Ive noticed alot of critizism among many Americans about the Spanish Empire. I will start with Hernando Cortez. The Americans have stamped him as being a heart less criminal and that he only conquered for money. This is simple untrue Cortez in my opinion was a great general (as a Spaniard ill emdiately admit that my opinion is obviously a biased one) any how what I find strange is how people always talk about how "cruel" the Spaniards were. They never mention that alot of the cruelities done where done by Cortezes indian allies that helped with much of the conquering. Why do Americans rarely acknowledge this. And alot of historians talk about how the Europeans brought diseases to the natives they say it in a way as to suggest the Europeans brought it on purpose. They had no ideas their diseases were so deadly it was 15-14 th century Europeans didn't have microscopes back then. What I also find funny as that they never mention the fact that Motezuma died (killed most likely by angered Aztecs throwing rocks) and that Cortez cried because of this. The man that was with the expedition wrote an entire journal about the Spanish conquest of Mexico the historians have no excuses for these made up lies about the conquest of America. Further more the Spaniards weren't brutal invaders as a matter of fact they often mention how the cities were beautifull. They also had great respect for the Aztec warrior. During the conquest the Spaniards were better equiped but they had to battle the Aztecs face to face. I believe this was one of the greatest battles and biggest battles of all times (we are talking legions heres). As we all know the Spaniards were succesfull in conquering the Aztecs and thus made the future country Mexico alot of Mexicans would disagree with this but Mexicans must understand that the founding of their modern borders,language,religion,half their culture,and basically their country was made from the conquest of the Aztecs by Spain.A savage untamed but beautifull empire then turned into a fairly modern united empire then country under one language Spanish instead of the other 100 native languages. Spaniards founded Mexico as well as many other American countries. Many Americans believe Spain destroyed Mexico in 1520 when in reality Spain created Mexico. Americans ignore all of the good aspects of the Spanish Empire they don't mention the musical,cultural,farm technics,horses and unification of central America that the Spaniards brought etc etc. Although the Conquerors were cruel the Americans have exagarated this greatly. And they have emphasized the bad and cruel aspect of the Spanish Empire instead of the Golden Age of it. It was when two worlds meet face to face it is a great moment and when two worlds meet conflict is sure to happen it is sadening to have it defaced like this by American and British historian etc. Hopefully the truth about the Conquest will be told.The Aztecs were a great civilization but I believe the culture after that the Mexican culture and people is even greater. The Spaniards stopped the sacrifice and destroyed a some what opresive empire from the region. Most Indians back then actually supported Cortez and his troops this illustrated by the fact that several thousand of em helped him destroy the Aztec empire. America a pronominantly white country that has almost completely destroyed their native population. Continues to tell lies about the Spaniards and hold a blind eye to the Mexicans which live down south and are still mostly Indian and some Spanish. While they talk about how badly they treated the Native Americans they don't even realize that right under their noses in Mexico the natives still survive and they were not destroyed by Spain. Spanish Empire was cruell but not as cruell as the black legend says. Spain did not destroy the native population like the Americans did that might be why Americans try to emphasize Spanish cruelties against the natives to show that their were other and they were "crueler". Anothere aspect about this time is the British 15th century state sponsored terriosm was at its hieght. Drake a terriost pirate was Knighted by the queen of England he killed many of my ancestors yet he is held with great regard. Further more why doesn't America talk about how cruely and disruptively the Spaniards were treated by the Pirates. What about the Spaniards killed by them? And now that America is trying to destroy terriosm like Spain would have like to have done back then hence the Armada. The US doesn't even realize the simalarities between these two twins seperated by a few hundred years. When the Spanish American War ended the Spanish Empire was lost the American Empire began the torch was passed. The US is know the one hated by the world like Spain was and to a very small extent still is. Now Blair and the UK the people that so denounce terriosm don't even realize that their country was the largest supporter of it. So in conclusion the Coqnuerors were Conquerors not murderers and rapist of women the Aztecs were great respected warriors but savages (to some extent) and Spain unified much of America under one langauge the Spanish Empire was great and sould not be drenched in lies and blood. any ways saludos this written by half Spaniard half American person Oh yea one more thing my Spanish Teacher said was asked by one for her students wether she liked the fact that the Europeans came. She said no ill the brought was disease and death If they wouldn't of have come she would have been out of a job.

Please use paragraphs Quintos!!!

Fernando

Well, that is quite a detailed explanation, all of which I find to have truth, however:

"A savage untamed but beautifull empire then turned into a fairly modern united empire then country under one language Spanish instead of the other 100 native languages. Spaniards founded Mexico as well as many other American countries. Many Americans believe Spain destroyed Mexico in 1520 when in reality Spain created Mexico."

This is a highly ethnocentric statement. The Aztec never asked to be 'modernized' and surely did not consider themselves 'savage'. If anything, they thought so about the INVADING, OCCUPYING Spanish forces.

You can rationalize history as you like, but conquest is rarely welcomed. Those other native tribes sided with the Spanish simply to push the Aztecs out of power and themselves in power - they all wanted to stop being the oppressed and become the oppresor; They did not envision a world where Spaniards ruled them (kind of like all the European nation-states that were culturally and linguistically similar - latin based languages - continually attempting to dominate one another).

As far as asking yourself why modern Americans, Britains, and Spaniard do not muse about these topics, it's simple. Most people do not know nor care about history like you or me. The have NO concept of what went on apart from what they heard in early school by biased text books.

And as far as you're teacher not having a job if the Spanish hadn't come - she could have been a teacher of one of the 100 varieties of languages that Spanish civilization helped kill off. :p

hey everybody

rocinante

oh rocinante... rocinante

if you go to mexico(perhaps chiapas) or read about mexico you will discover that the indian languages were not totally destroyed unlike in your california area.there is hundreds of indian dialects spoken in all latin american countries not just in mexico.
sorry to alarm you greatly. :p

Interesting and polemical discusion about the Cortés and the Black Legend (Leyenda Negra).

My wife comes from the Mexican state of Tlaxcala. The Tlaxcaltecans initially rose up against the Spanish, but later became the allies you were talking about. My wife tells me that many of her countrymen/women consider people from her state to be traitors, even to this day. From what I read and have seen the Tlaxcalans were given many
things for being valuable allies, from lands to I think honarific titles. Tlaxcala is known for is the breeding of it's bulls for the corrida or lidia.

I've heard that there are no streets or plazas in the capital that bear Cortés' name. Is it true that his tumb is in the Mexican capital? If so, where?

I come from Southern Colorado/Northern New Mexico, where Spain and Spanish heritage
is still looked upon proudly, but not by all.

Recommended reading about Padre Bartolomé de las Casas would be worthwhile.

I did not mean to imply that these native languages were by any means eradicated, yet they have been suppressed to a degree with the homogeny of the Spanish language throughout central and south America. If anything, this occured in North America to a much larger extent, as pointed out in the original post.

Nor am I wishing to disparage the rich cultural Spanish traditions that are now so interwoven into the fabric of these regions either. Certainly each culture benefitted from a give-and-take, trading knowledge and customs and creating a new society.

I do sympathize however with the native point of view that does not blindy cast the Spanish conquest as completely altruistic. The Spanish campaigns in the Americas were primarily concerned with mercantile and evangelical interests; finding gold, silver, spices, and converting the inhabitants to Christianity. The same can be said for most European colonization through the last 500 years.

The reason Cortez conquered the Aztecs was I believe many people porbably disagree for pride and honor in the Spanish state and the church I believe gold was in their mind. But you have to remember Cortez was born in Estramadura and he wasn't very wealthy. Critisize him as much as you wan't about him trying to get gold. But this is not what the Spaniards had in their mind. Their main priority was duty and honor.

Yes, I agree, in the same way a soldier today says he follows orders and for 'duty and honor' to king and country. But soldiers are paid, and not many would be willing to fight for free. In the same way, I doubt these conquistadors would leave behind everything they know, including loved ones, to go to a far off land full full of unknown dangers for the simple, idealistic notion of god and country. They had to be paid something, and the prospects of infinite riches and fantastic adventures (remember the legends of the time: fountains of youth, mermaids, headless men, etc) was all too appealing I'm sure.

This is not to discount the great challenges they overcame, or to belittle their courage. It is just a realistic perspective on the human character. Most people do not work for free.

Quintos,
I agree with Fernando "use paragraphs"

I also agree with much of what you have said about Cortez. It is a tragedy that most Mexicans have been brain-washed by radicals who decided to slander all things Spanish. If I remember correctly, the Aztecs enjoyed killing their own through bloody sacrifices and had not even learned metalurgy by the time of Cortez's arrival. It is obvious that had Cortez not liberated the indian people from this backwards society, Mexico would still rival Papu New Guinea for its mixture of headhunters and shamans.

My personal experiences have suggested that Mexicans are generally well manered and often well educated, but they still harbour high levels of ignorance towards Spaniards and the "Mother Country". Just as an anecdote, one of my professors in Valladolid told me about her adventures in Mexico that helps demonstrate this. She travels all over Latin America giving and attending seminars about the language, but only in Mexico does she encounter snide comments about the "conquista". She told us how by just opening her mouth in a taxi is enough for the taxi-driver to lecturer her on the Spanish conquest. Mexico cannot move on until it faces reality and embraces its historical ties to Spain.

Cheers

I've always believed people should be judged based on the era they lived in. The mores of today are completely different then they were over four hundred years ago. To hold someone from that era up to today's standards is unjust.

Wolf