HernHernán Cortán Cortééss

El conquistador del imperio azteco

King Charles VKing Charles V

In the 1500s Spain was a monarchy, which means they had a King or Queen who governed the country.

Thus all the Spanish-controlled colonies in New World were under the control of the Spanish King, Charles V.

He operated through the Governors in the new colonies that he appointed to do his bidding.

Spain Spain

HernHernán Cortán Cortééss

Cortez was born in Medellín, España in 1485.

Upon hearing the insane tales of the New World from the crew of Columbus he decided to pursue the treasures of the newly discovered America.

The legend of El Dorado The legend of El Dorado

The crewmen told stories of beautiful, tropical foreign lands with plentiful fruits and easily enslaveable people.

However, the most enchanting tales for the young Cortez were those of the plentiful gold in the New World.

El Dorado means “the golden one” in Spanish, and signifies a mythic Indian city of gold.

EspaEspañaña

Diego VelDiego Velásquezásquez

Shortly he was contracted by the Governor of Hispañola, Diego Velásquez, to fight an Indian uprising near the Spanish colony.

He was awarded an encomienda after efficiently slaughtering a Native uprising in what is now the Dominican Republic.

Diego Velásquez

La encomiendaLa encomienda

La encomienda was a system similar to feudalism of Mid-Evil times in Europe.

Under la encomienda system, peasant slaves worked for the wealthy King or landowner.

Spaniards made the local people pay a tax in gold or in slave labor every three months or else they were punished severely.

Indigenous Resistance to Indigenous Resistance to Spanish RuleSpanish Rule

The Spaniards profited immensely from the situation while the Native people were made into slaves.

The results on the natives were usually revolt, suicide, emigration or they were killed for non-compliance.

La sistema de la encomiendaLa sistema de la encomienda

Slaves in the New WorldSlaves in the New World

New World PoliticsNew World Politics

As a result of the successful slaughter of the Native people, Cortez would receive a promotion in the Spanish army would and eventually help conquer what is now modern day Cuba.

ReconnaissanceReconnaissance

Velásquez sent out reconnaissance missions to the mainland to find future colony sites for the expanding Spanish Empire.

ReconnaissanceReconnaissance

Word comes back to Governor Velásquez that the mainland (Mexico) has a much more advanced and prosperous civilization than that of the Caribbean Indians.

Rumors of a great civilization inland entice the conquistadors with gold, but frighten them because of their religious practices of human sacrifice.

Governor Velásquez sends Cortez to further explore the area and bring back proof of an advanced and prosperous civilization that would make Charles V happy.

Bon Voyage Bon Voyage

Cortez sails with 11 ships, 110 sailors, 570 soldiers, 250 Indian slaves and supplies from Cuba to what is now mainland Mexico.

He arrives and “founds” the city of Vera Cruz.

Fleet lands in Mexico,1519Fleet lands in Mexico,1519

Cortez Changes PlansCortez Changes Plans

Cortez, being the greedy and ambitious conquistador that he is, arrives to Mexico and declares himself leader, independent of Velasquez’s authority.

He quickly destroys all the ships but one, thus forcing everyone to go with him and preventing desertion.

The army then proceeds to communicate with the natives to find out where this wealthy civilization is so that they may conquer it.

MalincheMalinche

MalincheMalinche

Malinche was an Indigenous woman who could speak both the Nahuatal and Mayan languages.

She became the translator for Cortez in his mission to conquer Mexico.

She was baptized by Cortez as Doña Marina.

QuetzalcoatlQuetzalcoatl

Malinche tells Cortez of the legend of Quetzalcoatl.

Aztec prophecy said that the white skinned and bearded God Quetzalcoatl would return to Tenochitlan and regain his thrown one day.

Cortez and Indigenous PoliticsCortez and Indigenous Politics

Malinche tells Cortez of the Aztecs, the most powerful civilization of Central America.

However, the most powerful civilization is sure to have many enemies.

Thus Cortez begins allying himself and politicking with the weaker tribes to gain support for an assault on Tenochitlan, the capital city of the Aztec Empire.

Indigenous AlliancesIndigenous Alliances

Cortez befriends some of the enemies of the Aztecs, the Tlaxcaltecas.

The Aztecs had conquered the Tlaxcaltecas and were taxing them.

Thus the Spanish and the Tlaxcaltecas and the Spaniards join forces for an assault on the Aztecs in their capital city, Tenochitlan.

The return of QuetzalquatlThe return of Quetzalquatl

Hearing of light-skinned bearded men, Montezuma sends gifts of gold to the Spanish troops.

Montezuma believed that Quetzalquatl could return to regain his thrown and he wanted to treat him with the utmost respect and graciousness.

Gifts to CortezGifts to Cortez

Map of the Aztec EmpireMap of the Aztec Empire

TenochitlanTenochitlan

Montezuma, Ruler of the Montezuma, Ruler of the Aztec PeopleAztec People

The Arrival of CortezThe Arrival of Cortez

Cortez and MontezumaCortez and Montezuma

Cortez and MontezumaCortez and Montezuma Because of the Aztec

Prophecy of Quetzalcoatl, Montezuma hands the thrown over to Cortez, believing him to be the God Quetzalcoatl.

Cortez cordially accepts the thrown of the Aztec Empire, but quickly must leave to fight his own people, the Spanish.

Pesky Velasquez Pesky Velasquez

Upon hearing the Cortez had renounced his authority, Velasquez sends 18 ships and 1300 men to kill the rebel Cortez in Mexico for not following orders.

Thus the new ruler of the Aztec Empire must leave Tenochitlán to fight the oncoming battle from Cortez.

Cortez the Smooth TalkerCortez the Smooth Talker

Cortez meets the oncoming Spanish army sent by Velasquez and easily convinces them to join him in his scheme in Tenochitlan.

They accept and quickly return to the Aztec capital.

While you were away….While you were away….

In Cortez’ absence, his men slaughtered and tortured a few Aztecs and caused rampant hatred for them among the locals.

Thus Cortez and his men were forced to retreat from the city and regroup.

Smallpox Smallpox

The Spanish do retreat, but leave an unknown plague upon the Aztec people: smallpox.

The disease begins to ravage the city killing an estimated 9 out of every ten people.

Cortez the ConquerorCortez the Conqueror

When Cortez and his army ofiIndigenous ally soldiers return, they can smell Tenochitlán before they can see it from the rotting bodies from the outbreak of smallpox.

They easily conquer the city and Cortez becomes the ruler of the largest city in the Spanish Empire.

Attack on TenochitlanAttack on Tenochitlan

Cortez Is Called to Spain by Cortez Is Called to Spain by King Carlos VKing Carlos V

Despite his success crushing the Atzec capital of Tenochitlán, Cortez must return to Spain to appear in Spanish Royal Court because of his rebellion against Velasquez.

His power in Mexico is never the same.

Death of the Greatest of All Death of the Greatest of All ConquistadorsConquistadors

Cortez dies in Spain in 1547, having lost all influence in his accomplishments.