Historia De La Conquista De Mexico

by Francisco López de Gómara

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Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography, War, Spanish Literature

349 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1552

Reviews

[Pablo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fácil de leer, este libro es, a mi parecer, clave para entender la figura de Cortés. Cierto es que dado que Gómara fue secretario de Hernán Cortés, el libro puede ser bastante parcial. Quizá enaltezca a Cortés demasiado, pero es precisamente el hecho de que lo escribiera un hombre cercano a Cortés lo que dota al libro de un valor tremendo, pues contiene información que es imposible de encontrar en cualquier otro lado.

Para mí el libro no versa tanto sobre la conquista de México sino sobre la figura central de dicho evento, que es Cortés. El autor hace un esfuerzo enorme por explicar al detalle las relaciones entre las distintas tribus de Nueva España, y como el astutísimo Cortés se aprovecha y manipula a unos y a otros para forjar una alianza que le llevaría a la gloria, y a hacer lo imposible.

Las dos principales razones para leerse el libro serían las siguientes: entender cómo se pudo llevar a cabo la conquista de México, con un especial énfasis en las tribus que ya existían ahí, y entender la mente de un enorme líder que, a pesar de tener que enfrentarse a numerosas adversidades, supo estar a la altura de los acontecimientos y consiguió capear el temporal.

[César Aufheben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Francisco López de Gomara nos narra de manera muy particular las hazañas realizadas por Fernando Cortés en la conquista del territorio ahora conocido como México. Se nos muestra la inteligencia y la política que utilizó Cortes para aliarse a los mismos pueblos vasallos y enemigos de los mexicas, en cuya ingenuidad pensaban que serían libres de la tiranía de Motecuzoma, para caer en las manos de quienes destruirían hasta los cimientos todo el mundo que ellos conocían.

[Antonio Calderon · Rating 5 out of 5]

La contraparte de Bernal Díaz del Castillo, motivo de sus inconformidades, inspiración y guía. Libro imprescindible para entender la Conquista de México junto con Bernal y las cartas de Cortés. Muy fluido, de lectura fácil aunque la letra pequeña de la edición llega en ocasiones a cansar.

[Mehmet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gomara’s work has not had the best of luck with posterity, Phillip II banned it upon publication, Cortez’s own son Martin renounced it, the outrage towards its contents caused so many other historical accounts of the conquest to be written (chief amongst them Bernal Diaz) and its author was maligned as a verbose, uncritical patsy for Cortez. The seeds of such sentiment are there in the book, Gomara never went to the Indies, he was Cortez’s chaplain, and the book genuinely IS about Cortez, and not a wider Spanish conquest.

The “issues” here however dispel to an extent after the read. Modern scholarship does to an extent agree that Cortez really was as significant as he was made out to be for the endeavour, Diaz’s fuming and rage about being left out are fair yes but they not exactly without reason. Cortez indeed was a magnetic and fascinating figure, and Gomara’s work puts across why that was immensely well. Further on, the oft (unthinkly) repeated claim that since he never went to the Indies, his recountings are without merit, if used as a general principle would have perhaps cleared the board of 90% of historians ancient and modern. Funnily enough Gomara is often very accurate, his recounting accords better then most other contemporary accounts, perhaps the distance from events did help after all. One thing about Gomara of note is that he is a very good prose author and the work is immensely polished and the timing, composition and intepretation is often superb, he has a special talent for vignettes. To read him is to read one of the best products of Humanist history writing of the era.

That being said, Gomara is often a hard read, as the hero of the story remains a deeply bloody figure who caused untold pain and misery for millions. Despite this however, Gomara is not as bad as can be expected on this count. His recounting of the native population is oft surprisingly sympathetic, even if rather distant, and there is little doubt put towards the scale of their achievements, or their humanity. One thing I have to mention here is that the edition I read was abridged in removing the chapters of Aztec ethnograpy (with the justification that Gomara had copied this section wholesale from Motolinia) so my account on this count is somewhat curtailed. Despite the unfortunate abridgement however, it is a very well written and interesting work with a very good translation (with a not very good critical apparatus!)

[María Luisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

En estos tiempos de revisionismo (que curiosamente afectan en exclusiva al Imperio Español), tal vez no sea la lectura que se recomiende más a menudo, y sin embargo este libro narra una extraordinaria aventura. Habla de alianzas y contra-alianzas, de peligros y batallas, de descubrimiento y de pérdida,... De un mundo que cambia drásticamente, y de las personas que fueron testigos y parte de todo ello.

[Skotch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazingness. The old school Spanish is a little tough to get the hang of.. Probably still pretty cool translated to English.