| TRIUMPHS and TRAGEDY, a History
of The Mexican people (Chapter 1) |
by Prof. German Estrada
February, 2005 |
CHAPTER 1 THE FOREFATHERS (part 27th) continues ....
2
THE CONQUEST OF TENOCHTITLÁN
A fortnight later, Cortés set out from Cholula for Tenochtitlan . Before leaving, the Spaniards erected a huge cross on the pyramid of the temple of Quetzalcóatl , the Christian symbol towering over the scene of the recent massacre. The route from Cholula went over the majestic Popocatépetl, at its base a pine forest, and then through a pass to the Valley of Anahuac , planted to maguey as far as the eye could see. As they approached, the Spaniards saw ahead of them the lakes of Anahuac, their shores settled with villages and towns and, like the head of a giant sea squid, the pyramids of Tenochtitlan and, in the distance, Texcoco, a sister city. Amid the stately cypresses of Tenochtitlan loomed Chapultepec , the hill with the temple of the Aztec monarchs.
When first sighted, Tenochtitlan stood about five miles distant. As the Spaniards approached its ramparts, they passed by Lakes Chalco and Xochimilco, traveling alongside of patches of cultivated lands, floating gardens, and hamlets. The scenes traversed by Spaniards remained Bernal Diaz of "the enchantments told about in the book of Amadis of Gaul because of the high towers, cues and other buildings, all of masonry, which rose from the water." Then the Spaniards entered Ixtapalapa, famous for its gardens, orchards, and houses of stone, where Cuitláhuac, brother of Moctezuma, awaited them. At his invitation, Cortés and his men dined royally and took up quarters for the night. With the dawn, the Spaniards marched out, Cortés and his cavalry in the advanced guard, on their heels the infantry, and, defending the rear of the columns, the Tlaxcalans. At Xoloc, the caciques of Tacuba, Texcoco, Coyoacán, and Ixtapalapa greeted the Spaniards. Wearing fanciful dress, they were the advance guard of Moctezuma. On the causeway which the Spaniards followed into Tenochtitlan , Moctezuma and his retinue of nobles could be seen on the opposite side of the drawbridge. Crossing it, the gateway to a city surrounded by water of the lakes, placed the Spaniards at Moctezuma's mercy. Once they were inside, there was no going back.
Than "bold and lucky entrance," recalled Bernal Diaz, occurred "on November 8, in the year of our savior Jesus Christ 1519." The city itself, as Cortés described it to Charles V, was "as large as Seville or Cordoba ," with markets everywhere displaying goods of diverse types. One market (Tlatelolco), Cortés testified, was "twice as large as that of Salamanca ." The city, Cortés went on, "contained many mosques, or houses for idols, very beautiful edifices situated in the different precincts." The priests of the religious orders lived in the biggest ones. Such was the city Cortés had come to conquer, where he now confronted the lordly Moctezuma.
V
Moctezuma, successor to Ahuitzol, climbed to the Aztec throne in 1502. A gentle person, courteous and kind in dealing with others, had suffered from excessive pride and was superstitious. The strength of the Aztecs, the harsh realism with which they had built their empire, was not ingrained deeply in the soul of Moctezuma. If we can believe accounts recorded years after the fact, the magical rites of divination, prophecies, and art of interpreting dreams meant more to him. He prostrated himself before his gods, feared the prophecies of their priests, and worshiped Huitzilopochtli. About forty years of age, of medium height, and slender, Moctezuma was not too dark of skin. His black hair, more short than long, barely covered his ears. Only a few whiskers sprouted from his face, a bit long but not unpleasant. Source: From the book Triumphs
and Tragedy, a History of the Mexican People by his
author Ramon Eduardo Ruiz, and with his authorization.
(W.W. Norton & Company. New York-London). We'll continue with this fascinating
book.
estradanav@yahoo.com
Prof. Germán
Estrada is the author of the best selling book,
"México
Mágico: Everything You Wanted To Know
About... But Nobody Told You..." available in Puerto
Vallarta at The Net House, Mail Boxes, Etc., Books,
Books as well as directly from the author by internet.
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