An Introduction to the Life of Hernan Cortes

Hernan Cortes was born in 1485 in Medellin, Extremadura. Little is known about his childhood or young life, except that he studied law at the University of Salamanca. In 1501, he decided to try his luck in the New World and sailed from Santo Domingo in the spring of 1504. In 1511, he joined Spanish soldier and administrator Diego Velasquez in the conquest of Cuba, where he became mayor of Santiago de Cuba.

In 1518, Cortes convinced Velasquez to give him command of the expedition to Mexico, which had been discovered the year before by Juan de Grijalva, Velasquez's nephew. On February 19, 1519, Cortes set sail from Cuba with about 600 men, less than 20 horses, and 10 field pieces, even though Velasquez had cancelled his pay due to suspicion that Cortes would become independent and refuse to take orders.

Cortes sailed along the east coast of Yucatan and landed in Mexico in March 1519. He neutralized the town of Tabasco, and the natives were awed by the artillery, ships, and horses. From the people of Tabasco, Cortes learned about the Aztecs and their ruler, Montezuma II.

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After taking many captives, one of whom they baptized and renamed Marina, Cortes made her his lover and she became his interpreter, translator, guide, and counselor. Finding a better harbor a little north of San Juan, they established a town called La Villa Rica De La Vera Cruz, which translates to The Rich Village Of The Vera Cruz. Later, it was simply called Veracruz.

Cortes defied the authority of everyone except the king and queen, as Velasquez had feared. He was a strategic thinker and destroyed his fleet of ships to prevent any small forces from opposing him and returning to Cuba to report to Velasquez.

Around this time, Cortes began his famous march inland despite negotiations with Montezuma, who tried to persuade him not to enter the capital city of Tenochtitlan. However, Cortes did not heed the warning. He defeated the native tribe of Tlascalans, who quickly became allies of the Spanish due to their enmity with the Aztecs. As the conquest continued, the Tlascalans remained the most important allies of the Spaniards.

Montezuma pursued an insecure policy during Cortes's march, and eventually decided not to confront the Spanish invaders but to wait for their arrival at the Aztec capital in order to learn more about their intentions. On November 8, 1519, Cortes and his small force, along with 600 native allies, entered the city and set up headquarters in one of its communal dwellings.

The Aztecs had a prophecy about the return of Quetzalcoatl, a legendary god-king who was light-skinned and bearded. Because of this prophecy, Cortes was believed to be a god and was received with honor. The Spanish soldiers were permitted to wander throughout the city as they pleased and discovered mounds of gold in storehouses.

Despite the friendly reception given to the Spanish, Cortes suspected that attempts would be made to drive them out of the city. To protect his position, he took Montezuma hostage and forced him to swear allegiance to Charles I, the king of Spain, and to provide a ransom of an enormous sum in gold and jewels. Meanwhile, while Cortes was doing this, Velasquez dispatched an expedition to Mexico under the Spanish soldier Panfilo de Narvaez.

In April 1520, Cortes received news that Narveaz had arrived on the coast. He left a garrison of 200 men under the command of Pedro de Alvarado in Tenochtitlan and marched with a small force towards the shore, entering the Spanish camp at night and capturing Narveaz. He then persuaded the majority of the Spaniards to join his force.

During Cortes's absence, Alvarado's harsh rule had angered the Aztecs in the capital. An Aztec revolt against the Spaniards and their imprisoned ruler was underway when Cortes returned to the capital. Despite this, he was permitted to enter with his men.

However, the situation quickly escalated and turned into the infamous Noche Triste, or Night of Sorrows, on June 30, 1520. The Aztecs attacked the Spanish and their native allies as they attempted to retreat from the city. Many were killed, including a number of high-ranking Spanish officers. Cortes himself was wounded and nearly captured, but he managed to escape with the help of his native allies.

After regrouping and gathering more allies, Cortes returned to Tenochtitlan in 1521 and laid siege to the city. The Aztecs were eventually defeated, and their leader Cuauhtemoc was captured and executed. With the fall of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec Empire came to an end and Mexico became a Spanish colony.

Cortes was appointed governor and captain-general of New Spain, which included Mexico and much of Central America. He worked to establish Spanish rule and consolidate his power, often through brutal means. He was eventually removed from his position due to his controversial actions and was forced to return to Spain to defend himself against accusations of mistreatment of the native population.

Despite his controversial legacy, Hernan Cortes played a significant role in the history of Mexico and the Americas. His conquest of the Aztecs opened the way for Spanish colonization and the spread of Christianity throughout the region.

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