Preview

Letters Of Cortes Vs Montezuma Essay

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
568 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Letters Of Cortes Vs Montezuma Essay
The three accounts focuses on the conquest of Mexico and the interaction between Hernado Cortes and Montezuma who was the ruler of the Aztec Empire. The three accounts share some similar stories on between Montezuma and the Spaniards or conquistadors especially Hernado Cortes. But the three accounts also differ in the stories it tells.

The similarity between the three accounts is that Montezuma and his lords and nobles receives or greets Cortes and his men. In addition it seems that Cortes and Montezuma were in good terms with each other. But in the two accounts The Bernal Diaz Chronicles and Letters of Cortes writes that when Montezuma and his lords and nobles received Cortes and his men they touched the ground and kissed the earth as a sign of peace. In addition these two accounts reveal to us that Cortes places a necklace on Montezuma. The Bernie Diaz Chronicles mentions that the necklace was made of glass stone with many designs and variety of colors. In the second account, the Letters of Cortes, the necklace was made of pearls and crystals.
…show more content…
For example Montezuma and his lords and nobles doesn't touch the ground or kiss the earth when greeting Cortes and his men. Another difference is the necklace that was placed on the neck of Montezuma by Cortes himself. Actually, it was Montezuma who gives and place a necklace of gold and stone on Cortes ( Nahuatl Accounts of the Conquest of Mexico 115). But this account also depicts Montezuma subjecting himself to Cortes while saying the land belonged to Cortes because when Montezuma gave a speech or spoke to Cortes he said "you have reached your land, your settlement, your home Mexico"(Nahuatl Accounts of the Conquest of Mexico 117). In addition that Montezuma was a temporarily ruler only sitting at the throne until Cortes

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    both had an Aztec Emperor in Tenochtitlan. In both of the stories it seem like in the city of…

    • 289 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    La Malinche and Hernan Cortes were two very important impact on history. Together they completed the “impossible”, defeating the Aztec empire. They could not have done this without one another. These two people have very much in common however are alike in many ways. Malinche was a Nahua woman that betrayed her own people to help Cortes gain alliances and defeat the city of Tenochtitlan.…

    • 235 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    They both take place in Mexico Aztec and long time ago. Also they are story that had been passed on to another and another . They both some sort of army,kingdom,tribe, or something like that. Those are the few thing in common. Now we are going to contrast the stories.…

    • 182 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Spaniards allied with the Tlaxcalan indians and marched into Tenochtitlan. Montezuma welcomed in Quetzalcoatl’s men with open arms, but Hernan Cortes seized power of the empire by using Montezuma as a figurehead against his will, while Cortes made all the real decisions. Cortes acted as a secret leader until 1520, when events caused tension to escalate, and Cortes demanded Montezuma command his people obey the Spaniards. The Indians didn’t like this at all, and showered their leader in stones, he then went on to die days later in June of 1520. The spanish originally went to Mexico to search for land and gold, or other plunders because they had no prosperity back home in Spain. When they reached Mexico, they discovered the Aztec people and the native indians of the land, and decided to try to eliminate them and their ways (cannibalism, human sacrifices, etc. didn’t appeal to the Spanish, and they didn’t want people like that inhabiting the same land as…

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Additionally the Spanish justification for this massacre was there was a plot against the Spanish formulated by the Aztecs. Furthermore the Spanish are murderers and if they do not have any respect for the people of the Aztec empire they wouldn’t have any respect for Montezuma. Before his murder Cortes and his high-ranking officers had Montezuma arrested and placed under house arrest. What kind of so called friend will place their friend under house arrest. This shows that Cortes wanted to have supervision of…

    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Broken Spears Quotes

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Montezuma, who was the ruler of the Aztecs, had a funny feeling about them. Not too long after they arrived, the Aztecs realized that the Spanish could be killed just like their other enemies, so they went to war. They caught some of the Spanish, killed some of them, even ate some. The Spanish won out because of their preparation, and because they brought so many diseases with them, it killed some of the Aztecs as well. The Spanish came to the Aztecs land, and the Aztecs thought that this was the 'God' that they had been waiting for. They treated the Spanish with riches and lavish food, as they would a God. They only treated them to the finest of treasures because they were sure this was what they were looking for. The Spanish reported that they 'were sickened by the people's shocking routines', which was mentioning toward the sacrifice they saw. Then, when the Spanish tried to take advantage of what the Aztecs had given them, they realized they weren’t the Gods they thought they were looking for. So they cut them off. Conversely, the Spaniards had the horses, firearms, and they had most of the people of the Aztec society on their side. With that being said, the Spaniards didn’t like how the Aztec land was being run. With these people and the Spanish's knowledge expansions, they overthrew the Aztec Empire. After the Aztecs were conquered by the Spaniards, they were turned into…

    • 472 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Q: What were Cortes' and Bernal Diaz's motives for writing their accounts of the conquest? How did these motives color their narratives of the conquest?…

    • 787 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Though they went on similar voyages they had their different opinions and perspectives when it came to a native’s lifestyle and their personalities. They definitely had some similar judgements, however, due to their different experiences they have very distinct attitudes towards the natives. It is important to read and compare or contrast these texts in our world today because these experiences that are described in these texts are what led to the world we live in today. Without knowing this history, we would probably be confused about how we are located on the land that we are currently living on. It’s interesting to read these texts in the present day because we now know how much evolution has changed us as human beings and how the difference between our lifestyle and their lifestyle are complete opposites. Also it’s interesting because after reading the two different texts you’d believe that Cabeza De Vaca is the better person between the two, but question why Columbus is known as the “american hero” now when he did what he did. Reading and understanding Columbus and Cabeza DE vacas writings helps us understand how even through history, people see things differently and how the way and reason you experience something is the way you formulate your opinion on a group of…

    • 1358 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    On November 8, 1519, Aztec Emperor Moctezuma and Spanish Conquistador Hernan Cortes met for the first time outside the Aztec capital city of Tenochtitlan. Aztec accounts of the event, compiled by Miguel Leon-Portillo shortly after and published as The Broken Spears, claim that Moctezuma (also Montezuma) believed Cortes was a god. “Our Lord, you are weary. The journey has tired you, but now you have arrived on the earth. You have come here to site on your throne, to sit under its canopy.” The accounts also say that Cortes told Moctezuma, “We have come to your house in Mexico as friends. There is nothing to fear.” Moctezuma would soon be dead, and Cortes would be the ruler of New Spain.…

    • 120 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The relationship between Cortes and the Aztecs was fake. The Aztecs thought Cortes was a god who came to fulfill a promise. Tenochtitlan (the Ancient capital city of the Aztec empire) was a very wealthy city. They had tons of gold and silver. Cortes and his soldiers wanted to have all the gold.…

    • 410 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The main people who were involved in the fall of the Aztecs were Montezuma the Aztec king, and Hernan Cortes- a Spanish conquistador. Hernan and his soldiers came in search of gold and riches in the new world. When they stumbled upon the Aztecs, Montezuma believed Cortes was a god and gave him precious stones and feathered crowns. The greedy Cortes wanted more and marched into the capitol. The Aztecs soon realized he was not a god, for a god would have preferred the feathered crowns more than the gold. Thus, the Aztecs were able to drive Cortes and his men out, only to kill Montezuma in the confusion. Cortes, furious, came back with many things on his side, including alliances, weapons, horses, geography, and disease. In 1521, the Aztec rein had finally come to an…

    • 296 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    3. What can you infer about Cortes’ motives in writing about “the wonders of Tenochtitlan” and the Aztecs? Why did he choose to write about the topics he addressed in this letter? Who is is intended audience, and how might that have influenced the letter?…

    • 414 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Have you ever wondered what the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo actually was? It was a treaty that both America and Mexico signed in order to end a conflict between the 2. Why did President Polk go around Mexico and dock in Mexico instead of going through Texas and Mexico? He did this to have the element of surprise over Mexico instead of attacking them straight on.…

    • 497 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Burying the White Gods

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The first argument states that without such a misunderstanding how could a handful of Spaniards conquer the great Aztec state. The only way these so called mighty conquerors could have pulled off this unbelievable conquest is that the Aztecs were fooled in the worst way. The Aztecs fell victim to their devoutness and calendric coincidence and that could be the only reason that the mighty Aztec s feel to the quite lucky Spaniards. If the Aztecs had not been confused by the major coincidences, they could have blew the Spaniards off like other Native American tribes, like the South Sea Islanders did with Captain Cook. Cortes just happened to be in good fortune to land on Aztec soil at this time.…

    • 403 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Second letters to Charles V were written by Hernan Cortés of Spain in 1520. The letters were sent to Charles V to justify Cortés actions of attacking the Aztec 's against his superiors order. The letters that Cortés wrote details the lifestyle, and culture of the Aztec 's and how worshipped pagan gods. This document is a set of letters that Hernan Cortés wrote detailing his experiences within the area known today as Mexico. These documents allow readers to see the Aztec culture through the eyes of Cortés during his conquest in Mexico. As a result of this, there is a bias against the Aztecs in the letters since Cortés was a very religious Christion. This article was intended mainly for the Emperor, but the details Cortés put into explaining the power of Aztecs would eventually be used to present the achievements of Cortés. [1: Arkenberg, Cortés. "Hernan Cortés: From Second Letter to Charles V, 1520." Internet History Sourcebooks. January 1, 1998. Accessed November 13, 2014. http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1520cortes]…

    • 1631 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays