Hernan Cortes was the man leading the Spanish troops towards Tenochtitlan. He heard people talking about the gold that Columbus brought back from the Caribbean. Cortes had 11 ships, 508 fighting men, 100 sailors, 200 indigenous slaves, and 16 horses. But just as Cortes was setting sail, Velazquez arrived and tried to cancel the expedition.
Hernan Cortes was the man leading the Spanish troops towards Tenochtitlan. He heard people talking about the gold that Columbus brought back from the Caribbean. Cortes had 11 ships, 508 fighting men, 100 sailors, 200 indigenous slaves, and 16 horses. But just as Cortes was setting sail, Velazquez arrived and tried to cancel the expedition.
Hernan Cortes was the man leading the Spanish troops towards Tenochtitlan. He heard people talking about the gold that Columbus brought back from the Caribbean. Cortes had 11 ships, 508 fighting men, 100 sailors, 200 indigenous slaves, and 16 horses. But just as Cortes was setting sail, Velazquez arrived and tried to cancel the expedition.
Cortes was the man leading the Spanish troops towards Tenochtitlan. Cortes was an adventurous and ambitious young man. He heard people talking about the gold that Columbus brought back from the Caribbean. At the age of 19, Cotes set sail for the colonies in the New World. In many ways Cortes embodied the Spanish worldview of his time. He had a strong lust for glory and gold. He also felt a duty to claim land in the name of Spain and spread the Catholic religion to those overseas.
The Two Images of Cortes
Cortes by Christoph Weiditz
Cortes by Diego Rivera
Cortes and the New World
Cortes believed that the Caribbean would be a good place to make his fortune. When he arrived in Hispaniola (Dominican Republic) in 1504, the governor immediately gave him a large farm. But I came to get gold, not to till the land like a peasant, said Cortes. Cortes joined a 300 man expedition to conquer Cuba, which succeeded using their usual formula. Cortes remained in Cuba as second in command to Governor Velazquez. Velazquez sent out two expeditions to learn about the Yucatan Peninsula, a land mass west of Cuba. The expeditions reported that there was a civilization in this new land that was stronger, more advanced, and wealthier than any group the Spanish had yet to encounter. This is the opportunity Cortes had been waiting for. He got Velazquez to help finance an expedition to the Yucatan. In a few months, Cortes had 11 ships, 508 fighting men, 100 sailors, 200 indigenous slaves, and 16 horses.
The Richest Men Who Ever Crossed the Seas
Before leaving the harbor in Cuba, Cortes stood on a packing crate and made a speech to his forces. He wanted to inspire them to face the dangers and hardships that were ahead.
If you do not abandon me, as I shall not
abandon you, I shall make you the richest men who ever crossed the seas Then, just as Cortes was setting sail, Velazquez arrived and tried to cancel the expedition. He grew worried that Cortes would get all the glory for his discoveries and that Cortes did not respect his authority over the new lands Cortes might conquer. Cortes ignored the governor and the expedition sailed off. Once landing on the coast of Mexico, Cortes established a town and declared an independent government. This meant that he was now responsible only to the King of Spain and not Velazquez. He sent one ship to Spain with treasure and sank the other ten ships. If there remained any soldiers loyal to Velazquez, it was now impossible for them to leave!
The Conquistadors Formula
1. An expedition would set out from a recent colony.
2. After landing, the Spanish would meet peacefully with
the Indigenous people they encountered. Their aim was to discover which group in the area was the most powerful. 3. The Spanish would then invite the leader of that powerful group to a meeting to exchange gifts. They would then seize the leader and threaten to kill him unless his followers obeyed their orders. 4. If they did have to fight, the Spanish would fight on open ground. Their horses, armor, and weapons gave them a huge advantage. 5. The leader of the expedition would remain as governor of the new colony and his second in command would organize the next expedition. The indigenous peoples would be forced into slavery.