The Spanish Invasion of Mexico 1519–1521

Osprey Essential Histories #60

by Charles M. Robinson III

The Spanish conquest of Mexico was the most remarkable military expedition in history, and in achieving it, Hernan Cortes proved himself as one of the greatest generals of all time. This book explains the background of the Aztec Empire and of the Spanish presence in Mexico. It describes the lives of the Aztecs in their glittering capital and of the Europeans who learned to adapt and survive in an alien and often dangerous world. The invasion was a war between civilizations, pitting the fatalism and obsessive ritual of the Aztecs against soldiers fighting for riches, their lives, and eventually their souls.

Genres: History, World History, Military Fiction, Spain, Nonfiction, Spanish History, Military History

96 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2003

About the author

Charles M. Robinson III was an American author, illustrator, and adventurer. He was a history instructor with South Texas College in McAllen, Texas, until early 2012 and was a member of the 2010 Oxford Round Table. He was a graduate of St. Edward's University and the University of Texas–Pan American.

He wrote several books that focused on the American Old West, as well as the American Civil War and the Spanish conquest of Mexico. He also wrote magazine articles on seafaring, sailing, hunting, guns, and antique automobiles. In 1993 he was awarded the T. R. Fehrenbach Book Award by the Texas Historical Commission.

Robinson passed away in 2012 due to complications from lung cancer.

Reviews

[Martín Álvarez Rodríguez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un yankee escribiendo sobre historia de España, bueno podía ser peor, podría ser un británico. Más allá del chascarrillo ya en las primeras páginas el autor afirma que no hará valoraciones morales para luego pasarse todo el libro poniendo adjetivos calificativos a cada acción.
El material gráfico no es gran cosa, siendo lo poco reseñable en general de esta editorial tan pretenciosa. Salvaría tanto las páginas dedicadas a entender la política internacional que regía el mundo mientras Cortés y sus hombres lograban la hazaña de someter a los mexicas. Así mismo también el autor tiene la suficiente honestidad para admitir que los tlaxaltecas eran unos salvajes sanguinarios que les causaban pavor y repugnancia a sus aliados los españoles.

Obra para quien le quiera echar un vistazo a la Conquista de México, pero debiendo armarse de ciertas precauciones anteriormente.

[Declan Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

The only thing I knew about this period of history was that it somehow involved Cortes and the Aztecs. This 'Essential Histories' book provides background on how the Aztecs conquered Mexico City and their fatalistic religion, as well as the impact on other tribes in Central America. I didn't know any of the start, and this was one of the most interesting elements for me. More on Aztecs I think!

Cortes' incredible invasion of Mexico and success against the Aztecs is detailed including the impact other native tribes, and disease had in the battles, and some amazing diplomacy and lucky (bloody) escapes.

A great addition to a superb series.

[JoséMaría BlancoWhite · Rating 4 out of 5]

If only the Spaniards had been Anglosaxons, and Mexico spoke English today, we would have some great epic films to behold now. But poor race that we are, we haven't dared to make the first film; neither can the Mexicans, for that matter. (We, the West, have given up the Cross again, and are more prone to immolate ourselves on some sacrificial altar than try to find anything worth fighting for).

Now to the book. This is a great overview, pithy and accessible to everybody. A pleasure to read, being so difficult to condense what other books took so many pages, sparse with some very helpful and necessary maps and illustrations.

This book is titled 'Invasion', but I don't quite agree with its title, since this part of the conquest, the invasion, was fundamentally the key part of the whole process of conquest and subjugation of this area of America. It may be a condescension to PC readers but it is nothing but symbolical, since the story is what it was, and you can't change that. However, once that is said, there are no more hints of this type inside. The author simply summarizes the facts in a most reader-friendly way. He shows us the background of both peoples involved in this clash of civilizations, their beliefs, dreams and fears; in one word: what kind of people they were, without being judgmental.

Hernán Cortés was an extraordinary man. One interesting excerpt:

"Tlaxcala (one of the Mexican nations who fought alongside Cortés, against the Aztecs) remained faithful to the end, and throughout the colonial period was described in Spanish sources as 'most loyal'. This has earned the modern city and state the disdain of other parts of Mexico, particularly Mexico City, where citizens contend that the country was betrayed by Tlaxcala. Modern Tlaxcalans, however, are equally touchy about their reasons for siding with Cortés, and are quick to point out all the grievances their country had with Aztec Mexico."

And this important piece of information: "To the very end, they (the Aztecs) were self-conscious of the fact that they were foreigners ... they believed that just as they had conquered and subjugated the natives, so others might conquer and subjugate them." Which certainly happened.

And: "Whatever the atrocities for which the Castilians may be blamed in the five centuries since the Conquest, their acts paled in comparison to those of their Tlaxcalan allies. Centuries of hate and the basic viciousness of Mesoamerican warfare combined in a violence that appalled even Cortés himself."

Cortés writes to the king of Spain: "I had posted Spaniards in every street, so that when the people began to come (to surrender) they might prevent our allies from killing those wretched people, whose numbers were uncountable. I also told the captains of our allies that on no account should any of those people be slain; but there were som many that we could not prevent more than fifteen thousand being killed and sacrificed (by the Tlaxcalans) that day."

Cuauhtémoc -the last Aztec emperor- was not a hero. He was the last tyrant of an imperialist and foreign nation. Of all the nations that dwelt in Mesoamerica in those years, the Aztecs (and they were always self-conscious of it) were as foreign as the Spaniards could be.

I recommend also the book "The Conquest of Darkness" by Warren Carroll. Very concise account of the same story but focusing more on the cultural and religious backgrounds of both Spaniards and Aztecs. Both these books complement each other perfectly.

[pjr8888 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Spanish conquest of Mexico was the most remarkable military expedition in history!

"part of a multi-volume history of war seen from political, strategic, tacticl, cultural and individual perspectives"