches were also erected, it became a Spanish town however most of the treasures were no longer found, later on Cortes became an explorer of Central America (up to Honduras) and of the southern Seas two of his old companions accompanied him: Sandoval and Dona Marina who lived to a good age enjoying a large income from her estates; Cortes was finally appointed Governor of New Spain in 1522 by Charles-Quint 1524 the first friars arrived from Spain to convert the Mexicas, some of them were remarkable friars like Sahagun, however most of the indigenous culture was destroyed; 1528 Cortes returned to Spain and Mexico became a Viceroyalty with Antonio de Mendoza, Cortes died 1547 in Spain but he wanted his body to be buried in Vera Cruz >> p. 240 description of Cortes' old companions and their destiny Annex: table of dates 1467 birth of Montezuma 1485 birth of Cortes 1492 Columbus discovered West Indies 1513 Balboa catches sight of the Pacific 1519 Cortes enters Mexico City 1520 death of Montezuma /noche triste 1521 conquest of Mexico City 1519-1522 Magellan's circumnavigation 1535 conquest of Peru by Pizarro 1547 death of Cortes 1581 death of Bernal Diaz n.b. the best story about the conquest of Mexico had been written by Bernal Diaz in his book "the true history of the Mexican empire" which was finished 1568, Bernal Diaz died 1581 at the age of 89 years! >> a very good book, much detailed, interesting in reading and giving alot information and explanation about the Mexican Empire and the facts having influenced the course of the events (in fact the Mexicas were defeated mostly because of their religion even before they started to come to battles)
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