Research Paper on "Hernan Cortes and Bernal Diaz"

Research Paper 8 pages (3181 words) Sources: 4

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Cortes is portraying himself as the bold leader, strong and decisive, and loved by his subjects.

He is second letter to Charles V also refers directly to the difficult relationship with Velazquez which existed at the time, with reference to previous letter indicating the servants of the governor were jealous of what Cortes had managed to achieve (Cortes, 1520). Cortes argues that those former servants wished to jeopardize the expedition, and persuade people who had travelled with Cortes to leave Mexico and abandon the new settlement. The strategic nature of Cortes and the way in which he will protect himself, potentially under the guise of the King, is seen in the strategy he relates to the king regarding the action he took to prevent his people abandoning the settlement. The ships of the individuals who are deemed able to incite action against Cortes were stranded at the coast, under a pretext that they were no longer seaworthy, which meant that there was no possibility of a "mutiny," with citizens leaving, while he was travelling to the interior of the country.

When reading the letter, although it is a relay of events providing a narrative, one cannot help but feel that this is also a justification of actions that he is taken, which may be necessary especially given the situation with the Velazquez.

Cortes is promoting his own interests, presenting them as aligned with the Spanish crown; in this context Cortes was able to justify actions that may have been brought into questions by others, explaining the resistance and opposition of others in terms of jealousy at his achievements for Spain. Cortes intersperses the justifications for his actions with the recounting of events. However, even with the retelling of the events there appears to be a careful use of the facts; there is an emphasis placed on the gift that Cortes receives, without the same emphasis placed on the gifts that other commentators, including Diaz, claims that Cortes also gave Muteczema.

The interpretation of the second letter is invariably subjective, as one does not know the underlying motivations of the time, as no direct record was made. However, the accounts which relate his later fall from grace, after gaining the position of governor for new Spain in 1523, he was forced to return to Spain in 1528 (Prescott, 1849). To Spain he lost his governorship, although he was given the position of Capt General. This effectively meant that is power had been limited, and was no longer able to exert the same influence over the events, politics and people, when he returned to Mexico.

There is little doubt that Cortes was bitter at the way in which he was being treated; the letters clearly demonstrate a feeling of unfairness and a desire for a greater level of support and recognition. The letters also became a principal record of the way in which Mexico was conquered by the Spaniards. The harshness with which captives were treated and the way in which compliance was gained is presented as a necessary strategy in order to bring Mexico under control for the Spanish. Interestingly, the presentation of these acts of violence are very different from the way in which Muteczema's own use of power, as well as other native lords, use violence, which is then presented as being savage.

By comparison, the True History of the Conquest of New Spain, written by Bernal Diaz presents a similar, but still different picture. The work is written in a different context, these were not written at the time of the events, but are memoirs written after the event. Diaz's work is a reaction to the many earlier works that were polished and good to read, but, from his perspective were in accurate, written by people who where not there. In particular, Diaz objected to the account given by Francisco Lopez; Cortes's personal chaplain after he returned to Spain. This was published in 1568. Lopez had never travelled to the Americas, and not accompanied Cortes on the expeditions, but did have direct access to Cortes as well as other conquistadors from whom he could gain knowledge. His work, describing the conquest of Mexico, was perceived as being in accurate; Diaz believed that the work was heavily biased and exaggerated the role of Cortes in the success of the conquest, giving him along with a missionary almost the entire credit for the success. Later commentators have criticized some of these early works as unnecessarily sanitized, skipping over some of the more brutal aspects associated with the conquest. However, the work of Diaz was clearly motivated to set the record straight, giving an account by somebody who was there. Bernal Diaz came from a poor background, and was only a foot soldier, so had a very different perspective on the way in which the campaign was fought.

Diaz appears to have great deal of respect for Cortes, and is often praised by Diaz for his actions. However, one may argue that there is a more balanced view presented, and the motivation of Diaz is seen in the way that the conquest are presented as being not only due to the leadership, but the result of a joint effort including leadership and the foot soldiers. One may argue that it is likely to be inaccurate perspective, as without the efforts of the supporting soldiers, Cortes may have faced defeat many times over.

The motivation of Diaz may also be seen in the way that he defends some of the more brutal acts which are portrayed in some of the texts, including Cortes own letters. As his writing with the benefit of hindsight, critics had also emerged in Mexico and Spain, criticizing the brutality that was used by the Spaniards. Diaz appears to believe that the criticisms are unjustified, and undertaken with ulterior motives to gain support for particular political perspectives, but Diaz argues that the actions were merely the result of war, as well as the treacherous situation which the Spanish faced when undertaking the conquest.

Diaz is not well educated, so the presentation of his work lacks the polish seen in other commentators. However, Diaz appears to give a more balanced recounting some of the events, for example on the meeting of Muteczema, equal emphasis was placed on the exchange of gifts, both from and to the Mexican Lord. It is also notable that his work differs from that of Cortes in other ways. As Cortes was aggrandizing his own adventures, claiming they were in the name of Crown and Christianity, there was a motivation to present the natives as savages, in order to justify the actions he took, and demonstrate his power. Diaz gives a different insight into that native population; talking of the different people that were met as well as their customs, demonstrating that there was a more complex society. For example, he talks of the way that the natives would cook

"fowls, turkeys, pheasants, native partridges, quail, tame and wild ducks, venison, wild boar, reed birds, pigeons, hares and rabbits, and many sorts of birds and other things which are bred in this country"

(Diaz, 1632).

The discussions with Muteczema regarding religion do not present this Lord as an ignorant pagan, but one that is thoughtful and considerate, with his own intellect. Diaz also talks of the cross that the practice, the skills that were demonstrated from entertainment and dancing through to architecture and building, and the presence of a great marketplace.

The two different perspectives may be considered in terms of the context for how and why they were written. Cortes was protecting his self-interest and justifying his own actions, which, however one considers it, maybe argued as the actions of a rebel considering his initial expedition into Mexico was undertaken after he'd been stripped of his commission, although it was later reinstated. The letters of Cortes are written as contemporary accounts of events, and from a personal perspective in order to gain the support of the King, probably with the knowledge that those who opposed him may be petitioning for action to be taken against him. By comparison, Diaz is writing with the benefit of hindsight. He was there, new what happened, and the events have passed more than three decades previously. His account is not written as a justification, but as they can to set the record straight; stimulated by the inaccurate accounts, especially that of Francisco Lopez. Diaz may have been poorly educated, but despite this he still presents an account which may be seen as highly valid and important. However, Diaz is also writes from a different perspective, that of a foot soldier rather than a leader, and this also comes over in his work, where it is not only Cortes that is responsible for the success of the conquistadors, but also the conquistadors themselves. Two different men, writing two different accounts of the same event, but written with two different motivations. In… READ MORE

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