Hernán Cortés and the Conquest of Mexico

By Manolo Palomares

A gripping historical novel about the Conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés and the obstacles he faced, including extreme weather, difficult terrain, betrayals and insurrections by his own men, unknown languages, human sacrifices, cannibalism, and wars. The work also highlights the important role of doña Marina, La Malinche, in the conquest, her relationship with the Spanish captain; and the strange bond between Hernán Cortés and Moctezuma, the Aztec emperor.

 

You will relive the key battles, Cholula and Tóxcatl Massacres, the Night of Sorrows (la Noche Triste), Tenochtitlan's siege, and the fall of the Aztec Empire.

 

The novel is backed by extensive bibliographic research and on the accounts of both victors and vanquished participants, as well as on the significant historians and scholars of the historical period.

 

A novel that will make you feel the epic of the Conquest of Mexico.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Manolo Palomares
• Release date: Jun 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223285137

Book preview

Table of Contents

Hernán Cortés and the Conquest of Mexico

Coyoacán, New Spain. January 1528.

Cozumel. February 1519.

Tenochtitlan. March 1519

Route to Tenochtitlan.

Battle of Centla. March 1519.

San Juan de Ulúa. April 1519.

Tenochtitlan. May 1519.

Cempoala. May 1519.

Veracruz. May 1519.

Battle of Tlaxcala. August 1519.

Valladolid, Spain. August 1519.

Tlaxcala. September 1519.

Cholula. October 1519.

Cortés Pass. October 1519.

Lake Texcoco. Year 1519.

Tenochtitlan. November 1519.

Villa-Rica de la Veracruz. March 1520.

Map of Tenochtitlan. Year 1524.

Tenochtitlan. April 1520.

Cempoala. April 1520.

Tóxcatl Massacre. May 1520.

La Noche Triste[54]. June 1520

Route to Tlaxcala. July 1520.

Battle of Otumba. July 1520.

Tenochtitlan. July 1520

Tlaxcala. July 1520.

Segura de la Frontera. September 1520.

Tlaxcala. November 1520.

Texcoco. December 1520.

Map of Tenochtitlan. Year 1519.

Siege of Tenochtitlan. May 1521.

Acknowledgements

HERNAN CORTES

AND THE CONQUEST OF MEXICO

Manolo Palomares

Manuel Palomares © 2023

All rights reserved.

This work is protected by copyright laws.

and international treaties.

Texto Descripción generada automáticamente con confianza media

Cover Illustration: Batalla de Otumba.

With authorization from the author: Augusto Ferrer-Dalmau.

No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic o mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the Author.

Dedicated with love to my wife, Claudia.

Mexican and Spanish.

Never before has any captain accomplished such feats with such a small army,

achieved so many victories or subdued such a vast empire.

Francisco López de Gómara.

Index

Coyoacán, New Spain. January 1528.

Cozumel. February 1519.

Tenochtitlan. March 1519

Route to Tenochtitlan.

Battle of Centla. March 1519.

San Juan de Ulúa. April 1519.

Tenochtitlan. May 1519.

Cempoala. May 1519.

Veracruz. May 1519.

Battle of Tlaxcala. August 1519.

Valladolid, Spain. August 1519.

Tlaxcala. September 1519.

Cholula. October 1519.

Cortés Pass. October 1519.

Lake Texcoco. Year 1519.

Tenochtitlan. November 1519.

Villa-Rica de la Veracruz. March 1520.

Map of Tenochtitlan. Year 1524.

Tenochtitlan. April 1520.

Cempoala. April 1520.

Tóxcatl Massacre. May 1520.

La Noche Triste. June 1520

Route to Tlaxcala. July 1520.

Battle of Otumba. July 1520.

Tenochtitlan. July 1520

Tlaxcala. July 1520.

Segura de la Frontera. September 1520.

Tlaxcala. November 1520.

Texcoco. December 1520.

Map of Tenochtitlan. Year 1519.

Siege of Tenochtitlan. May 1521.

Acknowledgements

Prologue

What you are about to read is just an episode in the life of an exceptional man who changed Universal History with his words, pen, sword, and Cross. What would be enough to complete a lifetime for any of us was only a stage in his. Because he never stopped, because he never set limits to his imagination, because everything became small and insignificant to him right away.

All of you know Hernán Cortés as the conqueror of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. What you don't know is that he later explored Honduras, California, and its gulf, that he considered asking for permission to send a fleet to the Moluccas in search of spices, and that he had to do so when Emperor Charles ordered him to rescue the Loaysa expedition, on which Juan Sebastián Elcano, the first man to sail around the world, served as the Chief Pilot.

Read and enjoy this epic tale that, like all good adventure novels, contains excitement, struggles, love, betrayal, and a final victory. However, what you're about to read is not a novel; it's a chronicle. It really happened.

JJ de Lama

@HernnCortes

Coyoacán, New Spain. January 1528.

Mesquite logs crackled in the fireplace, warming the room. Cortés leaned on his elbow on the mantelpiece. He held a small glass of agave liquor in his hand. It was not usual for him to drink alcohol as he liked to keep his mind clear, but it was a chilly night in Coyoacán. After sipping the fiery and rough liquid, he placed the glass on the shelf next to a bundle of ocotes[1].

Still with the taste of mezcal, he remembered Spanish wines. God knew he missed them, among the few things he longed for from his homeland. Soon he would be able to taste them again. Indeed, when he drank his wines in Spain, he would miss the mezcal. He would tell his secretary to pack some liquor bottles with his belongings.

He thought of Martin, his mestizo son. He had heard rumors about his son Martin, claiming he was the first mestizo in New Spain. Cortés smiled at the gossip, which he believed only increased his own legend. He knew that before his arrival, a Spanish man had already settled near Yucatan who joined an Indian woman and had several children with her. Of course, dozens of Spaniards who went with him joined with other Indian women from the beginning, having offspring before Martin was born.

Some Spanish women followed their husbands in the conquest, giving birth to the first Spaniards in those lands in hardship. First criollos. For a moment, he remembered some of those women who accompanied him during those early years. Most of them healed the wounded when they were at their worst and fought alongside the men when it was necessary. Among all of them, Maria de Estrada stood out, whom he had come to consider as a sister.

From the bundle of ocotes on the mantelpiece, Cortés took out one of the sticks and, crouching down next to the fireplace, extended his arm, holding the wood with his hand. He waited for the flame to ignite at the end, and once lit, he stood up and walked towards his desk, protecting the fire with his hand. He brought the ocote close to the wick that floated in oil and lit the lamp.

He threw the stick into the fireplace, extinguishing it in the air and leaving a slight trail of smoke as it fell into the fire and an intense smell of resin and burnt wood.

Sitting before the table, he removed the stopper from the inkwell and picked up the pen. He held the paper with his hand, and, for a moment, he stared at his hand on the sheet. He had only three fingers left. The two missing fingers already rested somewhere near Otumba, anticipating the rest of his body when he was called before the Creator. Those two small stumps were the memory in his body of his brutal battles and wars since his arrival in New Spain and how costly it had been to conquer that land.

Outside the bedroom came the noise of the servants preparing his luggage and trunks. Diego de Soto, his steward, would be watching over everything, ensuring nothing was forgotten in the house in Coyoacán. The same house where he lived with Marina. The place where Martin, their son, was born. Cortés thought that Marina always liked this house. She even chose the intense red color that painted its facade.

With a slight shake, he cleared his mind and returned to the present. It was essential to begin drafting his last wills. His return journey to Spain was both inevitable and imminent. Still, even with the protection of the Virgin of Remedies, the sea was sometimes the final resting place of any Christian. He would leave a copy of the written document in Coyoacán and take another to formalize it before a public notary with some witnesses once he was in Seville.

He dipped the pen in the inkwell slightly to avoid dripping or smudging the paper. Before he began writing, he paused, deep in thought. First, he had to write what he wanted to be done with his body once he passed away. The wishes regarding his already scant estate would come later. Putting pen to paper, he began writing[2]:

I. First, I order that if I die in the realms of Spain, my body be placed and deposited in the church of the parish where the house in which I die is located and that it remains there until it is time for my successor to take my bones to New Spain, which I charge and command him to do so within ten years, and sooner if possible, and that they be taken to my villa in Coyoacán, and buried in the monastery of the nuns that I order to be built in that villa, which will be called the Conception, of the order of San Francisco, in the burial ground that I order to be made for this purpose, which I appoint and establish as my burial and that of my successors.

II. I order that at the time of my death if it should please God to have it occur in the realms of Spain, my burial be carried out in the manner that the gentlemen I have named as my executors or any of them who may be present see fit, provided that the things specified regarding it are carried out.

After reading it several times, it seemed to him that there was no doubt about his wishes upon his death. It was also necessary to write where and how the masses would be celebrated and the gifts and offerings he wished to do.

III. I order that in addition to the priests and chaplains of the church of said parish who are to come to take my body, the friars of all Orders in the city, town, or place where I die, be notified and brought to accompany the cross and be present at the funeral services, to which I order that the customary alms be given to said Orders, as my executors see fit.

IV. I order that on the day of my death, fifty poor men be given clothing from my estate, long brown cloth robes and hoods of the same material, and that said fifty men carry lighted torches in my funeral procession, and after it is done, each of them be given a real.

V. I order that on the day of my burial, if it occurs before noon, and if not, the following day, all the masses that can be said in all the churches and monasteries in said city, town, or place where I die be said, and regarding the masses that...

Cozumel. February 1519.

Captain Hernán Cortés was furious. He would not tolerate indiscipline in his fleet. He barely arrived on the island of Cozumel when he ordered two sailors named Peñate to be whipped for stealing food from others. Upon landing on the island, he had not seen any Indians, so he summoned Pedro de Alvarado. He had a pending conversation with him.

Captain Pedro de Alvarado, who was from Badajoz and similar age to the Spanish captain, embarked with Hernán Cortés after the failure of the previous expedition with Grijalva, which returned to Cuba with more losses than gains. On this occasion, he brought his brothers with him. While he waited for him, Cortés thought that Alvarado was a restless spirit, a good soldier, brave and hungry for honor and riches, but also too impulsive, aggressive, and cruel. However, he deceived everyone with a perpetual half-smile.

Captain, you sent for me, said the tall, handsome, blond Pedro de Alvarado as he entered the room.

That's right, Alvarado. I was surprised to arrive on land and not find any Indians.

The same thing happened to us on the previous trip with Grijalva. No Indian appeared, and we had to look for them, argued Alvarado.

Finding the Indians will be the next thing you do, Cortés ordered him seriously, right after returning the guajolotes[3] that your men stole from them, as well as the fetishes and low-value jewelry they had in their shrines, he said, looking Alvarado in the eyes, waiting for some protest.

Surprised that Hernán Cortés was already aware of the turkeys and the small headbands taken by his men, Pedro de Alvarado hesitated in his response.

Captain, there were barely forty turkeys and a few trinkets that they had with the idols, responded Alvarado, who did not want to become enemies with Cortés, Diego Velázquez, the governor of Cuba, has a license for this expedition that includes the rescue[4] and settlement of these lands, he reminded Cortés.

The license you mention was never shown to me, despite my repeated requests to the governor. Similarly, I have no evidence that any ship carrying said license from His Majesty has arrived in Cuba, Cortés responded seriously. The rescue does not include looting and pillaging; I would not tolerate it even if it did. We have come here to explore, discover, and settle lands for the greater glory of His Majesty and God. I order you to return the stolen turkeys; if any are missing, you will give the Indians beads and bells, which are appreciated in these lands, as payment. Cortés watched him, waiting for a reaction. Now, I want you to tell me why, during the journey from Cuba to the island of Cozumel, you did not stop to support the ship that had lost its rudder.

Camacho, the pilot, did not want to stop. He feared harsh weather, and it was not necessary for all of us to stop for such a small thing, Alvarado excused himself.

In that case, I order you to put the shackles on that Camacho, Cortés instructed, and leave him on land next to the ships so that everyone knows the punishment for rebellion. All the ships, except yours, stopped to search for the rudder. Captain Francisco de Morla jumped into the rough sea with a tied rope and managed to retrieve it. That is the bravery I expect from my men. Now, Captain Alvarado, you may leave.

Shortly afterward, they found four Indian women with three children in the dense forest and brought them before Cortés. Upon seeing that they were naked, he gave them clothes and offered the children some trinkets to play with, as they were scared and crying. Cortés communicated to the Indian women his desire for all the villagers to return home and assured them that they should not fear the Spaniards. One of the women went to deliver the message, with Cortés trusting that she had understood the words of Melchorejo, the Indian whom Grijalva took from Yucatan to Cuba on the previous expedition and who learned some Spanish.

The Indians of Cozumel and their chief soon appeared when they heard the message from the woman who went to fetch them. The chief offered them some beads, and in return, they returned the turkeys and jewelry that had been taken.

It came to Cortés' attention through certain Indians on the island that some tribes on the mainland were holding two Spaniards. He organized and sent a couple of ships to the coasts of Yucatan, about twenty leagues[5] from Cozumel. The two ships set sail with Captains Juan de Escalante and Diego de Ordaz, accompanied by several Indians from Cozumel. The Indians carried a letter from Hernán Cortés that they were to deliver to the Spaniards on the mainland, asking them to return to the island. After waiting a few days for a response or for the Spaniards to appear, the two ships returned to Cozumel without finding them. The return of the vessels once again angered Cortés because the captains did not wait for a response from the Spaniards whom the Indians had mentioned.

The rebellion was something that worried Hernán Cortés. He was aware that many of the men, and some of the captains he had on board, were supporters of the Governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez, and would do their best to remove him from the general captaincy he held. Diego Velázquez tried to arrest him before leaving Cuba, distrusting Cortés at the last moment due to rumors and malicious gossip. Hernán Cortés managed to persuade and bring to his side those whom Velázquez sent to arrest him. That was one of the virtues and gifts of the Spanish captain, his negotiating and diplomatic skills.

He remembered this was not the first time Diego Velázquez arrested Hernán Cortés. Some years ago, he had been sent to prison for refusing to marry Catalina Juárez, his current wife and an ally of Diego Velázquez. Hernán Cortés eventually accepted the obligation of marriage and moved on with his life, although his relations with Diego Velázquez worsened.

During their stay in Cozumel, the ships finished stocking up on honey, fresh water, fish, corn tortillas, and some turkeys, which the people of Cozumel exchanged with the Spaniards for some glass beads and pieces of pottery.

Cortés and the chaplain who accompanied him convinced the Indians, after several days, to stop praying to their idols and instead pray to the Virgin Mary, for whom they were given an image that was placed inside their cu[6], as well as a large cross made by Spanish carpenters. Although their temple or cu dedicated to the goddess Ix Chel was a place of pilgrimage for Indians from distant lands, they willingly accepted the change of gods, although not so much the prohibition of eating human flesh, as they sometimes sacrificed some children and ate them during their main festivities.

Cozumel was home to approximately two thousand residents. It was an island without rivers, so they had to get fresh water from wells. They built houses of stone and mud bricks, with roofs of thatch or branches. Their religious temples or cues were constructed with lime and stone, surpassing the quality of the houses. The Spanish were surprised that many Indians slept over ropes or cloths tied between two trees, keeping them suspended above the ground. The Indians called them hamacas[7]; the Spanish thought it was a clever way to sleep without touching the ground and thus avoid crawling insects.

The Indians were dark-skinned, and most of them were naked. Some wore loincloths, but few. They ate fish, turkeys, corn, and vegetables. They raised dwarf pigs and unattractive, hairless dogs that did not bark. These animals were castrated and fattened before being consumed[8]. Despite having an abundance of beehives and honey, they were unfamiliar with the use of wax. When the Spanish taught them how to make candles, they initially felt apprehensive but later embraced their usage joyfully.

The day before leaving Cozumel, a canoe with Indians came to the island from Yucatán. The young captain Andrés de Tapia was touring the coast with some men when he spotted the approaching canoe. One of the Indians jumped down when the boat reached the beach and ran toward the Spaniards. He was naked except for a loincloth, had his hair cut short, had paint on his skin, and was as dark-skinned as those who stayed in the canoe.

Are you Christians, sirs? asked the man as soon as he was in front of the Spanish captain.

We are, Tapia replied, surprised that an Indian spoke Spanish.

The strange man knelt in the sand on the beach before the Spaniards and began to cry, gasping for breath, raising his hands to heaven, and giving thanks to God between tears. Andrés de Tapia understood that the man was one of the Spaniards they had gone to search for days earlier. Excited, the captain helped the man up and hugged him. The rest of Tapia's men came to hug and console the stranger. Calmer, the man approached the Indians who brought him in the canoe, and after saying goodbye to them, the Indians returned the way they came. Andrés de Tapia and his men accompanied the man who called himself Jerónimo de Aguilar to see Cortés.

When Aguilar met Captain Hernán Cortés, they embraced each other with excitement at their encounter.

Tell me, Aguilar, how and when did you arrive in Yucatan? What were you doing with the Indians? Are there any more Spaniards alive? Cortés asked, surrounded by his nine captains.

My lord, it was in 1511 when the boat we were traveling on and intended to trade in Santo Domingo shipwrecked, and we survivors ended up in Yucatan, where the Indians captured us, Aguilar began to cry emotionally after a moment of silence. They locked most of us in wooden cages and fed there, fattening us like cattle. They sacrificed several of us, and our flesh was used for feasts, just like animals. Some of us, still awaiting our sacrifice, managed to break out of the cage and escape. Only two men managed to survive among the survivors, consisting of three men and two women. The women were captured by another Indian chief and died from overwork, like pack mules. Of the three men who escaped, one died shortly after that from fever. I was captured and enslaved, working for a chief for years, until I learned of your arrival. I asked for permission to leave, and the chief granted it to me because, already knowing about the arrival of the Spaniards, he did not wish to become enemies with you.

The men listened to Jerónimo de Aguilar, hearing him speak Spanish, albeit poorly, with incorrect vocabulary and mispronunciations. After eight years of captivity among the Indians, he had forgotten how to speak Spanish fluently.

What happened to the other Spaniard, Aguilar? Cortés asked.

I went to look for Gonzalo Guerrero, the other living Spaniard, when the chief released me. He lives in another village, and when I saw him and told him about your arrival, he said he did not want to leave. He is well-regarded in his village, and his ears and lips are pierced like the Indians. He is married to an Indian woman and already has two children with her, Aguilar told them. When I returned to the coast and did not find the ship, I asked some Indians to bring me to this island, trying to find you before you left. Thank God, it has been so, he said, abruptly ending his story.

Is there anything else you want to tell us, Aguilar? Cortés asked, realizing that Aguilar had interrupted his narrative.

Yes, Captain, Aguilar replied. Gonzalo Guerrero, the other living Spaniard, was the one who encouraged the Indians to attack last year's expedition, causing the death of several Spaniards.

That must be the Grijalva expedition, Cortés said, turning to his captains.

Following the conversation with Jerónimo de Aguilar, he was provided with clothing and provisions and enlisted in Cortés' army as a translator due to his knowledge of Maya, the language spoken in that region.

Throughout their stay in Cozumel, Jerónimo de Aguilar, a devout man, introduced the local Indians to the mysteries of the Catholic faith, talking about the Virgin Mary and her son Jesus Christ with them. He also mentioned the Virgen del Valle and San Pablo, who were the patrons of Ecija, a town near Seville, where Aguilar was from. Many Indians attended the masses celebrated by Friar Juan Díaz, the priest with the Spaniards, at the temple where the people of Cozumel had previously worshipped their idols and gods.

One day before leaving the island, Hernán Cortés gathered all his men from the land and the sea. Standing on a wooden crate, which served as a makeshift podium to ensure visibility and audibility, the captain addressed his men.

Spaniards, my friends, and companions, brothers. We are embarking on the greatest and most beautiful feat that will be accomplished in centuries and remembered throughout the world. My heart and soul tell me we will win great and rich lands. We will acquire greater kingdoms than our kings. I have equipped this armada with everything necessary to discover and conquer, including weapons, horses, provisions, war supplies, and above all, the bravest men, he paused so that the men could reflect on his words. I have spent a great deal on this expedition, in which I have invested all my assets and those of my friends and family. Everything I no longer possess, I have earned in honor. Honor and wealth, which we cannot have without the other, are what we will gain from this journey. I propose great gains and undertake this venture, fully aware of the immense toil and challenges it entails. We are few, I see, but with such drive and willingness that no effort or attack by the Indians can offend us; we all have experience, as we are all old Christians, and God has always favored the interests of the Spanish nation in these lands, and has never failed or will fail the Spaniards, virtue, and effort.

After finishing the speech before his men, the captains gathered to eat in the cacique's hut.

It would have been good if your grace had mentioned the payment for the men, commented Captain Alvarado.

I have no money left, my dear Pedro, to pay our people. On the contrary, I am heavily indebted, Cortés replied. There is no need to pay Spaniards who are at war and conquering these lands; if they were doing it for a salary, they would go to places closer to home.

Eleven ships were set to sail the next day, loaded with provisions such as dry bacon, salted beef, anchovies, sardines, flour, cassava bread, salty biscuits, corn, chickpeas, onions, garlic, honey, fruit, barrels of fresh water, and a liter and a half of wine per man. They had loaded several chests with gifts, such as crystal beads of assorted colors, mirrors, bells, leather articles, brooches, needles, scissors, knives, small iron tools, clothing, pants, handkerchiefs, capes, stockings, and shirts, intended for trading with the Indians.

One-third of this expedition had been funded by Diego Velázquez, and the rest came out of Hernán Cortés's pocket, who had to ask friends and even put up his estate in Santiago de Baracoa, in Cuba, as collateral. From the stern castle of his boat, Cortés could see the other ten ships that comprised the fleet. Five hundred and thirty soldiers accompanied him, some of whom were veterans of the wars in Italy. Others were merchants, nobles, farmers, carpenters, blacksmiths, and other types of artisans, as well as thirty crossbowmen and twelve arquebusiers. They carried ten bronze culverins that fired a 9-pound projectile and four falconets that fired a 2-pound shot. There were a hundred and ten men among the pilots and sailors, most of whom were foreign sailors: Portuguese, Genovese, Neapolitans, and one French. Also on board were some Spanish women and two clergymen, Friar Juan Diaz and Bernardo de Olmedo, a sensible man whom Hernán Cortés held in high esteem for his advice.

In the holds, they carried sixteen horses and a foal born on board. These were sturdy animals with short legs and strong backs, capable of carrying an armored rider. In addition to the horses, they had four dogs: two Castilian mastiffs named Moro and Rudo and two Alans named Corso (male) and Sultana (female), under the care of Vicent de Xativa. Two hundred Cuban Indians, who assisted with carrying baggage and performing other tasks, accompanied the expedition.

They reached the Bay of Terminos, so named by Grijalva the previous year. Several of the Spaniards from that exploration had died at the hands of the Indians in that bay. Cortés wanted to punish the Indians of those lands for it. Still, on the recommendation of the chief pilot Anton de Alaminos, who had been there before and knew the waters, they continued along the coast to the so-called Grijalva River, where was the town of Potonchán, located half a league upriver. Once they confirmed the shallowness of the river, they decided to unload the soldiers from the ships and, with small boats, navigated upstream to Potonchán.

Tenochtitlan. March 1519

A man without ears or toes appeared in Tenochtitlan[9], and in front of the guards of the emperor's palace, he claimed to bring news from the coast. Fortunately, he was given time to speak before one of the soldiers cut off his head for approaching the palace. Upon hearing the man's story, the chief of the guard informed Moctezuma II, the Huey Tlatoani[10] of the Aztecs[11], who had him brought before him.

As he had been judged and found guilty due to the amputation of his ears and toes, he was escorted before Moctezuma. Kneeling and avoiding eye contact, he recounted what he had seen.

Lord and our king, I was standing at the shore of the great sea when I saw towers resembling large houses, floating on the water, going from one side to the other without reaching the shore, he spoke in fear, being in the presence of the great ruler of Mexico.

Worried about the news, Moctezuma ordered the best necromancers and clairvoyants from the towns he ruled to be brought to him. He was surprised by the poor man's story, as he did not receive any warning from the magicians about omens or signs.

Seers, said Moctezuma to the eight men brought before him for their divinatory abilities, I desire that you tell me if any disease, pestilence, famine, drought, or perhaps rains that would flood our land will come. I need to know if there will be a war against us or sudden deaths.

The sorcerers replied that they did not receive any signs or omens. Angry with them for not having the answers he expected, Moctezuma ordered them to be locked up together until they had visions or prophecies. The men requested that they needed a lot of pulque[12], tobacco, certain mushrooms, and pieces of a cactus called peyotl[13], which was brought to them by the Chichimeca in the north, as it would help them have more powerful visions. That same day, what the seers requested was brought to the cell where they stayed.

Moctezuma ordered one of his best captains to be summoned and go to Cuetlaxtlan on the coast to see if the amputee's statement was true. Meanwhile, the amputee would remain imprisoned. No one was to know what he saw.

Three days after the captain had left to conduct Moctezuma's orders, the Aztec emperor ordered the clairvoyants locked up to be brought before him again. It was necessary to know if they had any visions or signs of the future.

The guard chief appeared before Moctezuma, frightened and trembling, and kneeled before him. Lord and our king, said the guard chief with a trembling