The Conquest Of New Spain
Cort?s came not to the New World to conquer by force, but by manipulation. Bernal D?az del Castillo, in the “Conquest of New Spain,” describes how Cort?s and his soldiers manipulated the Aztec people and their king Montezuma from the time they traveled from Iztapalaopa to the time when Montezuma took Cort?s to the top of the great Cue and showed him the whole of Mexico and its countryside, and the three causeways which led into Mexico. Castillo’s purpose for recording the mission was to keep an account of the wealth of Montezuma and Mexico, the traditions, and the economic potential that could benefit Cort?s’ upcoming conquest. However, through these recordings, we are able to see and understand Cort?s’ strategy in making Mexico “New Spain.” He came as a wolf in a sheep’s clothing and manipulated Montezuma through his apparent innocence.
In the first part of the document, Cort?s and his men spend their time at Montezuma’s palaces. Seeing the extravagant wealth of the Aztec king, Cort?s begins his seduction (all the while knowing that Montezuma believes that he may be the fulfillment of a prophecy). He embraced Montezuma with the greatest reverence and “…told him that now his heart rejoiced at having seen such a great Prince, and that he took it as a great honour that he had come in person to meet him and had frequently shown him such favor” (World History: Castillo, 247). Cort?s and his men are brought into the house of Montezuma and all of his riches are now at their disposal to observe and share in. Montezuma tells Cort?s: “Malinche you and your brethren are in your own house…” (World History: Castillo, 247). The wealth of Montezuma is magnificent. Each soldier is given two gold necklaces. He had hundreds, and probably thousands, of servants. He did not where the same article of clothing for at least four days and bathed every day. The cooks prepared over 1,300 plates of food for Montezuma and the guard. There was a storerooms filled with an amount of gold (bars and artistic/sacred objects) and arms that even the king of Spain would have been jealous of. Cort?s observed all of this and knew that he was in favor in the eyes of Montezuma because his lodgings were in a sacred palace. Cort?s played the part of the innocent and humble admirer and did nothing but compliment Montezuma in order to gain more information on the wealth of the Aztec king. Cort?s makes sure that he fulfills all of Montezuma’s expectations and as a result, Montezuma says: “…and for this reason we take it for certain that you are those whom our ancestors predicted would come from the direction of the sunrise. As for your great King, I feel that I am indebted to him, and I will give him of what I possess” (World History: Castillo, 248). Cort?s is not only gaining control of Montezuma, but his wealth as well.
In order to gain control of the whole of New Spain, Cort?s must manipulate the hierarchal traditions of the Aztec people as well. As in wealth, Castillo makes no lapse of detail here as well. He documents the way Montezuma his treated and revered by those who are under him. “Not one of these chieftains dared even to think of looking him in the face, but kept their eyes lowered with great reverence…” (World History: Castillo, 247). Montezuma was seen as being semi-divine. This was very important for Cort?s, because if he could control Montezuma then it would make it that much easier to control the Indians and eventually take complete control himself. Montezuma’s reverence is taken to a great extent. Carried on a platform and never sets foot upon the bare ground. The meal practices are the best demonstration of his reverence. No one is allowed to look at him and it is considered to a great privilege by the elder chieftains to have Montezuma give them some of his food. However, they must stand to eat whatever they are given. None of the common servants eat before Montezuma does. Montezuma had whatever he wished at his disposal, from sexual intercourse with the daughters of
