Essay, Research Paper
Cortes; Conquistador, Conspirator, and Christian
In 1485 Spain was finally able to relax after the recapture of their country from the Muslim Moors who had ruled for the last eight hundred years. With this victory Spain could now begin to once again re-establish its Christian monarchy. In this same year in the town of Medellin, Spain was born Hernando Cortes also (Fernando Cortes or even Hernan Cortes). Cortes was greatly influenced by the Roman Catholic Church as well as his strong sense of nationalism and would grow up to become a conquistador, some would argue perhaps the greatest conquistador who ever lived. So it came to be that Hernando Cortes would journey far beyond the shores of Spain in search of lands and treasures to claim in the name of Spain and his God and to earn his place in history as well as his fortune.
At this time Spain was not a unified country though the people were proud not only of their Spanish heritage but also of the region from which they came. In an attempt to unify the various factions within Spain, who were often at war with one another, Ferdinand of Argon who was king took Isabella of Castille as his wife and queen who together were dubbed the Catholic Kings by the Pope. The Spaniards were also very devoted to the Roman Catholic Church, it was after all by the grace of God that the Spaniards were able to drive out and defeat the much better equipped armies of the Moors (Marks 4-7).
In 1492 the Italian voyager Christopher Columbus came to Ferdinand and Isabella and asked them to finance a great voyage. Due to miscalculations by the scientists of the time Columbus believed that you could sail west across the Atlantic Ocean and uninterruptedly arrive at the shores of India (Marks 8-9). After reluctance at first, the Royal family agreed and outfitted Columbus with a crew and three. Columbus struck out on his voyage and in October of 1942 he arrived on the shores of a New World.
However, this New World was only new to the peoples of Europe. Its inhabitants had occupied the lands of this New World for thousands of years. This world, that would come to be known as the Americas, was a world that was flourishing with civilizations and populated by a variety of peoples whose cultures were as deeply rooted and as viable as any in Europe (Viola 12). In some ways the people of this New World were even more civilized than the Europeans. The Aztec people of this New World knew the importance of hygiene, they bathed regularly and even practiced oral hygiene, in contrast their European counter parts seldom engaged in such activities. (Verano and Ubelaker 222-223) The natives of the Americas were making great advances in such areas as science, math, astrology and city planning. This was the world whose proud peoples who were ruled by warrior kings that would rival any of those found in Europe. Due to Columbus belief that he had landed on the shores of India these people would come to be known as Indians. (Walsh and Sugiura 22) This world and its people would play a prominent role in the life of Hernan Cortes.
Hernando Cortes was the son of Dona Catalina Pizarro Altimarano Cortes and Martin Cortes de Monroy. While as proud as any Spaniards of their time the Cortes were of less than noble means although Martin would often refer to himself as a hidalgo, a Spanish term for a man from the lower nobility. Wanting a better life for their son, Martin and Catalina decided that even though they could not quite afford it, Hernan should attend the University at Salamanca and study the law. So at the age of fourteen, Hernan was sent off to lodge with a relative who lived near the university and begin his studies. While attending this institution of higher education young Hernan excelled at his studies. Hernan soon found that only was he extremely capable of learning the law and other fields of academia but that he was even better at learning swordplay and the other militaristic arts of warfare. However, after only two years Hernan grew tired of his studies and life at the university, and returned home much to the chagrin of his parents. (Marks 13-14). The skills of negotiating and warfare that Cortes learned while attending Salamanca would later serve Hernan well for it was his wit as well as his might that would aid him in the Conquest of Mexico.
After his return to Medellin arrangements were made for Cortes to travel in entourage of Nicolas de Ovando who was to be appointed governor of the Indies. However, due to illness Hernan missed his chance to sail with Ovando. In 1504 after recovering from his illness Hernan booked passage with a trader that was taking a load of cargo to the Indies this was a voyage Hernan was not to miss. (Marks 14-15)
Upon arrival on the island the Spaniards had named Hispaniola; Hernan promptly met with Governor Ovando. Due to his legal training at Salamanca the governor appointed young Cortes to the town council of Azua, and introduced him to a man named Don Diego Velazquez. de Cuellar. Velazquez and Cortes would soon form a friend ship and when Velazquez had obtained permission to send an army to a neighboring island the Spaniards would come to call Cuba he chose Cortes to spearhead the operation. In return for his service in securing Cuba Velazquez, after being named governor of Cuba, granted Cortes a small parcel of land and an equally small allotment of Indians. (Marks 19-20)
After the settling of Cuba was well in progress, there arrived one day a lady by the name of Suarez who was accompanied by her four young daughters and a son. The lady presented herself to Governor Velazquez who in turn gave them a small parcel of land and some Indians that that could share with the man who would guide them and help them establish themselves in this New World. This man of course was Hernan Cortes. (Marks 21)
Cortes soon became romantically involved with not one but two of the Suarez sisters, one of whom was Catalina. This did not bode well with the Governor who implored Cortes to marry Catalina. Catalina then field papers with the court to sue Cortes for failing to fulfill his promise to marry her. After hearing the testimony of others who spoke up affirming her position that Cortes had asked for her hand in marriage the Governor sided with Catalina. Refusing to proceed with a marriage the Governor had Cortes arrested and imprisoned. While in prison Cortes vowed he would get even with Velazquez. Cortes managed to escape prison not once but twice. After the second escape Cortes tracked down Velazquez and confronted him but, rather than coming to blows the two men once again renewed their friendship. Cortes after holding out for over a year finally gave in and with Velazquez as the sponsor of his wedding married Catalina Suarez (Marks 20-23). While on the surface it would appear that Velazquez and Cortes had renewed their friendship and put the differences aside time would show quite the opposite to be true.
Surprisingly it had taken the Spaniards twenty-five years after Columbus initial discovery of this New World to discover that the true riches were not in the islands of the Indies but lay waiting for them in the yet uncharted land to the west. Velazquez, wanting more Indians for his farm and more riches for his coffers, after gaining permission from the son of Columbus who had say so in such matters as the heir to his father domain, sent out expeditions to this new land. Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba headed the first of these explorations; Juan de Grijalva was captain-general of the second. Both of these men returned to Cuba with stories of new lands and Indians who would trade gold for beads. (Diaz 15-42, Marks 24)
After seeing the success of the first two journeys Velazquez began to put together a much larger fleet a fleet that would consist of ten ships. There was one very important decision that Velazquez must make, who was to be commissioned as Captain General. Who ever was chosen must be a man of honor and courage, and man who Velazquez could trust to return to Cuba with all the riches that would be gathered. After much coaxing by two his most trusted aides and much to the chagrin of his family Velazquez bestowed the commission on Cortes. The aides had agreed with Cortes that in return for exerting their influence on the Governor they would receive from Cortes a share of the treasure. (Diaz 44)
Members of the Governors family were very disappointed with the Governor s decision to give such a prestigious appointment to Cortes. Many of them felt that they were extremely more qualified for the position and would certainly be considerably more loyal to the Governor. While preparations for the voyage were underway the Governors family were constantly trying to persuade him to rethink his appointment of Cortes and revoke his commission. When it became apparent that this ceaseless pressuring was beginning to make the Governor change his mind, Cortes, in the cover of darkness gathered together his captains, pilots soldiers and sailors and told them to be prepared to leave early the next morning. Then after hearing mass on the morning of 10 February 1519 Cortes set sail. (Diaz 48-49)
Cortes being forced to leave before sufficient supplies could be stored, Cortes first set out for Trinidad and from there he would proceed on to Havana. During his visits to both these ports Cortes learned that Velazquez had revoked his commission, ordered the fleet detained and he be arrested by the authorities. However, Cortes with the promise of a share of the treasure that lay ahead, convinced the authorities, that include members of Velazquez own family, to ignore the Governors orders and allow him proceed. Cortes with his fleet now consisting of eleven ships, a crew and army of 600 men, along with seventeen horses and eleven cannons set sail and headed west. (Diaz 49-56) The art of negotiations that Cortes had learned at Salamanca proved to be useful. If the authorities in either of these ports had chose to carry out the Governors orders Cortes journey would have been short lived.
Cortes first port in this new land was on the island of Cozumel while there Cortes gained the services of a translator, a Spaniard who years earlier had washed ashore after a shipwreck and been enslaved. While his knowledge of the land was weak he had learned the natives tongue well. From Cozumel, Cortes would sail up the coast and encounter Indians in the ports of Tabasco and San Juan de Ulua. At Tabasco and again at San Juan de Ulua Cortes would enter into deadly battle with the Indians. Always severely outnumbered Cortes with his superior battle plans and weaponry were to emerge victorious. During each battle Cortes would capture some Indians who he would later use as messengers. Cortes would send back these captives to tell their chieftains that is was not war that Cortes was after but rather peace. This was a tactic that would prove quite successful to Cortes for after persistently sending back captives Cortes always was able to secure peace with the Indians. Once peace was secured Cortes would perform the ritual of marking the land and claiming it for Spain in the name of God and the King. Cortes began to leave out the name as Velazquez in his ritual there by placing himself directly under the protection and authority of only the King. This angered some of the men, who were loyal to Velazquez however, Cortes was able to use his artful tongue and bring these men into his fold. (Diaz 57-83)
While staying with the Indians Cortes would preach to them of how they should abandon their idols and begin to worship the one true God and his blessed mother Mary. Cortes would then clean out one of their temples and erect an altar on which he would place an image of Mary as well as a crucifix. Cortes would then preach to them and in turn consign the care of these sacred objects to the Indians. Cortes would also engage in trade with the Indians who in return for some glass beads would give Cortes a treasure of gold. Gold was not the only valuable that Cortes would receive from the Indians. After his battle with the Tabasco the Indians presented Cortes with twenty maidens, among them was a maiden who after being baptized into the Christian faith took the name Dona Marina. Not only would this women become very loyal to Cortes and serve him faithfully she would come to bare him a child, a son who Cortes would name Don Martin Cortes. (Diaz 77-83) This treasure would prove pivotal in Cortes conquest of Mexico.
While at San Juan de Ulua, Cortes would finally meet up with a Governor of Montezuma named Tendile. Cortes had been hearing much about this man Montezuma; he was the ruler of the Aztec Empire, and the very lands Cortes had been exploring. He was a mighty warrior who had many lords and vassals who paid him homage and his empire was rich with gold. Cortes talked with Tendile and told him of how Cortes king who lived far across the ocean knew of the great king Montezuma and his empire Mexico. This made the governor recall the story of a once great Aztec deified king called Quetzalcoatl who in shame was forced to leave his people and sail away. But Quetzalcoatl vowed that he would one-day return in the year 1 reed and resume his rightful place on the throne. Cortes expressed his desire to meet with this great king and sent back many gifts to Montezuma, which included a fine Spanish chair that Montezuma could sit during their meeting along with a Spaniard helmet that Tendile so admired. (Marks 59)
Tendile departed with Cortes message and after about ten days he returned. In a meeting with Cortes, and his official entourage Tendile presented them with fabulous treasures as a gift from Montezuma. The gifts from Montezuma sent back to Cortes were truly magnificent. There was a circle of gold as big as a wagon wheel as well as one of silver that was even larger, golden statues, priceless gems, and many other items including the helmet given to Tendile, only upon its return it was filled with gold. But along with these gifts came Montezuma s message that there would be no meeting. Furthermore the Spaniards while welcome to stay along the coast and trade with his people were to quickly finish their business and leave. Cortes made yet another plea for a meeting and sent off more gifts to the Aztec monarch. When Tendile once again returned he presented Cortes with even more gifts and relayed to Cortes that while Montezuma was pleased that such great men from so far away knew of him and his people, there would be no meeting. Cortes then gave presents back to Tendile but was disappointed that he had been shunned by Montezuma for after seeing the amount of gold he had sent Cortes was sure there were some healthy mines in this area. (Diaz 88-96)
Since Cortes refused Montezuma s request, that he conclude his business and go home, Montezuma sent orders to the local Indians that they were not to supply Cortes and his men with food nor aid them in any other way. Since food was becoming a problem many of Cortes men began to suggest that it was time for them to return to Cuba. Once there the treasure could be presented to the Governor and divided. They could also rest and begin to amass a larger fleet for another expedition. May of them believed that a venture into the Mexican highland at this time was sure to meet with disaster. Cortes knew that if he was to return to Cuba now he would be ruined. He believed that Velazquez would not only seize all the treasure but that he would be thrown into jail for his treason. So Cortes made a deal with his men, he agreed with them that is was time to leave but rather than sail back to Cuba they would sail north. If this proved to be fruitless and no port in which to trade with Indians could be found they would set sail for Cuba. (Marks 64-65)
Eventually Cortes and his men pulled into a miserable little cove where Cortes ordered the ships be anchored and unloaded of their cargo. Felling pressured by his situation Cortes knew he needed to take some action that assure him of his treasure. Cortes then called together those who were not loyal to Velazquez and once again entered into a conspiracy that would cheat the Governor. Cortes and these men drew up a charter that would establish the town of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, translated meaning the Rich Town of the True Cross. Once again Cortes legal training would serve him well for the papers that were drawn up were in accordance with the Spanish law of the time. This Charter also provided that Cortes is named mayor of this newly founded settlement. (Diaz 97-102)
In creating this settlement Cortes completely bypassed Velazquez and he was no longer subject to the Governor. As the mayor of this newly formed town Cortes was directly responsible to only King Charles. Greed however would get the best of Cortes once again for when the town charted was drawn up Cortes knowing full well is rightful share of the treasure was one tenth made himself the beneficiary of a kings portion which by law was on fifth. When the supporters of Velazquez had found out what Cortes had done in the cover of darkness they were enraged. At first Cortes had no choice but to take them prisoner and chain them aboard ship. Once again Cortes was able to persuade these Velazquez loyalists to turn their backs on the Governor and pelage their allegiance to Cortes (Marks 66).
While establishing his settlement at Villa Rica Cortes was to encounter the people of the Totonac tribes. These were people who feared and hated the Aztecs; as they had only recently been defeated by the Aztec nation and were now being forced to pay tribute in the form of taxes. The Totonac began to provide for the material needs of Cortes and his men who were now in dire need of supplies. When Cortes asked the chiefs of the tribe how many warriors they could bring together Cortes was around one hundred thousand. They also told Cortes of a peace loving tribe called the Tlascala. The Tlascala were still holding out against the Aztecs and they could supply Cortes with many hundreds of thousands warriors if he were to lead a charge against Montezuma and his men. During Cortes stay with the Totonac there arrived Aztec tax collectors. The Totonac complained to Cortes that they were sick of paying taxes to the Aztec monarch, so Cortes devised a plan and told the Totonac to take the tax collectors prisoner. After agreeing to guard the prisoner Cortes arranged for them to escape. He instructed them to tell Montezuma how he had aided them in their time of need. Upon finding the prisoners gone the Totonac asked Cortes what had happened, Cortes merely told them that the prisoners had escaped. During their visit to the Totonac these tax collectors revealed that it was the plan of Montezuma to imprison the Spaniards and crossbreed them with the Aztecs. Cortes then proceeded to convert the Totonac to Christianity and even much to the dismay and fear of the Totonac, destroyed one of their temples and in its place created a Christian church. (Marks 67-73)