THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO
Before the arrival of the Spanish, many omens predicted an impending disaster. Thus, when the Mexica leader, Emperor Moctezuma II, learned of the arrival of strangers, the omens predicting destruction loomed large in his imagination. Aggravating his difficulties was the ruthlessness of his rule. Moctezuma engaged in constant warfare in order to obtain victims for human sacrifice and to perform agricultural labor. At the same time, while he and his ancestors had constructed a large empire in Mesoamerica, they had never achieved the kind of consensus necessary to rule such a diverse population. Instead, they relied on terror, which, in turn, led to numerous revolts. When the Spanish arrived on the coast of Mexico, many Amerindians viewed them as liberators and joined them against the Mexica. To some degree Malinche’s personal history exemplifies the tensions that existed under Mexica rule. Raised in a Nahuatl-speaking area, she was sold or given to, or taken by, an indigenous population that spoke Chontal Mayan. She soon learned that language. Cortés found her useful because of her bilingual abilities produced by her situation. Though the Mexicas and other indigenous populations commonly captured men from their rivals to use as sacrificial victims, they created a system in which women were regularly traded, sold, or given away. Malinche’s ability came from the facility with which she made the best of a number of situations in which she could have been only a pawn in the machinations of others, her parents or the Tabascans. The commonality of her situation, in part, explains the ease with which Indians could distance themselves from Mexica rule and join the Spaniards.
At first, Moctezuma refrained from attacking the Spaniards and sent emissaries with gifts to greet him. Cortés was not impressed with the gifts of quetzal feathers, among other items, and insisted on gold.[link] He then fired his canon to demonstrate his power to Moctezuma’s men. At this point, it appears that Moctezuma may have believed that Cortés was Quetzalcoatl, a god who had vowed to return. In any case, he was afraid and failed to take action.
As Cortés marched toward the Mexica capital at Tenochititlán, Malinche apparently heard a rumor that the men and women of Cholula were planning a sneak attack on the Spanish. She repeated the rumor to Aguilar, who then told Cortés. When Cortés confirmed the rumor, he attacked the city and massacred its inhabitants. In both Mexica and Spanish accounts, La Malinche appears as a central figure in the massacre. In this image, she is portrayed as directing it.
Eventually, Cortés reached Tenochititlán, where he finally met Moctezuma. Sources from both sides indicate that the first meeting was a friendly encounter between two leaders who respected each other. They gave each other gifts, showed affection for one another, and Cortés promised Moctezuma via Malinche that “we are his friends.” Cortés gradually placed Moctezuma under house arrest and began to prepare for his subsequent rule.
Unfortunately, the Spanish were also divided, so Cortés had to leave Tenochititlán to head off an expedition sent by Pánfilo de Narváez who was sent by the governor of Cuba to arrest Cortés for insubordination. Before he left the city under control of Pedro de Alvarado, Mexica representatives asked Malinche if she would ask the Captain (Cortés) for permission to celebrate a festival. He agreed, but while he was gone, the festival got out of control, the Mexicas revolted against the Spanish, and Moctezuma was killed under mysterious circumstances [link]. Cortés heard news of the revolt, so returned to Tenochititlán as soon as he had defeated and killed Narváez. With help from Narváez’s soldiers, he tried to rescue his men, but lost two-thirds of them and most of his horses when he escaped from the city on the night of 30 June 1520, known in Spanish as La Noche Triste or the Night of Sorrows. It would take the Spanish months to rebuild their army with Indian allies before they were able to reconquer Tenochititlan for the final time. The Spanish besieged the city and used brigantines to attack it from the lake. [Link] Even then, the conquest was made much easier because so many Mexica had been killed by the plague. Cortés captured Cuauhtémoc, Moctezuma's successor, and later executed him in 1525 link].
Last Updated: October 7, 2008
