amirsan
King of all Kings
Who knows about this guy? I know he was a Spanish Explorer who conquered the Aztec Empire but what else? I am doing a report about him in Spanish Class. I am interested in him, can someone tell me more?
Hernan Cortez?
- Thread starter amirsan
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Al Zan
King
he kill many Aztec and destory there citys. He made slave of the Aztec and other.
Bozo Erectus
Master Baker
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- Jan 22, 2003
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He was a shrewd opportunist and had enormous cojones. For somewhat more usefull information, check out Conquest: Montezuma, Cortes, and the Fall of Old Mexico by Hugh Thomas.
Horrible coincidence? I think it worked out for the best that these mass-human-sacrificing peoples were conquered and relieved of their animalistic culture. Sure, it's a loss of a historic civilization and of diversity in the world, but how do you think the sacrificed felt?
P.S. Were not the Aztecs cannibals also? I thought they ate the flesh of warriors believing that they would then acquire their skills.
If not, I'd like to know who I'm describing.
P.S. Were not the Aztecs cannibals also? I thought they ate the flesh of warriors believing that they would then acquire their skills.
If not, I'd like to know who I'm describing.
Pangur Bán
Deconstructed
You're correct, the Aztecs ate parts of their sacrificial victims.
Here's my knowledge. I don't know if it's completely true but if it's worth anything here it is.
Cortez was the leader of a small expeditionary force of Spanish soldiers (Conquistadors). They landed in the Americas where they found the Aztecs and the glorious Golden Capitol of Tenochitlan. According to Aztec legend, when an army of evil gods (I don't know much about this) was defeated, they went away for many, many centuries and would return as white men with beards in canoes. The Conquistadors were thought to be the gods, and King Montezuma tried to appease them in hopes of saving the city of Tenochitlan from the evil gods' vengeful wrath. Eventually, Spain destroyed the Aztec Empire and looted Tenochitlan. Montezuma's younger brother assasinated his sibling and stole the throne; only to be hanged and defeated by the Spanish Conquistodors led by Cortez.
Cortez was the leader of a small expeditionary force of Spanish soldiers (Conquistadors). They landed in the Americas where they found the Aztecs and the glorious Golden Capitol of Tenochitlan. According to Aztec legend, when an army of evil gods (I don't know much about this) was defeated, they went away for many, many centuries and would return as white men with beards in canoes. The Conquistadors were thought to be the gods, and King Montezuma tried to appease them in hopes of saving the city of Tenochitlan from the evil gods' vengeful wrath. Eventually, Spain destroyed the Aztec Empire and looted Tenochitlan. Montezuma's younger brother assasinated his sibling and stole the throne; only to be hanged and defeated by the Spanish Conquistodors led by Cortez.
check out the following link for a useful run down..
http://www.zum.de/whkmla/military/16cen/cortez15191521.html
happy reading
http://www.zum.de/whkmla/military/16cen/cortez15191521.html
happy reading
BorgeoisBuffoon
Local Idiot
An interesting factlet is that he once hung one of his own soldiers who had stolen from one of the natives. So harsh, but fair.
jroa99
Warlord
The fact that the Aztec civilization was far from peaceful doesn't justify their extermination either. Let's take into consideration, of course, that not all Aztecs were equally "cannibalistic" and they were individual humans in their own right, not a faceless "mass".
Besides, if we go back into the "darker" eras of Europe (and I'm not referring to the Middle Ages, in case anyone gets that idea...this would be many thousands of years previously), we may even find only marginally "cleaner" behavior ( at the very least, I'm being generous), which I'm sure many would also find "repulsive".
Another example, this is like saying that, say, when some "superior" Alien species comes to Earth and, appalled by our bloody history and our raping of the planet, decides that we should all be purged, ignoring that not all humans are equally guilty for these actions.
In short, we shouldn't be judging others by our own modern moral codes, and we shouldn't generalize so much, negating the existence of individual responsibility, especially when those "others" happen to be from entirely different cultures and periods of historical development.
Good Day
Besides, if we go back into the "darker" eras of Europe (and I'm not referring to the Middle Ages, in case anyone gets that idea...this would be many thousands of years previously), we may even find only marginally "cleaner" behavior ( at the very least, I'm being generous), which I'm sure many would also find "repulsive".
Another example, this is like saying that, say, when some "superior" Alien species comes to Earth and, appalled by our bloody history and our raping of the planet, decides that we should all be purged, ignoring that not all humans are equally guilty for these actions.
In short, we shouldn't be judging others by our own modern moral codes, and we shouldn't generalize so much, negating the existence of individual responsibility, especially when those "others" happen to be from entirely different cultures and periods of historical development.
Good Day
Thorgalaeg
Deity
Agree. Now I hope you dont judge Cortez either.
jroa99
Warlord
Exactly. I "understand" that what he did has to be seen within the context of his time and circumstances, so I don't go along calling him a "bloody murdering Conquistador who deserves X or Y fate", but even so, I don't have to like it, of course. That's all I meant.
Good Day
LouLong
In love with Rei Ayanami
Cortez (1485-1547) started from Havana in 1515 and landed at and established a base at Vera Cruz (the True Cross) in 1519 that became the traditional harbor of Mexico (including for later invasions). Within two years 1519-1521 he brought the Aztec Empire to his knees.
He travelled down to Guatemala as well.
He was harsh with his own soldiers too but not for any morale reason. He needed them to be prefectly obedient since they were so few of them in front of the numerous Aztecs. And besides, he needed the help of part of the Aztec community so there were political moves as well.
You must not speak of genocide neither for Cortez nor Pizarro. Ruthless and greedy for sure but they did not intend to mass murder the entire population at all since they would need this population to exploit the wealth of the countries. Now, an extreme violence and perhaps the allowing of disease spreading were advantages to break resistance but on the long term the poulation was the source of wealth of the countries.
Recruiting mercenaries was easy for Spain ahd been at war against the Muslim until 1492 so there were troops for hire. Besides one of the social aspect of the Reconquista was to give nobility over recently freed area to soldiers so that they should protect the newly recovered lands. This lead to an influx of nobility in Spain when economic conditions did not allow it. The cadets, impoverished noblemen educated for war (the hidalgos) were one key element in the conquest of the Americas.
He travelled down to Guatemala as well.
He was harsh with his own soldiers too but not for any morale reason. He needed them to be prefectly obedient since they were so few of them in front of the numerous Aztecs. And besides, he needed the help of part of the Aztec community so there were political moves as well.
You must not speak of genocide neither for Cortez nor Pizarro. Ruthless and greedy for sure but they did not intend to mass murder the entire population at all since they would need this population to exploit the wealth of the countries. Now, an extreme violence and perhaps the allowing of disease spreading were advantages to break resistance but on the long term the poulation was the source of wealth of the countries.
Recruiting mercenaries was easy for Spain ahd been at war against the Muslim until 1492 so there were troops for hire. Besides one of the social aspect of the Reconquista was to give nobility over recently freed area to soldiers so that they should protect the newly recovered lands. This lead to an influx of nobility in Spain when economic conditions did not allow it. The cadets, impoverished noblemen educated for war (the hidalgos) were one key element in the conquest of the Americas.
Darth Civ
Chieftain
553 soilders in fact
willemvanoranje
Curitibano
currently doing a big project on Spanish colonialism in South-America. If you know Dutch I can send you my file on Cortez, if not, you'll have to wait some weeks. 
Kubz
Dancer of dances
Many modern Latin American historians now are unconvinced that the Aztecs actually beleived that Cortez was a god from the onset.
amirsan
King of all Kings
thanks for all the info guys... now I can realy do my spanish report that was due today... now I will have to turn it in late.
sebanaj
Prince
The return of the god Quetzalcoatl was represented by the spanish, with two headed demons (armoured Men and horses), some primitive guns, etc...
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