And when we saw all those towns and villages built in the water, and other great towns on dry land, and that straight and level causeway leading to Mexico, we were astounded. These great towns... and buildings rising from the water, all made of stone, seemed like an enchanted vision... Indeed some of our soldiers asked whether it was not all a dream... It was all so wonderful that I do not know how to describe this first glimpse of things never heard of, seen or dreamed of before...
Today all that I then saw is overthrown and destroyed... nothing is left standing...
the Bernal Diaz Del Castillo
They laid before them golden streamers, quetzal feather streamers, and golden necklaces.
And when they have given them the gift, they appeared to smile, to rejoice exceedingly, and to take great pleasure. Like monkeys they seized upon the gold. It was as if then they were satisfied, sated, and gladdened. For in truth they thirsted mightily for gold; they stuffed themselves with it, and starved and lusted for it like pigs.
-Friar Sahagun - writing the Mexica's accounts about the truth of the Spaniards.
In Western-based version of the Spanish conquest, it is said that Cortez and a few hundred soldiers easily conquered the Mexica Empire of several hundred thousand people. The truth is the Spaniards weren't such efficient soldiers; they allied with many natives, who were enemies of the Mexica, especially the Tlaxcala. Also, Smallpox killed off a large amount of the indigenious people. The soldiers were not driven by religious reasons as they teach us as small kids, but the greediness for gold.
Lets begin our story...
The Mexica people saw bad omens. The first omen happened 10 year before the arrival of the Spaniards. It was a comet in the sky. It looked:
like a tongue of fire, like a flame, as if showering the light of the dawn.
It was seen for over a year starting in the year 12 Calli.
But this was just the beginning...
For the second Omen, the Great Templo burned mysteriously. Supposely no one started the fire. When the fire was first seen, the Mexica shouted:
Mexicanos, come running! We can put it out! Bring your water jars...!
When they poured water, it only made the flame worst For the third omen, the temple Xiuhtecutli was struck by lightling. Supposely, it was a normal thunder rainy day except there was no thunder that came after the lighting bolt that struck the temple. The Mexica said that:
The Temple was struck by a blow from the sun.
For the fourth omen, on a sunny day, fire streamed the sky. For the fifth omen, the lake foamed and boiled and flooded Tenochtitlan. The flood destroyed many houses. For the sixth omen, the Mexica would hear a woman crying in the night in Tenochtitlan. She would cry:
My children, we must flee away from this city!
At other times she would wail:
My children, where should I take you?
For the seventh omen, fisherfolk caught a bird that looked like an ashed-color crane which had a mirrior on its forehead. They shown it to Moctezuma and when he glazed at the mirrior, he saw stars. Of these stars, he saw Mamalhuaztli, which was three stars that are very important to the Nahua religions. When he looked for the second time, he saw armed men which were being carried by hornless deers fighting a group of people. He asked his soothsayers:
Can you explain what I have seen? Creatures like human beings, running and fighting...!
When Moctezuma tried to show them, the vision has disapeared. The soothsayers said nothing. He then asked Nezahualpilli and he forecast the destruction of the nations of Mexico.
For the eighth omen, two headed men were found and they were taken to Moctezuma. They would vanish when Moctezuma saw them.
Motecuhzuma became frighten by the omens and asked his seers and magicians whether the omens meant war was approaching or something else. They could not answer him.
One day, a macehual came to Motecuhzuma. What makes this story weird is that no one has sent him to report to Motecuhzuma. He said to Moctezuma:
Our lord and king, forgive my boldness. I am from Mictlancuauhtla. When I went to the shores of the great sea, there was a mountain range or small mountain floating in the midst of the water, and moving here and there without touching the shore. My lord, we have never seen the like of this, although we guard the coast and are always on watch.
Another report told him that the floating mountains had men that:
have very light skin, much lighter than ours. They all have long beards, and their hair comes only to their ears.
In the year 1518, Cortes and his men first touch land in Mexico of the coast of the Yucatan near Veracruz.
On August 19, 1519, the Spaniards went to the Totonaca and got four hundred of them as porters.
The Spaniards wanted the Tlaxcala to be their allies because they hated the Mexica. The Tlaxcala had built great walls around their city so that the Mexica or any other enemy would enter.
The Tlaxcala first attacked the Spaniards because Xicotencatl did not believe that the Spaniards could be trusted and that they could be with the Mexica. After the battle, the Tlaxcala found out the truth and Tlaxcala warriors joined them. Before Cortes left Tlaxcala, he put a cross and converted many native women (which the Spaniards would later rape).
While going to Tenochtitlan, Cortes stopped at the city of Cholula. The Tlaxcala were enemies of the Cholula and did not want to stay there. Cortes found out that Mexica vassals were in the city. The Tlaxcala told Cortes that the Mexica were trying to kill them. Cortes captured the caciques and ordered them to provide him two thousand men to carry their supplies for they would leave the next morning. When they returned with more than what he said, he ordered his men (including the Tlaxcala) to kill the natives. Three thousand natives (including women and children) died in this massacre including the destruction of Cholula. Before leaving Cholula, the Spaniards put a cross on the pyramid of Quetzalcoatl.
When Moctezuma's magicians and sorcerers left Tenochtitlan to find a way to stop the Spaniards, they met a man who was drunk. The man said:
Why have you come here? It is useless... Go back, go back! Turn your eyes toward the city. What was fated to happen has already taken place!
When they turned to see Tenochtitlan, they saw that the city was on fire. The man was Tezcatlipoca and disapeared before their eyes. They looked at Tenochtitlan again, but there was no fire. They ran back to Tenochtitlan (wouldn't you?).
On November 8th, 1519, the Spaniards reached Tenochtitlan. When the Spaniards enter Tenochtitlan, the Conquistadores couldn't believe their eyes on what they saw. Bernal Diaz del Castillo wrote:
Next morning, we came to a broad causeway and continued our march towards Iztapalapa. And when we saw all those cities and villages built in the water, and other great towns on dry land, and that straight and level cause way leading to Mexico, we were astounded. These great towns and cues [temple-pyramids] and buildings rising from the water, all made of stone, seemed like an enchanted vision from the tale of Amadis. Indeed, some of our soldiers asked whether it was not all a dream. It is not surprising therefore that I should write in this vein. It was all so wonderful that I do not know how to describe this first glimpse of things never heard of, seen or dreamed of before.
...
And such were the marvels we saw that we know not what to say, or whether to believe what was before our eyes, for on the one hand were great cities on the land, and on the lake many more, and we saw canoes everywhere and along the causeway were many bridges at regular intervals, and before us stood the great city of Mexico.
Mothers kept their children in their homes. The roads were clear for the people feared the worst.
Moctezuma greeted Cortes. Sahagun wrote what Moctezuma said:
You have arrived at your city, Mexico. Here you have come to sit upon your throne and seat... The lords and kings Itzcoatl, the elder Moctezuma, Axayacatl, Tizoc, Ahuitzotl. Oh, for what a short time they protected and guarded the city of Mexico on your behalf... No, I am not dreaming, nor am I rising heavy with sleep. I am not seeing in dreams, nor seeing visions. I have in truth seen you and have now set eyes upon your face... take possession of your royal abodes... Come to your land, O lords.
Moctezuma let the Spaniards stay at the palace that was built for Axayacatl.
When Cortes went to the temple of Huitzilopochtli, Cortes said to a priest:
It will give me great pleasure to fight for my God against your Gods, who are a mere nothing.
The Mexica were ready to die for their Gods and insulted the Virgin Mary.
Supposely, Huitzilopochtli told Moctezuma to imprision the Spaniards and kill them.
Cortes feared the very worst and ordered the Spaniards to seized the royal palace and hold Moctezuma prisoner in chains.
Cortes put an image of the Virgin in the temple of Huitzilopochtli. The priest of Huitzilopochtli slowly went out of the city sadly. After they left, drought struck the valley.
Moctezuma gave Tenochtitlan to Cortes and also gave him gold. Cortes seperated a fifth of the gold for the king and a fifth for himself and the rest was divided amongst his soldiers.
Cacama, nephew of Moctezuma and ruler of Texcoco, 25 at the time, gathered the caciques allies, including Cuitlahuac, to rescue Moctezuma. Cortes somehow found out and captured them and put them into chains.
Diego Velazquez, governor of Cuba, had sent an expedition to Mexihco to overthrow Cort?s. Velazquez ordered 900 men to capture Cortes. Leading these men was a Spaniard called Narvaez. It looked like it was all over for Cortes. He had Narvaez's men and the Mexica to worry about. Cort?s led part of his force against Velazquez's force and leaving some of his men in Tenochtitlan. After successfully defeated Velazquez's force, Cort?s returned to Tenochtitlan with all the men (Cortes promised them gold) except for Narvaez who wished to stay at Veracruz. Some of Narvaez's men had smallpox. Cortes thought he had everything under control until he went back to Tenochtitlan.
While he was gone, lieutenant Pedro de Alvarado had ordered the killing 600 Mexica which caused a revolt. A Mexica retells the account:
They attacked all the celebrants, stabbing them, spearing them, striking them with their swords. They attacked some of them from behind, and these fell instantly to the ground with their entrails hanging out. Others they beheaded... No matter how they tried to save themselves, they could find no escape.
While the people were being attacked, the warriors came:
They hurled their javelins with all their strength, and the cloud of missiles spread out over the Spaniards like a yellow cloak.
The Spaniards ran into the palace. Cortes freed Cuitlahuac hoping that the Mexica would surrender and also give him food and water. It didn't work. As the Mexica surrounded the palace, Cort?s ordered Moctezuma to tell the Mexica to go back to their regular lives. Cuauhtemoc was amongst the Mexica surrounding the palace. When he heard Moctezuma's speech, he got furious and said:
What is this Spaniard's wife talking about? He is a vile man and should be punished.
He threw a javelin which would cause the Mexica to throw stones at him. This did not kill Moctezuma. The Spaniards will kill Moctezuma because they believed he was useless.
Cuitlahuac set out to organize a determined resistance to the conquistadores. Cuitlahuac drove Cort?s's men out of Tenochtitlan during the Noche De La Victoria (or as the Spaniards know it as La Noche Triste) of either July 1, 10, or 30, 1520 (No one is sure. It depends on which version you hear. Messed up documents.) The Spaniards were trying to sneak out of Tenochtitlan with the gold that they have stolen in their clothing. Someone found out that they were trying to escape and warned the Mexica. A battle took place (Noche De La Victoria). A Mexica retells:
The canal was soon choked witht he bodies of men and horses; they filled the gap in the causeway with their own drowned bodies. Those who followed crossed to the other side by walking on the corpses.
About 2/3 of the warriors on the side of the Spaniards (869 Spaniards died. From these only 5 out of the 8 Spanish women died. These women ran naked running out of Tenochtitlan. 1200 Tlaxcala died.) died in this battle. When the survivors reached Tlacopan, the Spaniards reported that their comrads were either killed, missing, or wounded. The 20 horses that survived were all wounded.
Near Otumba the Mexica Warriors were waiting for the Spaniards. And a battle took place (can't remember who wins. If anybody has info, please send it to me.).
Spanish ships from Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic, and Jamaica came to Mexico. They brought along 200 soldiers, 80 horses, supplies, guns, and ammunition. Cortes armies were becoming big. This was a nightmare for us.
Cuitlahuac ruled four months (some say 40 days) after the Noche de La Victoria. His death was caused by smallpox.
After Cuitlahuac's death, Cuauhtemoc became emperor by being chosen by the council of nobles. In the meantime, Cort?s was regrouping for another attack on Tenochtitlan. He got with the Tlaxcala and the other Spaniards who would join him in this battle. The Spaniards had built 13 brigantines while in Tlaxcala territory and now planned to use the vessels in a naval assault on Tenochtitlan.
In March 1521, the attack begun, Cort?s began with a reconnaissance in force to gain control of communities in the Valley of Mexico adjacent to Tenochtitlan. He got as far as the neighboring settlement of Tacuba before Cuauhtemoc drove the Spaniards and Tlaxcala back in a determined land and naval counterattack. Cortes cut the water supplies to Tenochtitlan from Chapultepec. The Mexica now ran zigzag style in front of Spaniards with guns instead of going straight. They also tried to avoid the gun as much as possible while they ran. Battle tactics and skills became a lot better. It looked as though the Mexica were going to win and the Spaniards were going to lose.
While going to Tenochtitlan, Cortes had 80,000 men (less than 600 were Spaniards and forty of them were cavalry).
After Tenochtitlan was destroyed, the Mexica went to Tlatelolco, which was the center of the Mexica resistance. When Hernan Cortes ordered Cuauhtemoc to surrender, he said:
Well, since you wish it so, then carefully husband the maize and provisions we have, and let us all die fighting. Henceforward let no one dare to ask me for peace, for if anyone does, I will have him slain.
Battle took many days and Cuauhtemoc knew the resistance couldn't fight the Spaniards for much longer if they were in Tlatelolco. Cuauhtemoc gathered his official retinue and a couple of women and sailed for dry land. The Spaniards found out and one of their brigantines accost Cuauhtemoc before he reach his destination. They were captured and taken to Cortes. When Cuauhtemoc was taken to Cortes, he said:
Lord Malinche, I have done my duty in defense of my city. There is nothing more I can do. Hence, as I am forced to come before you a prisioner of your power, take the dagger you wear at your side and kill me with it at once.
Cortes refused to kill him; not because he was "Christian", but because he wanted the Mexica Warriors at Tlatelolco to stop fighting and to suffer knowing that his nation (not the people) no longer existed and now in control of the Spaniards.
On August 13, 1521, was the fall of the Mexica Empire (not the people).
On this day, Cuauhtemoc said his most famous speech:
Our Sun has gone down
Our Sun has been lost from view
and has left us
in complete darkness
But we know it will return again
that it will rise again
to light us anew
But while it is there in
the Mansion of Silence
Let's join together, let's embrace each other
and in the very center of our being hide
all that our hearts love
and we know is the Great Treasure.
Let us hide our Temples
our schools, our sacred soccer game
our youth centers
our houses of flowery song
so that only our streets remain.
Our homes will enclose us
until our New Sun rises.
Most honorable fathers
and most honorable mothers,
may you never forget to guide your young ones
teach your children, while you live
how good it has been and will be.
Until now our beloved Anahuac
sheltered and protected our destinies
that our ancestors
and our parents enthusiastically received
and seeded in our being.
Now we will instruct our children
how to be good
They will raise themselves up and gain strength
and as goodness make real their great destiny
in this, our beloved mother Anahuac.
The speech is about how our era of ruling was over and how we needed to keep our ways secret, but that we would arise again in the future and we, the future generations, will know our ancestors ways.
Tenochtitlan was destroyed and the our people ate anything to survive. Our people wrote a poem about this defeat called Broken Spears:
Broken spears lie in the roads;
we have torn our hair in our grief.
The houses are roofless now, and their walls
are red with blood.
Worms are swarming in the streets and plazas,
and the walls are splattered with gore.
The water has turned red, as if it were dyed,
and when we drink it,
it has the taste of brine.
We have pounded our hands in despair
against the adobe walls,
for our inheritance, our city, is lost and dead.
The shields of our warriors were its defense,
but they could not save it.
We have chewed dry twigs and salt grasses;
we have filled our mouths with dust and bits of adobe;
we have eaten lizards, rats and worms...
The Spaniards did whatever they could to built their new nation.
Not one stone of the Templo Mayor would remain one over the other. The destruction of the Templo Mayor would be replace with the Christian Cathedral. This would be the beginning of the Religion Conquest...
