Hernán the Cortes

Fernando the Cortes Monroy Pizarro Altamirano or Hernando the Cortes (sometimes written Cortez ), born in 1485 with Medellín (a village of Extrémadure) and died with Castilleja of Cuesta (close to Seville) the December 2nd 1547, is a Spanish Conquistador which seized the Aztec Empire for the account of Charles Quint, king de Castille and Germanic Roman Emperor. This conquest is the founding document of the News-Spain and marks the beginning of the Spanish Colonisation of Americas with the 16th century.

De Medellín in Cuba

Youth

The Cortes sees the day in 1485 with Medellín, in the province of Estrémadure, in the kingdom of Castille, in Spain. His/her father, Martin the Cortes de Monroy, is a captain of infantry of an eminent line but of thin resources (a mill, an apiary and a vine). His/her mother is Catalina Pizarro Altamirano, and, in fact, Hernán is the second cousin of Francisco Pizarro, future Conquistador of the empire INCA. One is unaware of the essence of the childhood of the Cortes, the sources not being interested in it or little.

To the 14 years age, his/her parents send it to Salamanque so that it is informed near his uncle Francisco Nuñez de Valera, grammairien. There remain only two years at the university of Salamanque, one of most prestigious of time. Among the assumptions advanced on the brevity of its studies appear the disease, iron the discipline, the trouble, the lack of money even the call of another life. At all events, it seems that the Cortes leaves the university without to have obtained diploma. On the other hand, it acquires there interesting Latin bases, right and rhetoric, as many weapons of which it will use thereafter. While waiting, in order to ensure its daily newspaper, he works like apprentice notary with Valladolid.

Of return to Medellín, to the great displeasure of his/her parents, the Cortes chooses the military career. He hesitates between the Guerres of Italy and the Nouveau World. After some adventures, in particular in love, it embarks in 1504 or 1506 for Hispaniola (Santo Domingo). The departure takes place with Sanlúcar de Barrameda on a ship of Palos directed by Alonso Quintero. The five ships of the convoy travel towards Will gum It (the Canaries) then towards Hispaniola. The majority of the men having invested in the commercial cargo in order to resell it at the best price at the time of their arrival, Alonso Quintero take risks in order to sow the other ships. But having broken the mast, it must turn over to Will gum It to repair. Another hitch, the ship loses its road some time, which, with final, sees the Cortes joining Hispaniola with a few days of delay on the remainder of the fleet.

On its arrival on the island, it receives grounds and Indians, in order to develop colonization. It meets Nicolás de Ovando, governor of Hispaniola, which grants to him the load of notary with Azua. He lives quietly until 1511.

Cuban life with the Mexican adventure

In 1511, it accompanies Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar with Cuba, where it takes part in the conquest of the island. As a reward, it is named first mayor of Santiago of Cuba and receives a great property as well as a batch of slaves. Doesn't this prevent it from being made imprison, some time after, for conspiracy (proven or claimed?) against Velázquez. Released, it Marie with the sister-in-law of this last, Catalina Suárez Marcaida. At the same time, forwardings in the Yucatan of Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (1517) and Juan de Grijalva (1518) return to Cuba with minor amounts of Or and remote ground stories where the Or would abound. The Cortes sells its goods to buy ships and material and makes an agreement with Velázquez, become governor of Cuba, to carry out a forwarding, officially to explore and trade with new grounds being in the west. But Velázquez is always anxious and being wary.

Finally, the November 18th 1518, fearing that Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar does not cancel forwarding, the armada of the Cortes precipitately leaves the wearing of Santiago of Cuba. The escape, badly prepared, obliges the Cortes to stop with the Trinité and in other islands to make stocks of provisions and to acquire new boats. The February 10th 1519 the Cortes leaves Cuba with 11 ships, 16 riders, 518 infantrymen, 13 artillerists, 32 fusiliers, 110 sailors and 200 Indians and slaves black like auxiliaries of troops. Moreover, they take along 32 horses, 10 guns of bronze and 4 gibs (smaller guns). The captains of this forwarding are Alonso Hernández Puertocarrero, Alonso de Ávila, Diego de Ordás, Francisco de Montejo, Francisco de Morla, Francisco de Saucedo, Juan de Escalante, Juan Velázquez de León (of the family of the governor of Cuba), Cristóbal de Olid and Pedro de Alvarado, of which much is veterans of the Guerres of Italy. Antón de Alaminos is the pilot of forwarding.

The conquest of Mexico

First contacts

After a short stopover with the Yucatan where it finds only little gold, the Cortes unloads close to current the Veracruz, the March 4th. The first contact with the autochtones takes place with Cozumel where the Indian accommodate it by offering food to him, feathers, gold and tell that the country is directed by the big boss in the city of Tenochtitlan. But their habits Barbares, in particular the human Sacrifices, horrify the Cortes what encourages it to destroy the Indian Idoles and to replace them by a cross and an image of the Virgin Mary.

Following that, Antón de Alaminos leads the fleet to the mouth of the river (which will be baptized a few years later Río Grijalva, in homage to Juan de Grijalva), where Spanish meets a tribe Indian hostile, that it however succeed in overcoming, thanks to the fear that the Firearms and the horses cause with the Indians.

The chiefs of this tribe then offer vivres, jewels, fabrics and a group of twenty slaves, who will be baptized later. Among these slaves called a Malintzin is, also known under the names of Marina or Malinche . Its great intelligence, its capacity with speaking the languages Maya and Náhuatl, its knowledge of psychology and the Indian habits, added to its indéfectible fidelity towards Spanish, will make of it a major asset in the conquest. It quickly becomes the interpreter, the adviser and the amante of Hernán the Cortes, to which it gives a son baptized Martín, like the father of the Cortes. With Gerónimo de Aguilar, it replaces the former interpreter Melchorejo, passed by again as regards Indian, and which encourages them to fight against Spanish. After a new Indian defeat, Melchorejo will be sacrificed to the gods.

In Tabasco, the Spaniards learn the existence from one country in the west which the Indians call Mexico City . According to the coast in direction of the North-West, forwarding crosses soon some canoes transporting of the ambassadors of the emperor Aztèque Moctezuma II. The Cortes shows them its horses and its firearms, them to impress, but task to remain pleasant with them, in their speaking about peace. The emissary, come accompanied painters and draftsmen have the role of going to give an account of the presence of Spanish to their Master.

Little time after, the Aztec emissary returns with new present and the Cortes insists to meet their emperor. He then hears of what they think of being Quetzalcoatl, or an emissary of Quetzalcoatl (a gold man which was one day to return) and decides on the councils of his translator, Malinche, to benefit from this Indian myth. More especially as the Indian ambassadors continue to refuse to him to meet Moctezuma II.

At this point in time arrive of other Indians, originating in Cempoala, who present to the Cortes like enemies the Aztec ones. They wish that Spanish help them to release itself from the Aztec yoke. The Cortes includes/understands whereas the emperor has enemies, which could serve its intentions. It knows from now on that it can count on rancours and the hatred which exist between the various Indian people, but also on the prestige which its statute of teules confers to him, i.e. of demigod. Consequently, its objective is simple: to try to seize the grounds and richnesses in which seems to abound this territory, being given various present brought by the ambassadors of Moctezuma II. For that, it must impose its will and its authority on the part of the troop faithful to the Velázquez governor, which support that the Cortes does not have the authorization to populate this territory, and that they must once return to Cuba finished forwarding. The majority of the captains and the troop oppose him, even if they are conscious of the richnesses which Tenochtitlan seems to conceal.

Foundation of Vera Cruz in Cholula

It starts by transforming the camping where Spanish is downtown, to which it gives the name of Villa Rica of Vera Cruz , (currently Veracruz), Spanish there having unloaded a Good Friday. The new inhabitants ask the Cortes that he proclaim general captain, depending directly on the king and either on Velázquez, which does not have to be able on these coasts. Being made beg, it accepts the load. It names a mayor, managers, gendarmes, and a treasurer. While being released from the authority of the governor of Cuba, it thus constitutes the first city European of America , but is also put in a certain illegality.

Meanwhile, the news of the nomination by the the Cortes of Diego Velázquez, as governor of Yucatan, arrives. To counter that, it sends its faithful Montejo and Alonso Hernández Puertocarrero, with more the beautiful pieces of the spoils piled up up to that point, in the hope to obtain its nomination in the place of Velázquez.

With Veracruz, the partisans of Velàzquez and the dissatisfied ones are agitated. Some wish to return to Cuba to denounce the intrigues of the Cortes, others would like to re-examine their families or are dissatisfied not to have piled up sufficient gold. Thus they decide to steal a boat to return to Cuba. Denounced by one of the conspirators repented, they are punished by the Cortes: Pedro Escudero and Juan Cermeño is condemned to died by hanging, Gonzalo de Umbria, the pilot, has the mutilated feet, and the sailors receive 200 whiplashes. This incident poses a problem with the Cortes. Indeed, it wishes to discover the grounds and to go to the meeting of Moctezuma but it cannot be allowed to leave the sailors and the ships to Veracruz, with the risk to have desertions towards Cuba as soon as he has the turned back. It is at this time in the town of Cempoala with its captains. It makes a statement on the situation to them and, very quickly, the captains suggest the idea destroying to him all the ships. That would prevent the departures towards Cuba, but more especially, that would make it possible to reinforce terrestrial forwarding with a hundred men (main, pilot, sailors…). Juan de Escalante receives the order then to leave for Veracruz. Its mission consists in recovering on the ships all that can be useful (anchors, cables, veils…), then to ruin them (by preserving only the boats). The oldest sailors are assigned with Veracruz, in particular to go to fish and allow to nourish the city. All the others are gathered by Juan de Escalante which forms a company of a hundred men and joined the Cortes with Cempoala.

On the physical shape which the destruction of the boats takes, the sources use the expression barrenar (literally, to drill) and dar notched joints (to turn over the boat, to put it on the side). The two processes were probably used.

Since the beginning, the biographers of the Cortes excessively glorifié this act while making believe that the boats had been flarings. The expression “to burn the ships” ( quemar tired naves in Spanish) is always used to say that it is not possible any more to turn back. One can stress that Cervantès, in chapter VIII of the second part of sound Don Quichotte, compares this fact with other heroic acts such César crossing the Rubicon: “… ¿ quién barrenó los navíos there dejó in seco there aislados los valerosos Españoles guiados por el cortesísimo the Cortes in el Nuevo Mundo? …” (“which drilled the ships and left isolated and dry valorous Spaniards guided by the very courteous Cortes in the New World? ”). What proves that in 1615, it was always thought that it had failed and not flaring its ships. The firing was one posterior mystification intended to give a pompeux aspect to success.

At all events, terrestrial forwarding is ready, and walk towards the interior begins the August 16th 1519. The first surprised one is the change of climate in the plates, much colder than the climate of the coast and of the islands, second is to discover the existence of fertile valleys inside the grounds. The Cortes arrives in the State of Tlaxcala, small province independent, enemy hereditary of the Aztec empire, but whose forces attack its troops the September 2nd 1519. It gains despite everything the battle, in particular thanks to an undeniable technological superiority (crossbows, steel swords, firearms) like with an element of psychological warfare unexpected: the Horse, unknown to the Indians and which frightens them very. The Spaniards are also favoured by their way of fighting. Indeed, they fight to kill, whereas the Indians try to neutralize their adversaries, in order to offer them in sacrifice to the gods. After its victory, the Cortes tries to rejoin the Tlaxcaltèques with its cause. Thus, if they agree to become its allies and servants, he will forgive them their lack of respect. In the contrary case, it will destroy them. The Tlaxcaltèques give their agreement and after a few weeks of rest, the Cortes can carry on its way, with the reinforcement of 2000 combatants tlaxcaltèques and perhaps as many carriers.

On its arrival with Cholula, a Holy City of the empire of Moctezuma II, Spanish receive an imposing reception. It is in fact a trick, the Aztec ones having envisaged to eliminate the Spaniards during their sleep. But an old woman, eager to save the Malinche, with the indiscretion to entrust to him what is woven. The latter hastens to go to inform the Cortes. Without to have checked information, it decides to conduct a preventive attack. The Spaniards massacre initially the noble ones, set fire to the city and kill between 15  000 and 30  000 inhabitants. It is one of the greatest massacres carried out by the Cortes, and today still, its memory is long-lived with the Mexico. The Cortes then addresses a message to Moctezuma and justifies its action by a lack of respect on behalf of the authorities of Cholula in its opposition. He announces to him that if he treats it with respect and him gold offers, he will not have to fear his anger.

The conquest of the Aztec Empire

The entry with Tenochtitlan

In its walk towards Tenochtitlan, the troop of the Cortes passes in front of the volcanos of Popocatepetl and Ixtaccíhuatl. Diego de Ordás, one of the captains of the Cortes, with two comrades in arms, is the first European to reach the top of Popocatepetl, which impresses much the Indians accompanying forwarding. To reward this exploit and its military merit, Charles Quint will authorize Diego de Ordás to add a representation of the volcano to its armorial bearings (decree of the October 22nd 1523).

The entry in the Aztec capital takes place the November 8th 1519. Moctezuma believes that Spanish is Teules , sent Gods having to arrive of the east according to the Aztec legend; moreover, it is dazzled by the capacity of seduction of the Cortes. The Cortes is accommodated in Tenochtitlan with the pump necessary for the return of a god. Moctezuma had thus made prepare the palate of his/her father, Axayacatl, for Spanish and their allies. For many Spanish, Tenochtitlan is the most splendid city which they ever saw. The Cortes asks more for gold and Moctezuma promises to offer equal quantities to the Cortes and the King d' Espagne each year to come. The Cortes also asks that a statue be withdrawn from the one of the two principal temples of the city so that a vault dedicated to the Vierge is set up in the place. All its requirements are accepted.

Residing in the palate of Axayacatl, the Spaniards want to make also there build a vault. The emperor giving his agreement, the captains put themselves at the research of the ideal place to set it up in the palate. At this point in time a soldier (who was also carpenter) notices the existence of a secret door, which the Aztec ones had tried to camouflage not very front. The Cortes, accompanied by some captains, enters the room, and discovers an enormous treasure, that Axayacatl had piled up during its reign. It is at this time that the Cortes starts to fear that the Aztec ones do not seek to assassinate them. Four captains and twelve soldiers suggest to him taking the emperor as an hostage, so that this last answers on its life of their safety. No immediate decision is made, but the news of Veracruz will precipitate the events.

Indeed, the Cortes learns that Mexican chiefs took by storm Veracruz, and killed Juan de Escalante, the mayor, six Spaniards as well as Indian allies. It is a strong signal for the Indians, who understand that Spanish is not Teules invincible, but many human beings. For proof, a Spanish soldier named Argüello is made prisoner, sacrificed, and his head sent to the emperor.

The Cortes thus decides to seize Moctezuma like hostage to secure itself against an Aztec revolt. He also asks that the authors of the attack of Veracruz be punished. Brought in front of Moctezuma, the latter affirm that they acted on order of the emperor. As a sanction, they are burned on one to rough-hew. In addition, the Cortes obtains from Moctezuma that he declares vassal Charles Quint.

The forwarding of Pánfilo de Narváez

A few days later, a new advertisement the arrival of 18 Spanish ships with Veracruz. The Cortes thinks initially that they are reinforcements sent by the emperor. But actually, it is about a forwarding directed by Pánfilo de Narváez and financed Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar to punish the Cortes and its companions. The latter announce in Moctezuma II that the Cortes is rebellious with its king, and that it can be carried out by the Aztec ones. Vis-a-vis the urgency of the situation, it decides to leave a garrison of a hundred men with Tenochtitlan, under the orders of Pedro de Alvarado, and it takes the head of the remainder of the troop (approximately 300 Spaniards and several hundreds of Indians) to face the forwarding of Pánfilo de Narváez. It leaves victorious the combat and captures Narváez. He also manages to convince the soldiers of Narváez to join him of speaking to them about the high contents in gold about Tenochtitlan.

The Aztec rebellion and the sad Noche

While the Cortes is occupied fighting its compatriots, Alvarado decides to pass to the action to Tenochtitlan. Believer to detect a threat (real or pretended?) against its troops, it benefits from an Aztec festival to massacre the Indians. The population rebels then against Spanish who must find refuge in the palate.

The June 24th 1520, the army of the Cortes enters the city again. The brother of Moctezuma, Cuitláhuac is released as a sign of appeasing, but this last, far from wanting peace, is linked with cacic, directed by Cuauhtémoc, in order to crush the Spaniards. Cuitláhuac is elected new emperor following Moctezuma, always imprisoned. Encircled, Spanish is taken with the trap. The Cortes then orders in Moctezuma to speak with its people since a balcony to convince it to let Spanish turn over peacefully towards the coast. Moctezuma obeys to him but he is hooted and receives stones which wound it seriously. He dies a few days later. Always besieged, Spanish sees their moral dropping at the same time as water and the vivres. For the Cortes, the single chance of hello is the exit the weapons with the hand. It is what it decides to do in the rainy night of the June 30th at July 1st 1520, called the Noche Triste . The fight is terrible. The Spaniards are heavily charged, wishing to carry the maximum of gold possible. Sinking in the middle of Aztec, much the more, they try to leave the trap which Tenochtitlan constitutes. More than 600 Spaniards and nearly 2000 allied, others are killed captured and sacrificed to the gods. Almost all is on the spot abandoned: horses, pieces of artillery and most of the treasure. The Cortes however manages to escape with a handle from men. Continued by the Indians, Spanish is exhausted, fewer and from now on less well equipped. But they must despite everything fight, the July 7th, at the time of the Bataille of Otumba. The Aztec ones are beaten and constrained with the escape. The forwarding of the Cortes has just escaped worst.

The reconquest of Tenochtitlan

The Cortes reconstitutes its troop, and benefits from the unwavering support of the Tlaxcaltèques. Rejoining all the enemy Indians of Aztec, it prepares its revenge. Thanks to these many reinforcements, it can align an army worthy of this name. As a fine tactician, it prepares an at the same time terrestrial and lake attack, the town of Tenochtitlan being on a lake. After a long seat and combat which destroy almost all the city, making between 120.000 and 240.000 died at the Aztec ones, the last emperor, Cuauhtémoc, goes to the Cortes the August 13rd 1521.

Forwardings of discovery

Towards Mow Hibueras

Hernán the Cortes hears of richnesses which would exist towards Las Hibueras (current République of Honduras). Moreover it supposes the existence of a strait which in the opinion of much of pilots allows the passage the other sea (of the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean), strait whose existence had been revealed by the pilot Juan of Cosa since the year 1500. Also, in 1524, the Cortes sends a forwarding towards Las Hibueras, under the command of its captain Cristóbal de Olid. It includes/understands five ships with artillery, 400 men, 30 horses. Cristóbal de Olid must however pass by Cuba to recover horses and additional ammunition bought by the Cortes via Alonso de Contreras. When it arrives at Cuba, Cristóbal de Olid comes into contact with Diego Velázquez, the governor of Cuba. This last wishes to deprive the Cortes of the future discoveries of this new forwarding. Also, it pushes Cristóbal de Olid to be released from the supervision of the Cortes (which however financed the entirety of forwarding) and to colonize the grounds of Mow Hibueras in the name of the king of Spain. May 3rd 1524, Cristóbal de Olid unloads with Las Hibueras and founds the town of Triomphe of the Cross . It benefits from it immediately to reject the authority of the Cortes with the agreement of its soldiers (a great part of them being old forwardings of Narváez).

In June 1524, the Cortes is informed of treason and sets up a forwarding, that he entrusts to his cousin Francisco of mow Casas. It is also composed of five ships and a hundred of men, with for mission of apprehending and of punishing Cristóbal de Olid. But this forwarding is not very lucky and a storm sends the ships on the coast, where they fall between the hands from Olid. Francisco of mow Casas is captured, but thanks to some soldiers faithful to the Cortes, he escapes then manages to seize Cristóbal de Olid. Wounded during the confrontation, this last judged, is condemned to died and cut the throat of (or strangled) publicly on the place of Naco.

Being unaware of all the situation, the Cortes fears that Francisco of mow Casas failed. Also, it decides to form a new forwarding, and to take the head of it. It runs up in that against the majority of its captains, who do not see an good eye his departure of Tenochtitlan. Bernal Díaz del Castillo is very clear besides on the subject the factor Salazar and the Chirinos controller who were to live Mexico City, decided to make friendship with the bachelor Zuazo and Rodrigo de Paz and all the friendly old conquistadors of the Cortes which remained in Mexico City, and all together they asked the Cortes not to leave Mexico City and to control the country; they made the point to him that very whole News-Spain would revolt; and on this subject, there were long discussions… In spite of these recommendations, the Cortes maintains its decision. It takes the precaution however to take along with him the majority of the big bosses of the various Indian tribes, in particular Cuauhtémoc, the Aztec emperor and Tepanquezatl, lord of Tlacopan. He thus hopes to limit the risk of revolt. For this forwarding, it can count on its faithful, among which Gonzalo de Sandoval, Pedro de Solis, Juan Jaramillo, Hernán López de Avila or Bernal Díaz del Castillo. This last specifies us that forwarding is composed of approximately 250 soldiers, 130 riders, a few tens of principal rafters and arquebusiers, 3000 Indians of war, for which it is necessary to add the Indiens servants.

Contrary to the two preceding forwardings passed by the sea, the Cortes decides to carry out a terrestrial forwarding. Forwarding leaves Tenochtitlan become Mexico City for Coatzacoalcos. This part of the voyage occurs without encumbers and the Cortes decides to carry on its road (whereas it had pledged near its captains, not to continue by terrestrial way starting from this city). Of Coatzacoalcos to Ayagualulco, the first difficulties appear, with the obligation to build boats, but more especially a bridge of almost 500 meters to cross a river. The way becomes increasingly difficult, with many marshes, a hostile and fatal jungle (snakes, spiders…), lack of food…

It is in this delicate context that at the ears of the Cortes a rumor of plot fomented by Cuauhtémoc arrives. Its reaction is immediate: it obliges Cuauhtémoc to acknowledge the plot. This last is then considered then hung close to Acalan, in February 1525, in company of Tepanquezatl. In spite of the consents, it would seem that this business is especially an excellent pretext for the Cortes to eliminate Cuauhtémoc. It is in any case what it arises from the severe remarks of Bernal Díaz del Castillo.

Forwarding carries on its lot of mileage, always done deprivations and enormous difficulties, since it is necessary to clear a passage to the machete and the sword in the thick jungle, when it is not the crossing of marshes or rivers. Despite everything, the Cortes arrives to San Gil de Buena Vista, a small village of 40 inhabitants founded by Gil González de Ávila. He then learns the success from the forwarding of Francisco of mow Casas. He goes to Puerto de Caballos and founds the town of Natividad, then joined Trujillo. The Cortes thus finishes this disastrous forwarding, during which he does not discover anything interesting, if it is not the geography of the places. The whole at the price of a heavy tribute: tens of died and shade of the assassination of Cuauhtémoc.

Towards “California”

Knows that with right hand of the Indies there is an island called California very close to the edge of the terrestrial paradise; it is populated black women, without any man among them, because they live the made-to-order of Amazones. They had the beautiful ones and robust bodies, a courage full with ardor and a great force. Their isle was strongest of the world, with its rock coasts and its escarpées cliffs. Their weapons all were out of gold, of the same metal that the harnesses of the wild beasts were made which they had the practice to draw up to assemble them, because in all the isle it had there of another metal only the or.

One currently considers Hernán the Cortes as the discoverer of the Péninsule of Low-California although the first European to be unloaded there is the Spanish navigator Fortún Ximénez with the orders of the Concepción , ship which belonged to Hernán the Cortes. When it unloads in 1534 there, it thinks that it is about an island.

In the fourth Carta de Relación , dated from the October 15th 1524 in Mexico City, Hernán the Cortes describes with king d' Espagne the preparation of boats to explore and subject new areas on the South Sea (the Pacific Ocean], idea that it has continued for two years already. Having returned to Spain in 1529, the Cortes signs an agreement with the Crown of Spain, by which it agrees to send on its account " armies to discover islands and territories in the Sea of Sud".

It wishes, in addition to the territorial domination and the possible noble metal profits, to find a passage maritime between the Atlantic and the Pacific. Indeed, he thinks that since Ferdinand Magellan found a strait connecting the two oceans by the south, he must well also exist a passage by north, mythical passage still unknown, but that one names already Détroit of Anián. In the agreement, it was agreed that a tenth of the grounds discovered would belong to the discoverer and to his descent, in a perpetual way.

The first forwarding

During its stay in Spain in 1529, the Cortes thus negotiates grounds for him. Of return to Mexico, the June 30th 1532, it sends his/her cousin Diego Hurtado de Mendoza to explore the islands and the littoral of the Pacific Ocean, beyond the limits of News-Galicia, controlled by Nuño de Guzmán, savage enemy of Hernán the Cortes.

It divides forwarding into two since Tehuantepec (Oaxaca), after having reached Manzanillo (Colima) they continue to follow the coasts of Jalisco and Nayarit, which formed part of News-Galicia then, until the discovery of the islands Marías, of over there they turns over to the dry land and tries to obtain a water provision in the Baie of Matanchén (Nayarit), provisioning which is refused to them by Nuño de Guzmán, owner and lord of the area.

One of the ships damaged by the storm takes the way of the return, it arrives at the coasts of Jalisco and finishes between the hands of Nuño de Guzmán; during this time, the other ship which transported Diego Hurtado de Mendoza takes the direction of north. None of those which were on board returned in News-Spain and one had never again of news of them. Years after, the author of Second account of the voyage which made Nuño de Guzmán in News-Galicia ( Segunda Relación anónima of the jornada that hizo Nuño de Guzmán in Nueva Galicia ), collected certain information which enables us to suppose that the ship had made shipwreck on the northern littoral of the actual position of Sinaloa, causing the death of all the crew.

The second forwarding

The Concepción taken along by the commander Diego de Becerra, is one of the two ships that the Cortes sends in 1533, shortly after the conquest of Tenochtitlan, in the second voyage of exploration of the Pacific Ocean, the other being the San Lázaro under the orders of the captain Hernando de Grijalva.

Forwarding installs since the current port of Manzanillo (Colima), the October 30th 1533. The December 20th, the ships separate. The San Lázaro , which had taken lead, awaits the Concepción during three days, and not seeing it coming, it begins the exploration of the Pacific Ocean and discovers the islands Revillagigedo. On board the Concepción all is different, the navigator and second on board Fortún Ximénez mutine and assassinates in its sleep the captain Diego de Becerra, then there attack the team members remained faithful to the late captain by giving up them on the coasts of Michoacán, in company of the brothers Franciscains who accompanied them in the crossing.

Fortún Ximénez sails towards the North-West, skirting the coast, then it transfers towards the west and arrives in a peaceful bay. It is known today that the place where it wet is not other than La Paz. He then thinks of being arrived on an island. He makes the meeting of Indians, speaking a language unknown and going to half naked, very different from the Indians met on the Mexican plates.

The crew which accompanies it, by seeing naked women with half and because of the sexual abstinence, rapes the Indians present. Then they realize that in this place the pearls, that the Indians extracted from the shells, abound in bay, and they put the place at bag. It is interesting to specify that Fortún Ximénez and its men did not give any name to the places which they visited, like hiding the traces of their misdeeds. The rape of the Indians by the crew and the setting with bag causes a violent confrontation with the Indians, who ends in the death of Fortún Ximénez and some of his men. Survivors take escape, give Concepción to water to large-sorrow and sail after a fashion until coasts of current State of Jalisco, where they fall on soldiers from Nuño de Guzmán who do them captive, and requisition the boat.

The third forwarding

After having financed two voyages in the South Sea and without to have obtained " matériel" result; , Hernán the Cortes decides to take the head of the third voyage of exploration.

The Cortes is annoyed that Nuño de Guzmán, its enemy of always, concealed the Concepción to him. Also, it decides to face it on its own ground and of launching its third forwarding of over there. For that it gathers a many, made up army infantrymen and riders, to go on the province of News-Galicia.

The viceroy of News-Spain request in Hernán the Cortes, the September 4th 1534 of " not to face that which had concealed its navires" what the Cortes refuses, pretexting that he had spent a hundred and thousand gold castellanos, and that he had been indicated by his Majesty the king of Spain Charles Quint to discover and conquer new territories. It had even started a shipyard at Tehuantepec and had at its disposal three ships ready to take the sea: the San Lázaro (which had returned with Grijalva of the second forwarding), the Santa Águeda and the Santo Tomás , which had just been built.

The project of the Cortes is ambitious. It envoit its ships with Chametla (Sinaloa) (close to the current town of Escuinapa) in a territory controlled by Nuño de Guzmán and over there the army accosts which is under its orders. To arrive at Chametla, the Cortes must cross, several days during, the New Kingdom of News-Galicia. News-Galicia being a province of News-Spain.

Bernal Díaz del Castillo reports to us that when one knew in News-Spain that the Marquis de Oaxaca left again in conquest, many which was those offered to be used it as a rider or as principal rafter. On the whole, 320 people and 150 horses take the sea. He adds that the boats are very well equipped with melba toasts, meat, oil, wine and vinegar, three blacksmiths with their forging mills and two carpenters with their tools, but also of the monks, the doctors and a surgeon. The army of the Cortes unloads at the town of Santiago de Galicia de Compostela, located at the time in the valley of Matatipac (today town of Tepic), where it is accommodated in a friendly way by the governor Nuño Beltrán de Guzmán, its enemy. The Cortes and its troop remain only four days in this city before continuing their voyage. Nuño de Guzmán would then have advised in the Cortes not to continue its exploration, but the Cortes does not hold any account of it, in particular because Nuño de Guzmán lives in a certain poverty. At all events, the reception which receives the Conquistador of Mexico on behalf of Guzmán is mainly due to the army which accompanies it.

After the departure of the Cortes, Nuño de Guzmán envoit a letter with the Audiencia of Mexico in which he complains that " the marquis of the Valley wanted to penetrate with his people in his territory, being only General Capitaine of the News-Espagne".

In Chametla (Sinaloa), after having crossed the States of Jalisco and Nayarit, territories belonging to the kingdom of News-Galicia at the time, the Cortes and its procession embark on the Santa Águeda and the San Lázaro with 113 soldiers, 40 riders with their horses and it leaves with ground 60 additional riders, according to what reports to the Audiencia the governor Nuño de Guzmán.

Once on the San Lázaro , the Cortes takes the direction of the North-West, and the May 3rd 1535, it currently arrives at bay of Santa Cruz La Paz, where it learns death from its subordinate by the Indians.

Once the bay of Santa Cruz taken, the Cortes decides to establish a colony there. It envoit to seek the soldiers and pieces of artillery left with Sinaloa, but the bad weather comes to be interfered, the ships are lost and only one can return to bay of Santa Cruz, with a cargo of fifty corn fanègues, not enough to feed the population. The Cortes makes the decision to leave personally to research vivres, but all that it reports is still insufficient, this is why it gets under way for News-Spain, in the intention to provide in vivres, since over there, the new colony.

It names Francisco de Ulloa with the head of the village of Santa Cruz. But the complaints of the families of those which had remained on the peninsula manage to convince the viceroy to give up the colony.

The fourth forwarding

In spite of the failures of the first three forwardings, the Cortes decides to send a fourth mission of exploration in the South Sea , which he entrusts to Francisco de Ulloa in 1539. Forwarding leaves Acapulco the July 8th of the same year on board the Santo Tomás , the Santa Águeda and the Trinidad . On the level of the islands Marías they are obliged to give up the Santo Tomás following a damage, and continue on the two remaining ships.

They penetrate in the Golfe of California and stop going it as to the return in the abandoned colony of Santa Cruz. They reach the extreme north of the gulf the September 28th, with the mouth of the Colorado and name the mouth of the river " Ancón de San Andrés" , a short text was written on this occasion:

Me Pedro of Palenzia, writer public of this army, gives faithful and true testimony with all men which would see presents it, that God our lord protects them from any evil, that in this twenty-eighth day of September of year thousand five hundred and thirty-nine, very noble lord Francisco of Ulloa, lieutenant of governor and captain of this army by grace of very famous lord Marquis of Valley of Guajaca, taken possession with ancón of San Andrés and of sea vermilion, which is on the coast of this News-Spain towards the North, which is with a height of thirty-three degrees and half, according to the orders of Marquis of the Valley in the name of the Emperor our king de Castille, currently and truly, putting the hand at the sword, saying that if he were a person to contradict it, that it was ready to defend it, cutting with her trees, tearing off grasses, turning over stones of all share, and outgoing of sea water; all this as a sign of possession.

Witnesses which was present so that I say, the reverends fathers of the lord Saint Francois, the father Frère Raymundo, the father Antonio brother of Carried out, Francisco de Terrazas, in front of Diego de Haro, Gabriel Márquez. On day, month and aforesaid year. I have, to me, Pedro de Palenzia, writer public of this army, written according to what arrived to me; before making here this sign mien, which is as such, a testimony of truth. - Pedro de Palencia, public writer. Brother Ramundus Alilius, Brother Antonius de Mena, - Gabriel Márquez. - Diego de Haro. - Francisco de Terrazas.

After unloaded and taken possession of grounds of extreme north of sea Vermilion, (known today like Gulf of California), whose name comes from the reddish coloring of water which is tinkled in contact with water coming from the Colorado, it begin the voyage of the return towards Santa Cruz. They double the Cabo San Lucas and enter the Pacific Ocean and pass in front of the Baie Magdalena the December 5th without penetrating there, Francisco de Ulloa having been wounded at the time of a skirmish with the Indians. The April 5th 1540, it addresses to the Cortes an account successes of exploration, since the island Cedros which one knows thanks to the specimen present in the Santa Águeda . Indeed, it continued exploration with the Trinidad , but never again one heard about Francisco de Ulloa and his companions.

End of the Cortes

A will of recognition

A few years later, the Cortes is rewarded for its great conquests by Charles Quint (Charles 1st of Spain and Charles V of Germany), with the title of marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca, but the government of the new colony is not granted to him. Of return in Spain, it goes voluntary during the unhappy forwarding of Charles Quint to Algiers, in 1541. The storm which then destroyed the fleet joined together by the emperor of Spain did not save the boat of the Cortes which to regain the coast with the stroke.

Its death

Hernán the Cortes dies Friday December 2nd 1547 with Castilleja of Cuesta (Spain), whereas he undertook to turn over to America.

Representations of the Cortes

In literature

August 1st

In arts

• Jean-Paul Penin: Fernand Cortez , opera of Gaspare Spontini * Neil Young: Cortez the Killer , song being reproduced on the album Zuma (1975); Neil Young restores there her truth concerning the explorer, seeking to call into question her statute of icon of the good people: charitable man possibly, Hernan the Cortes is described there like a killer, having destroyed a company précolombienne (however) idealized. In short, against the popular imagery aiming at making of the Cortes a heroic adventurer, Neil Young, in a very personal vision, rule its accounts with the explorer.

See too

Random links:

Prefect of the court | Copyist | Ichneumia | Acrylamide | Mathieu Inthasane

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