Hernán Cortés reshaped the map of the Americas through war and diplomacy. While history books focus on his gold, his life involved legal battles and family drama. For instance, he employed a brilliant translator who became the mother of his son. Furthermore, he spent his final years in Spain seeking recognition that the King refused to give him. Prepare to march on Tenochtitlán.
Hernán Cortés
Hernán Cortés studied law before he became a soldier. His parents sent him to the University of Salamanca at age fourteen. They wanted him to become a lawyer. However, he found the academic life boring. Therefore, he left school to seek adventure in the New World.
He sank his ships instead of burning them. A popular myth claims he burned his fleet. In reality, he drilled holes in the hulls to scuttle them. This action forced his mutinous soldiers to march inland because they had no way to return to Cuba.
A slave woman served as his most valuable asset. The Maya gifted him twenty women, including Doña Marina. She spoke both the Mayan and Aztec languages. Consequently, she translated for Hernán Cortés and helped him forge alliances with locals who hated the Aztecs.
He was the second cousin of Francisco Pizarro. The man who conquered the Incas in Peru shared blood with Cortés. They both came from the dry region of Extremadura in Spain. Thus, this single family caused the fall of the two greatest empires in the Americas.
He barely escaped the “Night of Sorrows” with his life. The Aztecs rose up and chased the Spanish out of Tenochtitlán in 1520. Many soldiers drowned in the lake because they carried too much looted gold. Cortés survived, but he wept under a tree after he saw the slaughter.
Smallpox defeated the Aztecs more than his swords did. One of his soldiers arrived with the virus. The disease spread rapidly through the densely populated capital. It killed Emperor Cuitláhuac and thousands of defenders, which weakened the city before Cortés returned for the final siege.
He murdered the last Aztec emperor. Cuauhtémoc surrendered to save his people. Cortés initially treated him with respect. However, the Spaniard later tortured him to find hidden gold. Eventually, Cortés hanged him during a journey to Honduras for an alleged conspiracy.
His first wife died under mysterious circumstances. Catalina Suárez joined him in Mexico after the conquest. She died the very night she arrived at his palace. Accusers claimed he strangled her because she could not give him an heir, but he never faced trial.
He discovered the Baja California peninsula. He led expeditions north to find a strait between the Atlantic and Pacific. He landed on the peninsula and thought it was an island. Therefore, early maps depict California as an island separated from the mainland.
The King of Spain refused to visit him. Cortés returned to Europe to demand more titles. King Charles V ignored him. Legend says Cortés jumped on the King’s carriage. He shouted that he gave the King more provinces than his ancestors left him cities.
He had a child with the daughter of Montezuma II. After the conquest, he took Isabel Moctezuma into his household. She gave birth to his daughter, Leonor. However, he refused to recognize the girl and separated her from her mother immediately.
He brought chocolate back to Europe. The Aztecs introduced him to “xocolatl,” a bitter drink made from cacao. He added sugar and vanilla to make it palatable for the Spanish court. As a result, chocolate became a luxury drink for European aristocrats.
His remains moved eight different times. He requested a burial in Mexico. His family moved his body between Spain and Mexico for centuries. In 1946, authorities found his bones hidden behind a secret wall in a church in Mexico City.
He conquered Mexico without official permission. The Governor of Cuba cancelled the expedition at the last minute. Cortés ignored the order and sailed anyway. Technically, he acted as a mutineer until he sent enough gold to the King to buy his pardon.
Finally, Hernán Cortés died in debt and litigation. Despite the massive wealth he stole, he spent his fortune on failed expeditions. He died in Spain at age 62 while waiting for the royal court to hear his legal appeals.
