Criminal
01-29-2002, 03:50 PM
In the 16th century Spain was the mightiest of worlds power. This was a nation which divided the entire world outside of Europe between itself and Portugal. The new world went to Spain and the old world with Portugal.
For the Spanish, the new world was a vast wild place where men could go to make fortunes for themselves. In this world, any man of humble circumstance can make themselves wealty and powerful. There were dangers, yes, but the rewards made the risks worth taking.
So came the conquistidors. Spaniards to a strange land. They sought to build a mighty empire for their king, to bring God to the people of these lands and, most importantly for themselves thjey sought gold!
Hernando Cortez was one such man who sought such glory. Cortez was a simple man for Spain who came to Cuba, like many others. He built a huge plantation, bought slaves and became wealthy. But like others, this was not enough for his ambitions.
Spaniards had already known of a wealthy land to the west of the islands. It was a land believed to be of fabulous wealth. It was also a land of great danger. The natives were said to be cruel beyond all description. They were people were cannibals who sacreficed their victums in large numbers.
The story went on to say that the land was a powerful empire with mighty cities. The cities were wealty with gold and silver. The cities were crowded with people buying and selling in huge markets.
Cortez organized an expedition of some 300 men and horses. They boarded ships and sailed from Cuba. They arrived at Veracruiz and set ashore. Once ashore Cortez ordered all of his ships burned as a message to his men. They would conquer this land or they die trying. Cortez was said to have met his mistress Marina there. She served as both a translator and companion to him. The 300 men went through the countryside. Mostly they met little resistance. In many cases they found allies among the indians. When they arrived in the City of Tlaxcala, they found a people who have been resisting the Aztec empire for years. Among these peoples they found a valuable ally.
At last the conquitadors arrived in Teoacan, the capital city of the Aztecs. It was the largest city in New World with a population of several thousands of people. What they found defied their wildest immaginations. They saw a mighty city lined with canals, much like Venice. They saw markets where people traded in grains, meats, cloath, grain and precious metal. And then there was the gold.....
Looming above the city were the pyrmids where victums were sacreficed. Their hearts were ripped from their chests and burned in a fire. These sacrifices occurred during holy days and other special occasions and often as many as 10,000 victums a day were offered to the gods. This undoubtedly terrified Cortez and his men.
Cortez was met by the Aztec Emporer, Montazuma. The priests, believing Cortez to be a red haired god prophesized to arrive, advised the emporer to show particular hospitality. The Spaniards quickly wore out their welcome. They took the emporer prisoner and demanded the surrender of his city. The people of the city reacted angerly. They pelted the Spaniards with stones and when the emporer, now in the control of Cortez pleaded with his own people to surrender, he was stoned to death.
Realizing that to remain in the city would mean death for himself and all of his men Cortez fled the city and took refuge outside. The Aztec Capital was built on a saline lake, Texacoco and was fed by an aquaduct. It was in a highly defensible position. The Spaniards and their allies were forced to wait until an opportune time to attack.
Then a year later, the Spanish returned in force. They conquered the city in a ferocious fight. The fight ended with a massacure of the Aztec defenders. Believing that the sacraficial pyrmids were temples of satan, they destroyed all the holy places. In place of the highest and holiest pyrmid, the Spanish erected Mexico's oldest cathedral.
Cortez arrived at the court of the Spanish king. When asked to describe Mexico, he took a paper and crincled it in the palm of his hand and unfolded it and laid it on the table before the king. "That your majesty" he replied "is a map of Mexico".
To this day, the Aztec capital is known as Mexico City. It is the capital of the modern nation of Mexico.
For the Spanish, the new world was a vast wild place where men could go to make fortunes for themselves. In this world, any man of humble circumstance can make themselves wealty and powerful. There were dangers, yes, but the rewards made the risks worth taking.
So came the conquistidors. Spaniards to a strange land. They sought to build a mighty empire for their king, to bring God to the people of these lands and, most importantly for themselves thjey sought gold!
Hernando Cortez was one such man who sought such glory. Cortez was a simple man for Spain who came to Cuba, like many others. He built a huge plantation, bought slaves and became wealthy. But like others, this was not enough for his ambitions.
Spaniards had already known of a wealthy land to the west of the islands. It was a land believed to be of fabulous wealth. It was also a land of great danger. The natives were said to be cruel beyond all description. They were people were cannibals who sacreficed their victums in large numbers.
The story went on to say that the land was a powerful empire with mighty cities. The cities were wealty with gold and silver. The cities were crowded with people buying and selling in huge markets.
Cortez organized an expedition of some 300 men and horses. They boarded ships and sailed from Cuba. They arrived at Veracruiz and set ashore. Once ashore Cortez ordered all of his ships burned as a message to his men. They would conquer this land or they die trying. Cortez was said to have met his mistress Marina there. She served as both a translator and companion to him. The 300 men went through the countryside. Mostly they met little resistance. In many cases they found allies among the indians. When they arrived in the City of Tlaxcala, they found a people who have been resisting the Aztec empire for years. Among these peoples they found a valuable ally.
At last the conquitadors arrived in Teoacan, the capital city of the Aztecs. It was the largest city in New World with a population of several thousands of people. What they found defied their wildest immaginations. They saw a mighty city lined with canals, much like Venice. They saw markets where people traded in grains, meats, cloath, grain and precious metal. And then there was the gold.....
Looming above the city were the pyrmids where victums were sacreficed. Their hearts were ripped from their chests and burned in a fire. These sacrifices occurred during holy days and other special occasions and often as many as 10,000 victums a day were offered to the gods. This undoubtedly terrified Cortez and his men.
Cortez was met by the Aztec Emporer, Montazuma. The priests, believing Cortez to be a red haired god prophesized to arrive, advised the emporer to show particular hospitality. The Spaniards quickly wore out their welcome. They took the emporer prisoner and demanded the surrender of his city. The people of the city reacted angerly. They pelted the Spaniards with stones and when the emporer, now in the control of Cortez pleaded with his own people to surrender, he was stoned to death.
Realizing that to remain in the city would mean death for himself and all of his men Cortez fled the city and took refuge outside. The Aztec Capital was built on a saline lake, Texacoco and was fed by an aquaduct. It was in a highly defensible position. The Spaniards and their allies were forced to wait until an opportune time to attack.
Then a year later, the Spanish returned in force. They conquered the city in a ferocious fight. The fight ended with a massacure of the Aztec defenders. Believing that the sacraficial pyrmids were temples of satan, they destroyed all the holy places. In place of the highest and holiest pyrmid, the Spanish erected Mexico's oldest cathedral.
Cortez arrived at the court of the Spanish king. When asked to describe Mexico, he took a paper and crincled it in the palm of his hand and unfolded it and laid it on the table before the king. "That your majesty" he replied "is a map of Mexico".
To this day, the Aztec capital is known as Mexico City. It is the capital of the modern nation of Mexico.