Hernando Cortes
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Excerpt from Hernando CortesAbility as an administrator and general. Appar ently he never knew what it was to fear, and conse quently no danger was great enough to a'ppall him. He was so skilled in stratagem that no situation was devious enough to prevent its solution. He had the same greed of gold as all Spaniards of his day had, and no means of obtaining it were considered dis honorable as long as they were successful. But courageous, resolute, and ambitious as Cortes was, he will go down through the ages branded with infamy for,bis treatment of Montezuma, for the frightful massacres at Chol...
Chapters (21)(click to expand)
- HERNANDO CORTES
- Translator’s Preface
- Illustrations
- Hernando Cortes Chapter I Velasquez in Cuba—Hernandez de Cordova Discovers Yucatan—The Natives on the Mainland are Hostile—Grijalva Advances from Yucatan Farther Northward—He is the First European to Step upon Mexican Soil
- Chapter II The Youth of Cortes—His Voyage to San Domingo and Settlement there—Cortes under Velasquez in Cuba—He Fits Out a Fleet for the Conquest of Mexico
- Chapter III Cortes is Regarded as an Enemy by the Natives of Tabasco, and is Forced into a Battle with them—He is Victorious and they Submit
- Chapter IV Cortes Reaches San Juan de Ulloa—His Negotiations for an Understanding with Montezuma, Emperor of Mexico—Disquiet in the Army
- Chapter V Founding of the City of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz—Disaffected Caciques Join Cortes—Destruction of a Heathen Temple because of Human Sacrifices—Introduction of Christianity—Cortes Sinks his Fleet after Sending a Vessel to Spain
- Chapter VI Cortes’ March to Tlaxcala—Battle and Defeat of the Tlaxcalans—Montezuma’s Messengers
- Chapter VII March to the Sacred City of Cholula—The Natives Plot the Destruction of the Spaniards—Cortes Discovers their Treachery and Slaughters Several Thousand Indians—March to Mexico—Montezuma Meets the Strangers and Escorts them to the Capital
- Chapter VIII Religious Rites of the Mexicans—Human Sacrifices—The Natives Discover that the Spaniards are not Divine but Human
- Chapter IX Montezuma is Made a Prisoner—Quauhpopoka and His Leaders Burned—The Mexicans Swear Allegiance to the King of Spain
- Chapter X Division of the Spoils—Cortes Attempts to Introduce Christianity—Narvaez is Sent by Velasquez to Depose Cortes—Cortes Advances against Him
- Chapter XI Cortes Defeats Narvaez—Meanwhile the Mexicans, Outraged by Alvarado, Rise in Revolt—Cortes Returns
- Chapter XII The Mexicans Rise against the Spaniards and Fight with Desperate Courage—Montezuma is Killed—Cortes Struggles Bravely and is in Danger of his Life
- Chapter XIII Cortes, About to Retreat, Finds the Causeways Cut—The Spaniards Escape with Heavy Loss—The Tlaxcalans Remain True—Guatemozin is Elected Emperor of Mexico
- Chapter XIV Cortes Builds Vessels for a Land and Water Attack—A Conspiracy against his Life is Discovered—The Capital is Attacked
- Chapter XV The Spaniards Lose Heavily in Battle—The Prisoners are Sacrificed—Some of Cortes’ Allies Desert but Soon Return—The City of Mexico Captured—Guatemozin Attempts Flight but is Taken
- Chapter XVI Tapia, Commissioned to Depose Cortes, is Induced to Return to Cuba—Cortes is Confirmed as Governor of New Spain—He Goes to Spain and is Ennobled—A Second Visit to Spain Discloses the Fickleness of the Court—He Vainly Begs the Emperor’s Favor—His Death
- Footnotes
- Appendix
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