The Spaniards who lived on the island of Hispaniola sent frequent
expeditions to the mainland in the hope of finding gold.
Hernando Cortes, a dashing young Spaniard with a love of adventure
and a reckless daring seldom seen, was given command of one of these
expeditions.
[Illustration: Hernando Cortes.]
In March, 1519, he landed on the coast of Central America, with about
six hundred men, ten heavy guns, and sixteen horses. Here Cortes found
the natives in large numbers arrayed against him. A fierce battle was
fought. But the firearms of the Spaniards frightened the barbarians,
and when the cavalry arrived the Indians fled in terror. The Indians,
who had never seen horses before, thought the man riding the horse
was a part of the animal, and that these strange creatures were sent
by the gods. Fear made the Indians helpless, and it was easy for Cortes
to gain a victory over them.
After this victory Cortes sailed northward along the coast of San Juan
de Ulloa. The natives of that region had heard of the wonderful
white-skinned and bearded men who bore charmed lives, and they thought
that these men were gods. They, therefore, treated the Spaniards in
a friendly manner, and brought gifts of flowers, fruits, and
vegetables, and also ornaments of gold and silver to Cortes.
Here Cortes landed and founded the city of Vera Cruz, which is to-day
an important seaport of Mexico. The native Indians in this place were
called Aztecs. Some of their chiefs, who paid a visit to Cortes, told
him of the great Emperor Montezuma, who was rich and powerful, and
who lived inland, in a wonderful city built in a lake.
By these chiefs Cortes sent to Montezuma presents of collars,
bracelets, and ornaments of glass, an armchair richly carved, and an
embroidered crimson cap. In return, Montezuma sent shields, helmets,
and plates of pure gold, sandals, fans, gold ornaments of exquisite
workmanship, together with robes of fine cotton interwoven with
feather work, so skillfully done that it resembled painting. The cap
which Cortes had sent was returned filled with gold dust.
The great Montezuma also sent a message to Cortes, saying that he would
be glad to meet so brave a general, but that the road to the Mexican
capital was too dangerous for an army to pass over. He also promised
to pay a yearly tribute to the Spanish king if Cortes and his followers
would depart and leave him in peace.
[Illustration: Aztecs.]
The Spaniards were jubilant when they saw the superb gifts. They felt
certain that this great emperor must have enormous wealth at his
command, and in spite of the warning message, most of them wished to
start immediately for the Mexican capital. Some, however, thought such
a course very unwise; Montezuma, they said, was so powerful a ruler
that it was absurd to attack him with their small force, and they
advised returning to Cuba for a large number of soldiers.
But Cortes had his own ideas on the subject. So he secretly ordered
his ships to be sunk, and then, all chance of retreat being cut off,
the entire force proceeded toward Mexico, August 16, 1519.
After a long march, the Spaniards began to ascend the plateau on which
the city of Mexico is situated, and finally reached the top of it,
seven thousand feet high.
They found the climate on this plateau temperate and balmy. The fields
were cultivated, and beautiful flowers grew wild in profusion.
During the march the Spaniards passed many towns containing queer
houses and temples. They entered many of the temples, threw down the
idols, and took possession of ornaments of value. At length they saw
in the distance a city which was built in a salt lake. Three avenues,
built of stone, led across the water to it.
These avenues, which were four or five miles in length, were guarded
on both sides by Indians in canoes. The avenues continued through the
city, meeting in the center, where the great temple was situated.
The temple was inclosed by a huge stone wall, and contained twenty
pyramids, each a hundred feet in height. Nearly all of the houses were
two stories high, and were built of red stone. The roofs were flat,
with towers at the corners, and on top of the roofs there were beautiful
flower gardens.
Into this remarkable town Cortes and his followers marched. Montezuma
received his unwelcome guests with every mark of friendship, and with
much pomp and ceremony. The great emperor was carried on a litter,
which was richly decorated with gold and silver. The nobles of his
court surrounded him, and hundreds of his retainers were drawn up in
line behind him.
[Illustration: Meeting of Cortes and Montezuma.]
The first thing, when Cortes and Montezuma met, was the customary
exchange of presents. Cortes presented Montezuma with a chain of
colored glass beads, and in return the Aztec ruler gave Cortes a house
which was large enough to accommodate all of the Spaniards.
For ten days these two men met each other and exchanged civilities,
Cortes pretending to be paying a friendly visit, and Montezuma feeling
puzzled and uncertain.
At length Cortes induced Montezuma to go to the house where the
Spaniards were living, and then, when he got him there, refused to
allow him to leave, thus keeping him a prisoner in his own city.
This daring act aroused the suspicions of the Aztecs. But Cortes used
all his cunning to deceive these simple-hearted people and to make
them continue to think that the Spaniards were gods. Still, the Aztecs
were beginning to feel very bitter toward Cortes and his followers
because of the disrespect with which they treated the Aztec temples
and gods. The Spaniards were constantly throwing these gods out of
the temples. Even their great god of war was not safe.
Cortes openly derided this image, calling it trash, and proposing to
erect the emblems of the Spanish religion in its place in the Aztec
temples.
Now, the Aztec god of war was a frightful image with golden serpents
entwined about the body. The face was hideous, and in its hand was
carried a plate upon which were placed human hearts as sacrifices.
But to the Aztecs the image was sacred, and this insult, together with
many others which had been offered their gods, made the natives very
angry.
One day the Aztecs discovered that some of the Spaniards had died.
This knowledge dispelled the fear that their unbidden visitors were
gods, and they attacked the Spaniards with great fury.
The Aztec warriors wore quilted cotton doublets and headdresses
adorned with feathers. They carried leather shields, and fought
fiercely with bows and arrows, copper-pointed lances, javelins, and
slings. Though by comparison few in numbers, the Spaniards, who were
protected by coats of mail, made great havoc with their guns and
horses.
The battle between these unequal forces raged with great fury, and
for a time the result was uncertain. Cortes compelled Montezuma, his
prisoner, to show himself on the roof of his house and try to persuade
the Aztecs to stop fighting.
The Indians, however, no longer feared their emperor, and instead of
obeying him, they made him a target for their arrows and stones. In
the midst of the fight, the great Montezuma was finally knocked down
and killed by one of his former subjects.
After a desperate struggle, the Spaniards were forced to retreat.
While making their escape over the bridges of the city they were
attacked by Indian warriors in canoes, and more than half of their
number were killed.
[Illustration: Aztec Ruins.]
Notwithstanding this defeat and the loss of so many men, Cortes did
not give up his design of conquering Mexico. He made an alliance with
hostile tribes of Indians, and again attacked the city.
The Aztecs had now a new king, named Gua-te-mot-zin, who was as brave
and determined as Cortes himself. Guatemotzin made preparations to
oppose Cortes, and during the terrible siege which followed never once
thought of surrendering or of asking for peace.
The Spaniards made attack after attack, and terrible battles were
fought, in which the loss on both sides was very great. During one
of these battles Cortes was nearly captured, and it seemed as though
the war god was to be avenged upon the man who had so insulted him.
But a young Spaniard rushed to the assistance of Cortes, and with one
blow of his sword cut off the arms of the Indian who had dared to seize
the Spanish leader.
After a time the Aztecs found themselves prisoners within their own
city. The Spaniards had cut off all means of escape, and the Indians
were starving to death. Their sufferings were terrible, and hundreds
dropped down daily in the streets. Yet the proud king Guatemotzin
refused to submit, and Cortes ordered a final attack. After furious
fighting Guatemotzin was captured, and the Aztecs surrendered. Their
cruel religion, with its strange gods and human sacrifices, was now
overthrown.
Cortes, with his few followers, never more than one thousand trained
soldiers, had succeeded in conquering a country larger than Spain.
Over a million Mexicans had perished, and those that remained left
the city and fled to the mountains.
In this way the magnificent civilization of the ancient Mexicans was
destroyed. Shiploads of treasures were sent by Cortes to the Spanish
king, Charles V., who rejoiced at the glory gained for his country.