Hist3BI Spring 2021.

Assignm. 7 Hernán Cortés – Letters from Mexico (Transl. by Anthony Pagden)

Text: Cortés, Velázquez and Charles V

1. In few words (from text and/or online), who are:

a. Diego Velázquez : Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez was a Spanish painter, the leading
artist in the court of King Philip IV and of the Spanish Golden Age. He was an individualistic
artist of the contemporary Baroque period
b. Charles V : Charles V was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556,
King of Spain from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy
from 1506 to 1555
c. Hernández Córdoba y Grijalva : Francisco Hernández de Córdoba was a Spanish
conquistador, known to history mainly for the ill-fated expedition he led in 1517, in the
course of which the first European accounts of the Yucatán Peninsula were compiled
2. What kind of permission did Cortés have from Velázquez and was he not supposed to do? He
was supposed to trade and explore, he was not supposed to colonize
3. On p. Xii, it states that: „... Motecucoma (Mochtezuma) was in some respects the least
dangerous of the enemies whom Cortés had to face, and that he had more to fear from some of
his own countrymen than from the emperor of the Mexica.“ How so? Explain. Because the
Aztecs and thier ruler thought that Cortes was the promised god, and he also had control
overthem.
4. What is Cortés plan after having defied Velázquez authority? What are his options? Can he
return to Cuba empty handed? To act with speed and obtain as much freedom for manuever as
possible, he insured the insertion of a clause. After this he was empowered to do what he did
not have permission to. And then he got the permission. He can not return empty handed
because he was disobeying orders, so he needs to bring something and direct himself to the
crown or king, and say i did it for you.

Text: Introduction

5. Section I: What does it say about Cortés education and knowledge of law? Why is this important
for later references? He was well educated and had a law bachelor, this is important because if
he would not be accepted in military his law education makes him fit
6. Section II: According to the author, why did Velázquez allow Cortés to command his fleet? It is a
mystery because cortes had no experience
7. Section III: Why are the letters of Cortés unique? Where are the two remaining letters of Cortés
located? They are unique both in their scope, their obvious literay ambitions and in the
readership they attracted. One in Vienna and one in Madrid
8. Section IV: According to this chapter: what was the purpose of the letters? The letters were sent
to Charles V to justify Cortés actions of attacking the Aztec 's against his superiors order. The
 letters that Cortés wrote details the lifestyle, and culture of the Aztec 's and how worshipped
pagan gods.
9. Section V: The Moors are mentioned on second page of this chapter. In what context? Later the
indigenous world is compared to Granada. How so? Explain. He says that the indians are no more
strange than the moors.