1. COL155 Lecture 3 Spanish-Aztec Encounters
Jonathan Fulton
Spring 2014

2. Cortes’ Allies
“Cortez enjoyed the help of tens of thousands of indispensable Indian allies, chief of whom were the people of Tlaxcala, bitter enemies of the Mexica.” (453)

3. Tlaxcala Initially resisted Spanish attempts at diplomacy
Led to a series of battles which the Spanish (barely) won
Tlaxcalans converted to Catholicism
Became trusted allies of Spanish

4. Tlaxcala
Result:
“following the conquest, their land became a privileged, largely self-governing province that was showered with honors and exemptions during colonial times.” (453)

5. Sources of information about the conquest
Spanish: Cortes’ letters and accounts; Bernal Diaz
Indian: Mexica and Tlaxcalan

6. Sources of information about the conquest
Cortes: sent back at least 6 reports to king of Spain, Charles 1.
He describes the war and his experiences in the Americas
Written a year after meeting the Tlaxcalans
Text pp )

7. Sources of information about the conquest
Diaz: Written 50 years later, a detailed history of the entire campaign
“Diaz is the most reliable Spanish eyewitness of the conquest.” (455)
Much of what was written before Diaz was by people who had never been to the Americas or people who had a bias in favor of Cortes
Text pp

8. Sources of information about the conquest
Mexica: an account written in their language – Nahuatl, and published in a Spanish book
Text pp

9. Sources of information about the conquest
Tlaxcalan: pictorial. The Lienzo de Tlaxcala.
Lienzo: a picture or series of pictures on fabric that tells a story.
The Lienzo de Tlaxcala – a series of more than 80 scenes, chronological, tells the story of their role in the conquest of the Aztecs
Was a gift for the viceroy of New Spain