Anahuatlacanco: The Land Between the Waters, Land of the Nahuatlaca

Cuāuhtemōc

Cuāuhtemōc

Banned
But then I would not be able to post no more.

:(

This is the last post you'll see in a week. Tomorrow I'll be off to the Bahamas.
 

MNP

Only at AH.Com is going to the Bahamas cause for a frowny. Maybe you could write something about them when you get back.
 
Cuāuhtemōc

Cuāuhtemōc

Banned
Anahuatlacanco: The Land Between the Waters, Land of the Nahuatlaca
An Alternate History Timeline
By Luis Felipe Salcedo​

Volume One
[The Spanish Conquest]
Book I of Cortesia: The Series
Chapter II: Hernán Cortés's Background
(1518-1700)​

hernan_cortes.jpg

Hernán Cortés (1485-1547).​

While he is often now referred to as Hernán or Hernando Cortés, in his time he called himself Hernando or Fernando Cortés. The names Hernán, Hernando and Fernando are all equally correct. The latter two were most commonly used during his lifetime, but the former shortened form has become common later on and that is how most people in the world know him as. Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro was born on 1485 in Medellín. He belonged to a family of decayed fortune. His father, Martín Cortés de Monroy, was an infantry captain of distinguished lineage but slender means. Hernán's mother was Catalina Pizarro Altamirano. Through his mother, he was the second cousin once removed of Francisco Pizarro, who would conquer the Inka empire, not to be confused with a man of the same name who joined Cortés' conquest of the Aztecs. Through his father, Hernán was a twice distant relative to the third governor of Hispaniola, Nicolas de Ovando y Caceres. His paternal grandfather was a son of Rodrigo de Monroy y Almaraz, fifth lord of Monroy and wife Mencia de Orellana y Carvajal.

He was sent by his parents to study at the University of Salamanca in west-central Spain when he was just fourteen years of age. This was Spain's great center of learning, and while accounts vary as to the nature of Cortés's studies, his later writings and actions give evidence that he studied Spanish law and Latin. He found studying irksome, his temper was under too much restraint and he returned home in 1501, after only two years of attendance, desiring a life of adventure. His parents were disappointed, expecting him to support them as their only son with a profitable legal career. However, those two years at the university, plus his long period of training and experience as a notary, first in Seville and later in Hispaniola, would give him a close acquaintance with the legal codes of Castile that helped him to justify his unauthorized conquest of the Aztecs and administration over the land, virtually independent from all authority in all but name.

At this point in his life, Cortés was described by Gómara as restless, haughty and mischievous though also pale and sickly. This was probably a fair description of a young boy who had returned home only to find himself frustrated and restrained by life in his small provincial town. By this time, news of the exciting discoveries of Christopher Columbus in the New World was streaming back to Spain and arranged to join up with Ovando to reach Hispaniola who was appointed to be placed in command of Santo Domingo. He did not go due to gaining an injury he sustained while hurriedly escaping from the bedroom of a married woman from Medellín, prevented him from making the journey.

Nicols_de_Ovando.jpg

Nicolás de Ovando y Cáceres, Governor of Hispaniola.

Instead, he spent the next year wandering the country, probably spending most of his time in the heady atmosphere of Spain's southern ports of Cadiz, Palos, Salucai and Seville, listening to the tales of those returning from the Indies, who told of discovery and conquest, gold, Indians and strange unknown lands.He next sought military service under the celebrated Gonsalvo de Córdoba, but a serious illness frustrated his purpose. He finally left for Hispaniola in 1504 on a vessel commanded by Alonso Quintero, who tried to deceive his superiors and reach the New World before them in order to secure personal gain. Quintero's mutinous conduct probably served as a model for Cortés' entire life.

At last, in 1504, he set out, according to his first plan, for Santo Domingo, where he was kindly received by Ovando. Upon his arrival in 1504 in Santo Domingo, the capital of Hispaniola, Cortés registered as a citizen, which entitled him to a building plot and land to farm. Soon afterwards, Ovando, still the governor, gave him a repartimiento [1] of Indians and made him a notary of the town of Azua de Compostela. He was then only nineteen in 1504, and remarkable for a graceful physiognomy and amiable manners, as well as for skill and address in all military exercises. He remained in San Domingo, where Ovando had successively conferred upon him several lucrative and honorable employments, until 1511, when he accompanied Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar in his expedition to the island of Cuba, after having recovered from syphilis. Velázquez was appointed as governor. At the age of twenty-six, Cortés was made clerk to the treasurer with the responsibility of ensuring that the Crown received the quinto [2], or customary one-fifth of the profits from the expedition.

The Governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez, was so impressed with Cortés that he secured a high political position for him in the colony. Cortés continued to build a reputation as a daring and bold leader. He became secretary for Governor Velázquez. Cortés was twice appointed municipal magistrate of Santiago, displaying great ability in terms of leadership. In Cuba, Cortés became a man of substance with more land grants and Indian slaves, mines and cattle. This new position of power also made him the new source of leadership, which opposing forces in the colony could then turn to. In 1514, Cortés led a group which demanded that more Indians be assigned to the settlers.

velazquez.jpg

Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, Governor of Cuba.

The life Cortés led in the Antilles was that of the military man of his time, with intervals of rest on such estates as he gradually acquired. He was a favorite of both Ovando and Velazquez, until much later. The consequences were very serious, for Velazquez was Governor of Cuba and a man of influence at court. The conduct of Cortés during his stay in the Antilles revealed, besides military aptitude which he had small opportunity of displaying, shrewdness, daring in his dealings with Velazquez, and no excess of scruples in morals.

As time went on, relations between Cortés and Governor Velázquez became strained, soon devolving into quarreling and deceit on both sides. The men considered each other mortal enemies. This all began once news of Juan de Grijalva, establishing a colony on the mainland where there was a lot of silver and gold, reached Velázquez; it was decided to send him help.

Cortés was appointed captain-general of the new expedition in October 1518, but was advised to move fast before Velázquez changed his mind. With Cortés’ experience as an administrator, knowledge gained from many failed expeditions, and his impeccable rhetoric he was able to gather six ships and three hundred men, within a month. Predictably, Velázquez’s jealousy exploded and decided to place the leadership of the expedition in other hands. However, Cortés quickly gathered more men and ships in other Cuban ports. Cortés also found time to become romantically involved with Catalina Juárez, the sister-in-law of Governor Velázquez. Part of Velázquez' displeasure seems to have been based on a belief that Cortés was trifling with Catalina's affections. Cortés was temporarily distracted by one of Catalina's sisters but finally married Catalina, reluctantly, under pressure from Governor Velázquez. However, by doing so, he hoped to secure the good will of both her family and that of Velázquez.

It was not until he had been almost fifteen years in the Indies, that Cortés began to look beyond his substantial status as mayor of the capital of Cuba and as a man of affairs in the thriving colony. He missed the first two expeditions, under the orders of Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and then Juan de Grijalva, sent by Diego Velázquez to Mexico in 1518.
_____
[1] Repartimiento - a colonial forced labor system imposed upon the indigenous population of Spanish America and the Philippines and in the Empire of Cortés during the first several decades of existence. In concept, it was very similar to other tribute-labor system, such as the Inka mita. The natives were forced to do low-paid or unpaid labor for a certain number of weeks or months each year on Spanish-owned farms, mines, workshops, and public projects. Native communities that were close to Spanish populations were required to provide a percentage for labor and thus many natives tended to flee further inland from Spanish authority.


[2] Quinto - also known as the quinto real or quinto del rey, it was an old royal tax that reserved twenty percent of all precious metals and other commodities acquired by his or her subjects as war loot. In Christian kingdoms, it came from legal conception of regal rights over the natural patrimony during the Medieval Era. The specification of the 20% tax rate on booty, stems from the practice in Islamic states, the rate set down in the Koran, in Sura VIII, verse 41. During the Age of Exploration, Spanish and Portuguese captains and conquistadors were careful to always set aside the quinto from any spoils they captured, and accusations of embezzling the quinto ended the careers of a few of them. Nonetheless, to encourage exploration and colonization, Iberian monarchs often allowed explorers and colonial developers to retain part or all of the royal fifth, for at least some period of time. Ir remained in force through all the Spanish empire until the eighteenth century. In 1723, it was reduced to ten percent and in 1777, it was reduced further to three percent, with an additional duty of two percent if shipped to Spain.
 
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Errnge

Errnge

so far, the groundwork is set quite nicely. I always thought Cortes' expedition was like an old hollywood film
 

jycee

Drago, just want to say im really looking foward to following this timeline. Loved what you did in Navatlacas, so if this is meant to be an improvemnt i am certainy excited!! I didnt comment as much on Navalacas but will try o comment a bit more is time.
Keep up the ood work!

(Also any chance ou can fix ur fomt size? Make it easier to read.)
 
Zioneer

Zioneer

Banned
Great groundwork, Drago. I can definitely tell you're spending a lot of time and effort on these updates.

Not that you didn't spend time on the original, but these seem to be a labor of love now.

I'm liking especially Cortes's background, even though you went over it quite well in the original.
 
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