Scan barcode
A review by solaireastora
The Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz del Castillo
4.0
Bernal Diaz was one of the original Conquistadors, participating in the first two exploratory missions to Mexico and then the famous adventure of Hernando Cortes. The bravery and audacity of the Spaniards amazed me, as they marched right into the heart of the Aztec Empire, kidnapped its king, and eventually took the capital city of Tenochtitlan after a long and arduous siege. A price was certainly paid, and the Spanish suffered many casualties, especially during their original expulsion from Tenochtitlan. However, the Aztecs were overcome by the technical superiority of the Spaniards, the revolt of many of their subject states (notably Tlaxcala, without the support of which the Spanish would have been slaughtered) and, disease.
Diaz makes much of the Spaniards attempts to convert the natives to Christianity, and of the intense faith of the Conquistadors. For example, just after 3 massive battles, when many of the Spanish have been wounded and they must be short of ammunition, medical supplies, gunpowder, etc. Cortes sends a message back to the settlement asking for more communion wine and wafers, of all things! The evangelization attempts are rather sad and clumsy, and I am unsure of how much it actually served as a motive for the Spanish conquest. The other motive would be, of course, gold. The Aztecs were wealthy, and the Spanish robbed them blind. As Diaz himself says, “we went there to serve God, and also to get rich.”
The Penguin edition I have of this book comes with useful maps, a good introduction and it summarizes many of the unnecessary or repetitive parts of the narrative, making the book a quicker read and more enjoyable. I am very glad I read this book, as it was interesting and an amazing story.
Diaz makes much of the Spaniards attempts to convert the natives to Christianity, and of the intense faith of the Conquistadors. For example, just after 3 massive battles, when many of the Spanish have been wounded and they must be short of ammunition, medical supplies, gunpowder, etc. Cortes sends a message back to the settlement asking for more communion wine and wafers, of all things! The evangelization attempts are rather sad and clumsy, and I am unsure of how much it actually served as a motive for the Spanish conquest. The other motive would be, of course, gold. The Aztecs were wealthy, and the Spanish robbed them blind. As Diaz himself says, “we went there to serve God, and also to get rich.”
The Penguin edition I have of this book comes with useful maps, a good introduction and it summarizes many of the unnecessary or repetitive parts of the narrative, making the book a quicker read and more enjoyable. I am very glad I read this book, as it was interesting and an amazing story.