History of the Conquest of Mexico

The thing I like about this book is both its strong narrative, almost novelistic, thrust, and its heavy footnoting throughout (at the end of most chapters there's a little bibliographic essay). Prescott's familiarity with his sources seems exhaustive. Reading him is a little bit like reading Gibbon. One has to make provision for the passage of time and the change of values. "Conquest" is hardly the word we would use today. Today the word is the neutral contact--pre-contact, post-contact. <br /><br />The book to my mind does not really begin until chapter 6 (p. 122 in this edition) when we learn about the golden age of Tezcucan civilization. This was one of three affiliated Aztec city states living in close allegiance in the Valley of Mexico. All that precedes this is a rather patchy look at state religion (hideous, of course), law, regional politics, astronomy, the famous calendar, etc. I don't recommend skipping the beginning though for it contains essential information you'll need in later reading. <br /><br />About halfway through, when Cortés and his men climb from the buggy, malarial gulf coast, up to the tableland (7,500 feet) on which the <a href="http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_Mexico" rel="nofollow noopener">Valley of Mexico</a> sets, the writing becomes incredibly vivid. How Prescott, a partly blind man, was able to do this — it couldn't have been easy for a sighted person — makes his achievement all the more astonishing. He's particularly good at showing us the pristine-looking Aztec state among its network of lakes. Along the way the Spaniards are welcomed by a jubilant public which line the road and celebrate their progress.<br /><br />Unfortunately for the Aztecs, a myth told the story of Quetzalcoatl, god of the air, who, incurring the wrath of one of the principal gods:<br /><blockquote>. . . was compelled to abandon the country . . . When he reached the shores of the Mexican gulf, he took a leave of his followers, promising that he and his descendants would revisit hereafter . . . . The Mexicans looked confidently to the return of the benevolent deity and this remarkable tradition, deeply cherished in their hearts, prepared the way . . . for the future success of the Spaniards. (p. 53)</blockquote><br /><br />A few favorite quotes. The first on Aztec religious practices:<br /><br /><blockquote>Scarcely any author pretends to estimate the yearly sacrifices [of captive pow's] throughout the empire at less than twenty thousand, and some carry the number as high as fifty. (p. 64)</blockquote><br /><br />About the early career of Hernando Cortés:<br /><br /><blockquote>He became familiar with toil and danger, and with those deeds of cruelty which have too often, alas! stained the bright scutcheons of the Castilian chivalry in the New World. (p. 174)</blockquote><br /><br />On the forced conversion of the Indians:<br /><br /><blockquote>The sword was a good argument, when the tongue failed; and the spread of Mahometanism had shown that seeds sown by the hand of violence, far from perishing in the ground, would spring up and bear fruit to after time. (p. 196)</blockquote><br /><br />The picture drawn here of Aztec religious practice and its attendant cannibalism is appalling. At one point Cortés' small force comes upon several priests at a local ziggurat or <i>teocalli</i> smeared black with blood from head to toe. The inner sactum held a tray under a depiction of the god of war <i>Huitzilopotchli</i> containing human hearts ripped from the chests of unfortunate victims. At another point they come upon a cache of 130,000 human skulls. In light of such revelations, the prostelitizing Christianity they force feed the natives seems tame. And much as I dislike the depredations of Christianity, its hard to deny that part of what Spain did here -- in addition to enriching itself enormously, and enslaving millions -- was to stop a carnage that may have been without precedent in human history.<br /><br />I have to admit that I think Prescott was something of a naïve puppy. The worst depredations of the Spanish he never believes and argues away. He hagiographizes Cortés. His was the Great White Male school of historiography, which is not to be entirely disdained because of its great literary merit. One wonders though if this good man, Prescott himself, wasn't simply too good to believe in the great evil perpetrated by Cortés et al. Sometimes he does not hesitate to question claims of past historians, but then he'll produce a quote from one of his fellows like this, with regard to the "conqueror's" desperate fighting retreat from the Mexican capital:<br /><br /><blockquote>"There was no people so capable of supporting hunger as the Spaniards, and none of them who were ever more severely tried than the soldiers of Cortés." (p. 607)</blockquote><br /><br />Really? How about the Greeks at Thermopylae?-- to chose the first example that springs to mind. And then again:<br /><br /><blockquote>The period which we are reviewing was still the age of chivalry; that stirring and adventurous age, of which we can form little conception in the present day of sober, practical reality. The Spaniard, with his nice point of honor, high romance, and proud, vainglorious vaunt, was the true representative of that age. (p. 715)</blockquote><br /><br />But knights as a class, as <a href="https://goodreads.com/author/show/222206.Steven_Runciman" title="Steven Runciman" rel="noopener">Steven Runciman</a> and others have shown, were predacious and murderous thugs who used the cross as the ultimate justification. I mean, it's not as if examples of this don't occur in the present text. Such teeming cognitive dissonance seems bizarre at times, especially in a scholar of the Spanish Empire.<br /><br />By the way, you may also wish to consult Nigel Davies' <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/79180.The_Aztecs__a_History" title="The Aztecs, a History by Nigel Davies" rel="noopener">The Aztecs: A History</a>. Moreover, I would lay odds that Euclides da Cunha's <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/8004438.Backlands_The_Canudos_Campaign" title="Backlands The Canudos Campaign by Euclides da Cunha" rel="noopener">Backlands: The Canudos Campaign</a>--about a late 19-century millenarian revolt in Brazil--was at least in part inspired by Prescott, whose history was translated into ten languages not long after its 1843 publication.

Questo è un argomento su cui non mi stancherò mai di leggere: riunisce insieme così tanti aspetti affascinanti (viaggi, avventura, ignoto, incontro con l'altro, gusto del romanzesco, passione, caso, tragedia) da essere irresistibile. La mia collezione di libri è ancora piccola, ma sta crescendo.<br /><br />Una delle aggiunte più "preziose" è questo <em>La Conquista del Messico</em> dello storico americano <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_H._Prescott" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">William H. Prescott</a> (1796-1859), che forse compariva nella bibliografia dei saggi di <a title="Conquistador" href="https://moloch981.wordpress.com/2013/09/18/conquistador/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Levy</a> o di <a title="Cortés" href="https://moloch981.wordpress.com/2013/09/12/cortes/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">Miralles</a> sullo stesso argomento. Se dovessi recensirlo in poche parole, direi che è tutto ciò che <em>Cortés</em> di Miralles non era: tanto quel libro era sì dottissimo ma arido, pedantesco e faticosissimo da leggere, quanto questo è una goduria per il lettore. Prima di acquistare o mettere in lista un libro, controllo sempre qualche recensione su Goodreads... In questo caso, per un saggio di quasi 1000 pagine scritto nel 1843, sono rimasta stupita di fronte al livello di <em>entusiasmo</em> dei lettori (per citare un po' qua e là: "Insanely good. The most impossible-to-put-down history book I've ever held in my hot little hands. And it's over 100 years old.", "This is the absolute best! What an exciting story.", "This book is astounding!", "Shakespearean. Biblical.", "This was written in *sit yourself down* eighteenfortythree and it reads brilliantly."). Diciamo quindi che i pareri erano molto incoraggianti... e, ho potuto verificare, assolutamente veritieri. Davvero, se volete far appassionare qualcuno alla lettura di saggi storici, dategli questo libro: 881 pagine che scorrono in un lampo (magari ditegli di saltare l'introduzione con la biografia dell'autore: è interessante pure quella, eh, ma meglio non esagerare, come prima volta!).<br /><br />Chiaramente, non è in un saggio del 1843 che si cercano le ultime novità in fatto di interpretazione storiografica dell'avvenimento. Non aspettiamoci da Prescott una lettura "terzomondista" o "antimperialista" della conquista del Messico. Il suo presupposto di partenza è che la storia sia un continuo progresso, e che le civiltà più evolute soppiantino "naturalmente" quelle rimaste a un grado inferiore di civiltà. Oltre tutto la civiltà azteca è stata, secondo lui, "giustamente" sconfitta e cancellata dalla storia per l'abominio imperdonabile dei sacrifici umani... Tuttavia egli non è mai del tutto indifferente di fronte alle conseguenze devastanti della Conquista di lì a venire per la popolazione americana, come non è privo di ammirazione verso le vette della civiltà azteca e il coraggio e l'irriducibilità degli ultimi resistenti (ad esempio l'ultimo imperatore Cuauhtémoc) e non nasconde, a parte l'evidente fascino per il protagonista della sua epopea, Cortés, gli eccessi più violenti dei <em>conquistadores</em> (d'altra parte neanche la cattolica Spagna era per lui, anglosassone e protestante, la vetta della civiltà, sebbene sia il paese che, da storico, più l'interessò), mentre stigmatizza con ironia gli eccessi trionfalistici e nazionalistici, o ultra-apologetici e agiografici, degli storici, soprattutto spagnoli, che l'hanno preceduto (accanto alle pagine piene d'azione e, come si dice, "appassionanti come un romanzo", non mancano approfondimenti sulle fonti consultate, criticamente vagliate, e schede biografiche degli autori).<br /><br />Insomma, bellissimo e, inutile dirlo, subito messi in lista anche <em>History of the Conquest of Peru</em>, dello stesso autore, e, perché no?, anche il suo <em>History of the Reign of Philip the Second, King of Spain</em> (si trovano tutti gratuitamente in lingua originale, in ebook).<br /><br />4/5<br /><br /><a target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow" href="https://moloch981.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/la-conquista-del-messico/">https://moloch981.wordpress.com/2015/...</a>

<a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/7669489.History_of_the_Conquest_of_Mexico" title="History of the Conquest of Mexico by William Hickling Prescott" rel="noopener">History of the Conquest of Mexico</a> by <a href="https://goodreads.com/author/show/86535.William_Hickling_Prescott" title="William Hickling Prescott" rel="noopener">William Hickling Prescott</a> is hands down one of the best nonfiction books I’ve ever read. One of Prescott’s goals was for this to be informative and entertaining at the same time, and I’d say he definitely accomplished that. <br /><br />This history is also a full life biography of Spanish explorer and Conquistador, Hernan Cortes, because the conquest of Mexico was, more or less, his life’s work. He was an interesting character in world history and it was fascinating to read and learn about how he brought his conquest into fruition. <br /><br />I thought <a href="https://goodreads.com/author/show/86535.William_Hickling_Prescott" title="William Hickling Prescott" rel="noopener">William Hickling Prescott</a> did a very good job of being balanced and fair to both sides of this story. I learned a lot about the Aztecs and their culture, and the behind-the-scenes political machinations that Cortes contended with from his own side was very well explained by Prescott. He was quoted as saying (and I’m paraphrasing) that dealing with his own side was more difficult than the actual conquest itself. <br /><br />One person in this story that I found very interesting was Cortes’ native interpreter, Dona Marina, (who was sort of a Mexican Pocahontas). <br /><br />I’ll definitely re-read this again sometime. Highly recommended!

<img src="https://images.gr-assets.com/hostedimages/1380231169ra/681275.gif" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> read by Kerry Shale<br><br>**See also The Royal Hunt of the Sun by Peter Schaffer**<br><br><img src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380423939i/844946._SX540_.jpg" class="gr-hostedUserImg" loading="lazy"> Those chief Aztec bods wore gold shoes with pearls studded on, even the soles were made of gold. <br><br>This was written in *sit yourself down* eighteenfortythree and it reads brilliantly. <br><br>Such a gruelling part of history; no matter how many times I come across Montezuma's incarceration and death it is still very hard to take. sad, sad, sad.<br><br>As all adherents of history have to have a sturdy stomach by default I have no problem in recommending.

This book is a sad and biased recount of the events of the conquest of Mexico. The writer repeatedly romanticizes the Spanish while demonizing the natives for equivalent behaviors as far as religious fervor, politics, bloodshed and self preservation. Not only is this book Euro-centric but it constantly uses lavish language while describing the supposed virtues of the "civilized" liberators while dismissing the bloodthirsty barbarians in order to elevate the narrative to the level of a fairy tale. The author is clearly ignorant of the pain and suffering brought to the land by the Spanish who institutionalized slavery, racism and religious indoctrination. While the basic series of the events is consistent with the well known narrative, the motivations, character of the protagonists, and author's remarks have more in common with an adorned tale than a factual presentation of events. <br /><br />I would recommend you skip this book (that was originally published in 1841) and look for a more neutral and anthropological description of the events. This cerdo has too much lipstick but you can still smell the muck.

So beautifully written I hardly noticed it was a history book. What a journey Cortes took his followers on. What a determined man. The writing was poetic, absolutely unique. Thank you Feliks for recommending it to me. <br /><br />A tragic history, this country, and the Mexicans rose up against the Spanish with such dignity and power. It was a perfect back drop for my travels through Yucatan and Mexico (City). And especially for my understanding of this country when I walked through the Anthropological Museum. <br /><br />I could not put the book down. Gripping and intriguing story for me, who knew nothing of the conquest. Prescott - gosh what a writer - I didn't realise till I was half way through (and he mentioned "the aborigines of our country" - I wanted to know more about him right then and there because I thought only Australians referred to their native indigenous peoples as aborigines) That he was American in fact - a 19th century historian! Died in 1859 or thereabouts. That really surprised me. His writing was indeed classic but also very modern. Clearly a man beyond his time

This is the absolute best! What an exciting story.

This book is incredibly interesting both from the standpoint of the author, a man from 1841, and the history of the conquest of the Aztecs. In most modern history books written nowadays, the Aztecs are portrayed as victims and the conquistadors as villains. Prescot is able to show the good and bad of both group from a Euro-centric viewpoint, which is how the conquistadors also thought. Prescot's use of European references and American (USA) stereotypes, makes the conquistadors into a news story of real people, and NOT a story of purely evil men. <br />The conquistadors had a worldview that we today can't 100% recognize, because of two things <br />1. Their unwavering belief in their own superiority.<br />And<br />2. That Christianity is the only way.<br />The second one is clearly shown by Prescot by how he explains how even when the conquistadors would benefit from not pushing Christianity on the Mexicans, they rarley didn't push. <br />Sadly, I doubt that many modern historians can convey the conquistador mindset as well as Prescot did.<br /><br />P.S.<br />Prescot also made a point of writing how bad slavery is, and he lived in the US before the Civil War. He clearly had some morals and they show in his writing.

Reasonable recounting and summary of The Conquest. The writing is eloquent and clear. The narrative, if a little lopsided, is well constructed and was considered prescient and thoughtful-for its time.<br /><br />At the time of the book’s publication, the reader would have been well aware which side was the right side and the one he was on-so the usual criticisms and caveats will apply: enlightened Christian warriors subjugating the barbarian hordes, white men who meant well but the natives pushed their luck, conquistadors who had god on their side, but the locals were so damned disagreeable that they had to be put down to be shown who was boss.<br /><br />This account gives one a small inkling of just what a struggle to subjugate and destroy a whole race of people must have been like and the amount and nature of the bloody work that went into it.<br /><br />Leaves the reader with the desire for someone with the talent and ability to do the needed work to come along, do this point in history and its aftermath the justice it deserves.

Shakespearean. Biblical. The somewhat archaic sounding language only adds to the oomph of this story. Due to the publication date, 1843, there's some un-pc wordage like "savage", but overall this is a surprisingly balanced (for the time) look at the clash of two cultures, i.e., the Spanish and Aztec empires. The story spans about two years, and focuses upon the machinations of Hernan Cortez as he undermines the Aztec power structure and eventually destroys the capital city of Tenochtitlan. A good introduction to the story that still defines Mexico. I think I'll follow it up with something more recent to see how the accounts compare.<br />