Anahuatlacanco: The Land Between the Waters, Land of the Nahuatlaca
An Alternate History Timeline
By Luis Felipe Salcedo
Book I of Cortesia: The Series
Chapter V: Cortés' Departure from Cuba
(1518-1700)
Trinidad, Cuba.
Hernán Cortés and his fleet landed at Macaca. It was here where he and his soldiers despoiled the king's farms of stores of food and ammunition, calling it, "a loan from the King." Previously he had his men take all the meats from Santiago's butcher had on hand for the city's uses, rewarding him with a gold chain that hung about the man's neck. Later on, his men informed him of a ship laden with provisions just outside the harbor and Cortés ordered them to seize the ship's cargo, in the condition that they pay the ship's owner in compensation. Another incident involved him dispatching a ship to intercept and rob another vessel, which was arriving at Macaca from the west, of its provisions.
Having his men practically ransack Macaca of any food, weapons and ammunition, he did not bother to stay too long, fearing that he would face fierce retribution from Velázquez himself in the form of imprisonment and having his commission revoked. Cortés sailed on to Trinidad, a more considerable town, on Cuba's southern coast, in addition to being one of the older settlements. Here he erected his standard made proclamation, making liberal rewards to those willing to join him. Volunteers came in daily, and among them more than a hundred of Grijalva's men, just returned from their voyage, and willing to follow up the discovery under an enterprising leader. The fame of Cortés attracted many cavaliers of family and distinction; some of whom, having accompanied Grijalva, brought much information valuable for the present expedition. Among these hidalgos mentioned were Pedro de Alvarado and his brothers, Cristóbal de Olid, Alonso de Ávila, Juan Velázquez de León, a relative of the governor, Alonso Hernández Portocarrero, Francisco de Saucedo, Francisco de Montejo, Ordás, Francisco de Morla, Juan de Escalante and Gonzalo de Sandoval, all of whom were made captains.Antón de Alaminos, having had experience in the expeditions of Juan Ponce de León y Figueroa, Juan de Grijalva, and Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, was made the pilot.
Cortés was active in purchasing military stores and provisions. He learned of a trading vessel containing grain was off the coast, he ordered one of his caravels to seize the ship and bring it to port. He gave compensation to the master for both the ship and its contents and even persuaded this man, a wealthy individual named Sedeno, to join his fortunes to the trade expedition. He also dispatched Diego de Ordás, one of his officers, to seize another ship, and to meet him with said ship off Cape St. Antonio, the westernmost point of Cuba. By this, he sent Ordás off, who was working on behalf of Velázquez as a spy and thus he returned to drumming up recruits at the port of Trinidad.
Meanwhile, orders arrived from Velázquez, demanding that the town's alcalde arrest and detain Cortés, as he had changed his mind and bestowed the position of Captain-General to someone else. But Verdugo, the alcalde of Trinidad refused to enforce the command due to the fear of angering the several hundred troops that were stationed in the town and risking the chance of the town being destroyed.
Cortés had improved the time gathering munitions of every sort. All the smiths of the town were engaged in making arrow-heads, and as many as could be persuaded were enlisted, as well as soldiers and sailors. The musketeers and cross-bowmen were constantly practicing their shooting while scouts were sent out in all directions to search for horses, animals that were excessively scare and expensive in Cuba. They had only been recently introduced from Europe a couple of years ago and only the richest planters could afford them. Only sixteen horses were obtained and though they were few in number, they would play a significant role in the conquest of the Aztec empire, striking terror to the natives.
Map detailing the route of Cortes from Cuba to Kùutsmil.
As Cortés was willing to strengthen himself by still further reinforcements, he ordered Alvarado with a small company of men to march across the island towards Cuba, while he would sail around and meet him there with the squadron. In Havana, as in Macaca and Trinidad previously, he displayed the standard, making the usual proclamation. He ordered all large guns to be brought onshore and with the small arms and crossbows, to be put in order. As there was abundance of cotton raised in Havana, he had the soldiers' jackets thickly quilted with it, to defend them against the arrows of the natives, from which many who had participated in the previous expeditions had suffered. He organized his men into eleven companies, each under the command of experienced officers. Though it was known to him that several of the men in his services were the personal friends and relatives of Velázquez, he treated them all with perfect confidence. He knew that within time, they would be on his side, including Diego de Ordás who had forsaken his old master to join Cortés.
Cortés by this time was either thirty-three or thirty-four years old. His stature was well above average. He had a pale complexion which was contrasted by the dark eyes of his which gave an expression of gravity to his countenance. His figure was slender but his chest was deep, his shoulders broad, his frame muscular and well-proportioned. It presented an almost perfect union of agility and vigor. He was careless when it came to what he ate though he drank very little. His clothes appeared simple but the colors gave away that he was a man of wealth now. His manners were like that of any soldier of his time though it concealed a very cool, calculating and manipulative spirit. There was an air of authority which made those who approached him feel the need to obey him and infused awe into his most closest followers. Such a combination was what would propel him into greater glories than he would ever anticipate, for what he would inspire devotion and faith into such rough and turbulent men.
The fleet assembled by Cortés in Havana's harbor consisted of eleven vessels, more than half of which were open brigantines or caravels and the largest did not exceed the capacity of one hundred tons. The artillery consisted of ten brass guns of the heaviest caliber then known, and four falconets, or small pieces, complemented by an abundant supply of ammunition. One hundred and ten sailors, five hundred and thirty-three, of which sixteen were cavalry, thirteen arquebusiers or musketeers, and thirty-two crossbowmen, most of the men being armed with sword, lance, and shield or buckler. In addition, two hundred Cuban Indians and several Indian women joined as well.
It is not known exactly why Governor Velázquez changed in his mind, though there are many theories, mentioned previously, ranging from the influence of his friends and family to his own fears that Cortés was going to use this expedition as a way to supplant his own authority by convoking the cabildo [1], something that he himself had done to remove himself of the authority of Diego Colón Moniz, son of famous explorer Christopher Columbus and then Viceroy of the Indies. Whatever the case, Velázquez had already found a replacement to head the expedition. Don Pedro Barba, alcalde [2] of Havana, received a dispatch, ordering him to have Cortés arrested and sent to Santiago, and prevent his ships from leaving. He too refused to follow orders for he feared arresting a popular figure such as Cortés would incite a riot, perhaps even a rebellion against the colonial government. Cortés, knowing this, used it to buy more time to ready his men and ships for the expedition.
Cortés addressing his men.
On the month of February, 1519, the little squadron got under way, and directed its course towards Cape St. Antonio, the appointed place of rendezvous. In all there were eleven ships in total. Alaminos was made chief pilot of the expedition, having been known in Cuba as a veteran navigator with years of experience under his belt.
Landing on the Cape, Cortés had his officers mustered his forces and prepared to give a rousing speech to boost their morale. Most orators would write a speech down and memorize it but Cortés was different, he had such a confidence in himself and in his men that he would speak from his very heart. He left his cabin and took a deep breath as he spotted the men waiting for him, silently. He recited the words in which he planned on saying to them in his head and went to stand on top a bunch of wooden crates. He then addressed his men:
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 ward 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 compense of man.
But, if any among you covet riches more,
be at 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 !
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,
although 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.
Cortés then paused and waited for the response. He knew that despite his popularity with much of the men, he still recognized the fact that he would need to win over the men who were friends and relatives of Governor Velázquez, most of them he had selected to be his officers. They had originally anticipated to be in a trading expedition, like that of Grijalva though Cortés intended to conquer new lands, namely the Aztec empire, with the men and ships that he had. This speech was to reveal his true motives to everyone, and hopefully bring them to his side. He waited for their answer but so far had silence.
It was just then in the midst of all that quiet serenity, that clapping was heard. Cortés was unable to tell who clapped due to all the swords and pikes blocking his sight. What mattered is that within moments, it soon devolved into rolling claps of thundering applause.
"Cortés! Cortés!" screamed the soldiers. They then raised their weapons and chanted in unison, "For God and King!"
The rough eloquence of the general, touching the various chords of ambition, avarice, and religious zeal, sent a thrill through the his martial audience and received it with acclamations. Cortés pursed his lips and grinned. He knew that this day, victory was his. He now had the near unanimous support of the men and even if there existed some voices of dissent to the goals of the expedition to change from mere trade to actual conquest, they were silenced by the thundering roars of his supporters. He now had what he wanted. Cortés finally found himself clear of Cuba and afloat on the high seas, with favoring gales and currents wafting him towards the land known as Mexico, the land we come to know as Anahuatlacanco. He awaited what riches awaited him.
Mass was celebrated with the solemnities usual with the Spanish navigators, when beginning their voyage. The fleet was to be placed under the immediate protection of St. Peter, patron saint of Cortés and weighing anchor, took its departure on the eighteenth of February, 1519, for the coast of Yokatlān.
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[1] Cabildo - a former Spanish, colonial administrative council that governed a municipality. Cabildos were sometimes appointed, sometimes elected, but were considered to be representative of all land-owning heads of households. The colonial cabildo was essentially the same as the one that had developed in medieval Castile. The cabildo was the legal representative of the municipality—and its neighbors—before the crown, therefore it was among the first institutions established by the conquistadors themselves after, or even before, taking over an area. Hernán Cortés would establish La Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz to free himself from the authority of the Governor of Cuba.
[2] Alcalde - also known as Alcalde ordinario, it is the traditional Spanish magistrate of a municipality, who had both judicial and administrative functions. In absence of a corregidor, they were the presiding officer of the cabildo, the municipal council, and judge of a town. Alcaldes were elected annually, without the right to reelection for two or three years, by the council members, known as regidores. The office was signified by a staff of office, that accompanied them when conducting their business. Nowadays, they are the equivalent of mayors in the English-speaking world. The word "Alcalde" is borrowed from the Arabic "al-qadi" which means "the judge".
