 Part
2 - The Invasion of the Empire
It was
on the eighteenth of February 1519, that the little squadron
finally set sail from Cuba for the coast of Yucatan. Before
starting, Cortez addressed his soldiers in a manner both
very characteristic of the man, and typical of the tone
which he took towards them on several occasions of great
difficulty and danger, when but for his courageous spirit
and great power of personal influence, the expedition could
only have found a disastrous end. Part of his speech was to
this effect: "I hold out to you a glorious prize, but
it is to be won by incessant toil. Great things are achieved
only by great exertions, and glory was never the reward of
sloth. If I have labored hard and staked my all on this
undertaking, it is for the love of that renown, which is the
noblest recompense of man. But, if any among you covet
riches more, be but true to me, as I will be true to you and
to the occasion, and I will make you masters of such as our
countrymen have never dreamed of! You are few in number, but
strong in resolution; and, if this does not falter, doubt
not but that the Almighty, who has never deserted the
Spaniard in his contest with the infidel, will shield you,
though encompassed by a cloud of enemies; for your cause is
a just cause, and you are to fight under the banner
of the Cross. Go forward then, with alacrity and confidence,
and carry to a glorious issue the work so auspiciously
begun."
The
first landing was made on the island of Cozumel, where the
natives were forcibly converted to Christianity. Then,
reaching the mainland, they were attacked by the natives of
Tabasco, whom they soon reduced to submission. These made
presents to the Spanish commander, including some female
slaves. One of these, named by the Spaniards Marina, became
of great use to the conquerors in the capacity of
interpreter, and by her loyalty, her intelligence, and, not
least, by her distinguished courage became a powerful
influence in the fortunes of the Spaniards.
The
next event of consequence in the career of the Conquerors
was the foundation of the first colony in New Spain, the
town of Villa Rica de Vera Cruz, on the seashore. Following
this, came the reduction of the warlike Republic of Tlascala,
and the conclusion of an alliance with its inhabitants which
proved of priceless value to the Spaniards in their long
warfare with the. Mexicans.
More
than one embassy had reached the Spanish camp from
Montezuma, the Emperor of Mexico, bearing presents and
conciliatory messages, but declining to receive the
strangers in his capital. The basis of his conduct and of
that of the bulk of his subjects towards the Spaniards was
an ancient tradition concerning a beneficent deity named
Quetzalcoatl who had sailed away to the East, promising to
return and reign once more over his people. He had a white
skin, and long, dark hair; and the likeness of the Spaniards
to him in this respect gave rise to the idea that they were
his representatives, and won them honor accordingly; while
even to those tribes who were entirely hostile a
supernatural terror clung around their name. Montezuma,
therefore, desired to conciliate them while seeking to
prevent their approach to his capital. But this was the goal
of their expedition, and Cortez, with his little army, never
exceeding a few hundred in all, reinforced by some Tlascalan
auxiliaries, marched towards the capital. Montezuma, on
hearing of their approach, was plunged into despondency.
"Of what avail is resistance," he is said to have
exclaimed, "when the gods have declared themselves
against us! Yet I mourn most for the old and infirm, the
women and children, too feeble to fight or to fly. For
myself and the brave men round me, we must bare our breasts
to the storm, and meet it as we may!"
Meanwhile
the Spaniards marched on, enchanted as they came by the
beauty and the wealth of the city and its neighborhood. It
was built on piles in a great lake, and as they descended
into the valley it seemed to them to be a reality embodying
in the fairest dreams of all those who had spoken of the New
World and its dazzling glories. They passed along one of the
causeways, which constituted the only method of approach to
the city, and as they entered, Montezuma himself, in all his
royal state, met them. Bowing to what seemed the inevitable,
he admitted them to the capital, gave them a royal palace
for their quarters, and entertained them well. After a week,
however, the Spaniards began to be doubtful of the security
of their position, and to strengthen it Cortez conceived and
carried out the daring plan of gaining possession of
Montezuma's person. With his usual audacity he went to the
palace, accompanied by some of his cavaliers, and compelled
Montezuma to consent to transfer himself and his household
to the Spanish quarters. After this, Cortez demanded that he
should recognize formally the supremacy of the Spanish
emperor. Montezuma agreed, and a large treasure, amounting
in value to about one and a half million pounds sterling,
was dispatched to Spain in token of his fealty. The ship
conveying it to Spain touched at the coast of Cuba, and the
news of Cortez’s success inflamed afresh the jealousy of
Velasquez, its governor, who had long repented of his choice
of a commander. Therefore, in March 1520, he sent Narvaez at
the head of a rival expedition, to overcome Cortez and
appropriate the spoils. But he had reckoned without the
character of Cortez. Leaving a garrison in Mexico, the
latter advanced by forced marches to meet Narvaez, and took
him unawares, entirely defeating his much superior force.
More than this, he induced most of these troops to join him,
and thus, reinforced also from Tlascala, marched back to
Mexico. There his presence was greatly needed, for news had
reached him that the Mexicans had risen, and that the
garrison was already in straits.
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