812
pages, Simon & Schuster, ISBN-13: 978-0671705183
It
is hard to exaggerate the quality of this magnum opus of research over what is,
probably, the most incredible adventure and the most unlikely achievement in
the history of humankind. Years of searching in all possible sources, as well
as a lucid, vivid, and objective writing, allow us to go with Cortes and his
followers into this hallucinating episode. Thomas begins by depicting the world
of the Aztecs and their empire before the arrival of the Spaniards, and then he
does the same with the Spain of the Reconquista,
the ascent of Charles V (Charles I of Spain), as well as with the first Spanish
communities in the Caribbean. Thomas also recounts the stories of the first two
expeditions: one by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba, and the other by Juan de
Grijalva, which successfully threw light on that unknown world, as alien as
another planet. The mystery and the glimpse of fabulous riches excited the
ambition of several Conquistadores, in particular Diego Velazquez, the Governor
of Cuba.
Meanwhile,
the first contacts – sometimes peaceful, sometimes violent – between the
inhabitants of the coast and the foreign visitors, and the notice of them,
start filling Montezuma with sheer terror, as they seem to coincide with
ancient prophecies about the return of Quetzalcoatl (the Plumed Serpent god,
told to be “white and bearded”). Most reports agree that, at the time, Montezuma
was lonely, depressive, and faint-hearted. An excessive knowledge of his
people's myths and traditions paralyzed the emperor. Was it the arrival of the
end of the Fifth Sun, and so the end of the Mexica civilization? There you have
a case of self-fulfilled prophecies. Several high-ranking nobles, including Montezuma’s
brother Cuitlahuac, are decided to resist the invaders by all means, but Montezuma
chooses to contemporize, sending them exquisite presents on condition that they
go away. This, of course, only makes the Spaniards salivate with greed for
more. On his side, Cortes himself faces rebellion and intrigue, which he
confronts with his habitual audacity, cunning, and even cruelty. By the way,
the famous ships were never burned, but dismantled in order to take advantage
of wood, nails, etc.
At
the same time, he forges a fragile alliance with several tribes, especially the
Tlaxcaltecans, who long to get rid of the blood-thirsty Aztec regime. Cortes
and his allies advance towards Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) and everything
happens: the first pacific occupation of the city, Montezuma’s reclusion,
Narvaez's arrival to detain Cortes, Alvarado's stupid and tragic mistake in the
Templo Mayor massacre, the Sad Night, exile in Tlaxcala, the arrival of
reinforcements, the final assault on Tenochtitlan, and the first years of the
New Spain.
Although
the cast of characters is full of interesting ones, Cortes towers above all of
them, by far. Hero or villain? Both and none. It's kind of silly to try to
apply modern sensibilities to people of this time. The Spaniards were cruel and
imperialistic; so were the Aztecs. Cortes is the prototype of the audacious
man. Time and again the reader is amazed at the courage, cold blood, lucidity,
and mental strength of this man with no previous military training or
experience. Leader, boss, strategist and consummate politician, Cortes achieves
the unthinkable. Even if one takes into account his incredible luck in finding
numerous and willing allies, it's hard to think anyone else would have been
successful. It is, of course, a very sad story: for all the Aztecs' savagery,
their final fate is horrible to look at. This is a major work of history, fully
documented and well written. It is adventure at its best, and it was real.
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