Hernan Cortes in the Conquest of Mexico

"History is written by the winners" is an old adage that refers to the fact that the story of the "losers" in conflicts between civilizations, nations, or cultures is seldom told, at least on the same level of depth as the story of the winners. The case is no different when we look at the Conquest of Mexico, largely credited in Western (i.e. European) accounts of the conquest to Hernan Cortes de Monroy y Pizarro, better known as the Spanish conquistador Hernan or Hernando Cortes.

Hernan Cortes appears to have been marginal at best as a young man and student. After a sickly childhood and flunking out of the University of Salamanca, Cortes seems to have discovered a formerly hidden talent in soldiering.[1] The son of upper-class but down on their fortunes parents, Cortes may have been influenced for a life of adventure as a soldier by accounts of the New World that promised great adventures as well as great wealth. In his late teens, Cortes was to have served under esteemed military leader Gonzalo de Cordova, but sickness once again thwarted his ambitions and, being forced to remain in Valencia for a year, he was unable to serve under Cordova and suffered great poverty and hardship.[2] His family's fall from wealth and his own experiences with poverty made Cortes determined to become a man of wealth and rank on his expeditions in the New World.

Two other individuals came into Cortes' life that would significantly impact his future and lead to the

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n of the treatment of indigenous people by Spaniards: "The pattern established at the outset has remained unchanged to this day, and the Spaniards still do nothing save tear the natives to shreds, murder them and inflict upon them untold misery, suffering and distress, tormenting, harrying, and persecuting them mercilessly."[18] De Las Casas believed few things in the name of Spain were going on in the New World but murder of the natives and self-enrichment of the conquerors was widespread. In Las Casas account of the Conquest of Mexico, we see that he is not favorable in his presentation of men like Cortes. Las Casas mistrusted Cortes and believed he was an out of control individual out for self-profit at any price. Though Cortes' parents were of upper-class origin, they had fallen on hard times and Cortes did not know social power or wealth until his adventures in the New World. In this sense, Las Casas condemnation of the motives of Spanish conquistadors could readily be viewed as an attack on Cortes personally. As Las Casas wrote, "The reason the Christians have murdered on such a vast scale and killed anyone and everyone in their way is purely and simply greed. They have set out to line their pockets with gold

Category: History - H