ARTEFACT A Life in Time: Hernán Cortés (1485–1547)
Hernán Cortés was born in Spain and trained as a soldier. He travelled to the New World and gained experience in the conquest of Cuba in 1511. He was ambitious and believed he could earn a fortune in the New World. Inspired by tales of vast amounts of gold, he decided to attack the Aztecs.
Attacking the Aztecs
In February 1519, Cortés landed with 11 ships, 500 soldiers and 13 horses. He had the ships burned to show his men that there was no going back. He made contact with local tribes that had been conquered by the Aztecs. Many of the native peoples were terrifi ed of the Spaniards’ horses and cannons (which they had never seen before) but the Aztecs’ brutal rule encouraged them to help Cortés. Cortés was given a slave girl called Malinche, who spoke several local languages. She quickly learned Spanish and acted as his translator. She also bore him a son.
A painting of Cortés and his conquest of the Aztecs Meeting Montezuma
With his men and native troops Cortés marched to Tenochtitlan, where he was greeted by the Aztec king, Montezuma. The Aztecs believed that one of their gods, Quetzalcoatl, would one day return from over the sea. When Cortés arrived – with his pale skin and feathered helmet, riding a strange beast – the Aztecs took him for this god and worshipped him. However, the Spaniards soon began to steal gold. When there were protests, the Spaniards captured Montezuma and tried to rule through him.
