The Second Letter of Henan Cortes to Charles V

In 1520, Hernan Cortés, a Spanish explorer, wrote two letters to Charles V in an attempt to justify his actions of attacking the Aztec Empire against the orders of his superiors. These letters provided a detailed account of the Aztec's culture, lifestyle, and their pagan religious practices.

Today, these letters serve as an important historical document that sheds light on Cortés' conquest of Mexico and the Aztec Empire. Through his writings, readers are able to gain a unique perspective of the Aztec culture as seen through the eyes of Cortés.

The letters provide an in-depth description of the Aztec's grand capital city of Tenochtitlan, built on an island in the middle of a lake, and filled with palaces, temples, and markets of great wealth. However, they also reveal the gruesome practice of human sacrifice that the Aztecs believed was necessary to sustain the universe.

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Despite the resistance they encountered from some tribes, Cortés and his men were welcomed by other indigenous peoples who offered them hospitality. Throughout their explorations, they attempted to act with honor and respect, mindful of their duty to represent Spain and its sovereign.

Overall, the Second Letters of Hernan Cortés provide a valuable historical account of the early interactions between the Spanish and the Aztec Empire, as well as a glimpse into the culture and beliefs of the Aztecs during this period.

Due to Hernan Cortés' strong Christian beliefs, there is a noticeable bias against the Aztecs in his letters. While his writings were intended for the Emperor, the details he provided about the Aztecs' power and wealth would later be used to showcase his own achievements.

As a result, some scholars argue that Cortés' descriptions of the Aztec culture may have been exaggerated or distorted to highlight the superiority of the Spanish conquistadors. However, despite the potential biases in his writings, the Second Letters of Hernan Cortés remain a valuable historical document that sheds light on the early interactions between the Spanish and the Aztec Empire.

It is important to approach these letters with a critical eye, acknowledging the religious and cultural biases of their author. Nonetheless, they provide a fascinating glimpse into the early days of European colonization in the Americas and the complex interactions between different cultures during this period.

Hernan Cortés was born in the Spanish kingdom of Castile in 1485 and passed away in 1547 at the age of 62. He became a Spanish Conquistador and is best known for leading a campaign that resulted in the creation of New Spain, or modern-day Mexico. His greatest achievement was the conquest of the Aztec Empire in 1521.

Although Cortés had an education, having studied at the University of Salamanca to become a lawyer, he dropped out after two years to pursue the tales and stories of the New World. However, his education provided him with a keen insight into the society of the Aztecs, which is evident in the Second Letter to Charles V.

Cortés was a shrewd writer, carefully crafting his letter to justify his actions of attacking the Aztecs. He emphasized their pagan beliefs, which would appeal to the Christian Emperor Charles V. Additionally, he commented on the wealth of Montezuma, the King of the Aztecs, attempting to stoke any jealousy that Charles V might have felt towards a pagan king possessing such power and riches.

Despite the potential biases in his writing, Cortés' intelligence and strategic writing have provided historians with valuable insight into the early interactions between the Spanish and the Aztecs, as well as the political and religious motivations behind the conquest of the Aztec Empire.

One of the key questions regarding the Second Letters of Hernan Cortés is why he wrote them in the first place. The main purpose of these letters was to justify Cortés' actions of heading to the region of Mexico against the wishes of the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez. The region of Mexico fell under Velázquez's authority, so Cortés' decision to try and conquer it posed a threat to his power in the region.

In order to justify his actions to Charles V, Cortés wrote these letters detailing his experiences in the region that would later be named Mexico. However, in doing so, he also portrayed himself as the perfect representative for the Emperor in this new region. For example, he describes purifying chapels that had been polluted with human blood from Aztec sacrifices, and replacing them with images of Our Lady and the Saints. Cortés knew that such an act would resonate with the Christian Emperor and help him present himself as a pious and worthy leader of the region.

While the primary purpose of these letters was to justify his actions, they also provided a detailed account of the early interactions between the Spanish and the Aztecs, as well as the political and religious motivations behind the conquest of the Aztec Empire. Despite the potential biases in his writing, Cortés' letters remain a valuable historical document that sheds light on this complex and often violent period of history.

Cortés had a clear motive for writing these letters: to justify his actions of conquering the region of Mexico against the wishes of Diego Velázquez, the governor of Cuba. In doing so, he sought to present himself as the ideal representative of the Emperor in the new region. Cortés knew the importance of religion in promoting his conquest to the Emperor, as the conversion of natives was gaining considerable attention in the New World.

Therefore, Cortés made sure to emphasize the religious beliefs and customs of the Aztecs, highlighting their need for Christianization. He criticized their practices, particularly their use of human sacrifices, and portrayed them as primitive people who worshiped false gods and followed a "barbarous monarch." By doing so, Cortés positioned himself as the symbol of the Crown that could bring stability and Christian salvation to these people.

The primary audience for Cortés' document was Charles V, as Cortés sought to gain support from the emperor to have authority over the territory of New Spain. This would allow him to bypass the governor of Cuba and report directly to the Emperor. However, the document was not only intended for Charles V, as many people in Spain were able to read. Cortés went into great detail about the power of the Aztecs, adding to his own glory of conquering a whole nation. He made efforts to relate his experiences to cities in Spain and the Old World, allowing readers to gain an understanding of how cities and cultures functioned in the New World.

Cortés also provided a detailed look into the culture and traditions of the natives in an effort to convey the Aztec way of life, which was important since the Aztecs did not have a formal way of recording their history. The letter covers the structure of Aztec society, their religious beliefs, architecture, and their origins. The document is significant historically as it provides a view into the Aztec Empire.

However, readers should expect to find Christian bias within the document, as certain traditions of the Aztecs were condemned by Christians as savage. The narrative in the document pushes the view that the natives were savages, but the overall sense from the letters is that the Aztecs had a civilized society. Overall, Cortés' letter to Charles V is an important primary document for anyone conducting research on the Aztecs.

The document offers readers a glimpse into the intricate cultural practices of the Aztecs, including the elaborate system of ceremonies within their court. Despite Cortés' tendency to describe the Aztecs as barbarous, he himself was surprised by the complexity of their ceremonies. This information is crucial for understanding the foundation of most ancient cultures, as culture and ceremony are often intertwined.

Additionally, the letter sheds light on the Aztec system of administration for the regions under their control, including the use of collectors to gather tribute from surrounding areas. The letter also highlights the diverse sources of tribute received by the king. Overall, Cortés' letters provide valuable insight into the world of the Aztecs, allowing readers to better understand their culture and way of life. [7: Arkenberg, Hernan Cortés: From Second Letter to Charles V, 1520]

The letters written by Cortés offer historians a unique perspective on the New World as seen through the eyes of the Christian conquistadors. By examining these documents, readers can gain insight into the mentality of the Spanish conquerors and how they rationalized their actions against the Indigenous population. The letters also reveal the flawed logic behind the Spanish view of the Aztecs as savages, despite the sophistication and complexity of their society. Furthermore, the letters shed light on how Christians justified the enslavement of native populations by labeling them as pagan savages.

Overall, these letters provide valuable historical insight into the Aztec world and how Christian Conquistadors perceived the native population. It is important to acknowledge that the letters contain a certain bias, as they were intended to justify the conquest of the Aztecs and establish New Spain. Nevertheless, the letters provide a first-person account of Aztec society, covering various aspects such as culture, tradition, and administrative practices. Ultimately, Cortés' letters offer a unique glimpse into the world of the Aztecs from the perspective of the Spanish conquerors.

Bibliography:

1. Hernan Cortés, and Anthony Pagden, In _Letters from Mexico_ (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001), 11.
2. Jerome S. Arkenberg. “Hernan Cortés: From Second Letter to Charles V, 1520.” Internet History Sourcebooks. January 1, 1998. Accessed November 13, 2014. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1520cortes

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