In the Churubusco neighborhood of Coyoacan there were a number of springs that watered the indigenous communities there. Tenochtitlan’s Tlatoani Ahuitzotl, in a desire to feed his growing city, asked to use the water from Coyoacan, and the Acuecuexco spring, among others. Tzutzuman, ruler of Coyoacan, advised against an aqueduct into the city, that it might cause a flood, according to Duran. Whether it was unwanted advice or just the refusal to grant permission to the water, it’s not totally clear, but it seems Ahuitzotl had Tzutzuman killed.
Below are lists and descriptions of the Great Treasure presented to Cortes in San Juan de Ulua. This is the legendary gift presented by Tendile and includes the much mentioned gold sun-disc and silver moon-disc. The descriptions of the treasure and the place vary by writer, but most place the exchange on either Cortes’s flagship or the beach where his men were setting up camp.
Florentine Codex – Moctezuma sends five leaders to greet Cortés, who he believes to be Quetzalcoatl and to take the gifts he had made when Grijalva was spotted off the coast. These things were carried from Tenochtitlan to the coast and presented to Cortés.
Turquoise Mask – snake design, inlaid turquoise with a crown of rich long plumes. It also had a crown and a chest piece attached that covered the chest and shoulders.
Shield – beaded and jewelled shield, round shape.
Anklet, strings of precious stones with Golden Bells
Scepter covered with turquoise snake design
Headpiece, shell shaped, of gold.
Accoutrements of Tezcatlipoca
Headpiece of rich plumes with golden stars
Gold ear plugs with attached sea shell chest plate
Corselet of white cloth, painted cloth with feather bands
Cloak, light blue, “tzitzilli”
Sandals of lords
Accoutrements of Tlalocan teuctli –
Mask with plumage and chest piece
Ear plugs
Coreselet of green cloth
Medallions
Staff
Anklets
Serpent staff of turquoise
Quetzalcoatl’s Belongings
Jaguar skin miter (headpiece) with pheasant feathers
Turquoise ear plugs
Gold necklace with medallion
Shield, round with gold plate in center, rich feathers on the edge
Cloak
Anklet bells
Staff encrusted with pearls
Sandals of the lords
Gold miter with rich plumes
Annal of Tlatelolco – Very basic narrative, tells that they met Cortes at Tecpantlayacac and gave him the listed gifts. Also that a sacrifice was performed and rebuked with punishment of death by Cortes.
Suns of yellow and of white (gold and silver)
Mirror
Golden helmet
Golden shell headcover
Head fan of plumes
Shield of shell
Annals of Quauhtitlan – Briefly describes the coastal contacts and mentions gifts sent to Moctezuma as well.
Green frock
Two capes,red and a black
“Two pairs footwear, shoes”
A knife
A hat; cap
A woolen cloth
A Cup
beads
Andres de Tapia – In his Relacion, deTapia mentions gifts of gold and silver including the discs. He then describes the robes, necklaces and beads Cortes sends to Moctezuma.
“present of gold and silver, and in it a wheel of gold and another of silver, each one as large as a cartwheel, though not very thick, which say they are made in the likeness of the sun and the moon.”
Diaz – San Juan de Ulua, (Diaz 93) – Gives a very brief description of the treasure presented initially by Tendille (meager gold and food). A week later he presents the grander treasure.
Gold Sun-disc, as big as a cartwheel, worth 10K pesos
Silver Moon-disc
Helmet full of gold granules (as requested by Cortes), worth more than 3K pesos
20 golden ducks and other golden animals
Bow and 12 arrows
Golden staffs (two)
Gold crests
Fans and plumes of green featherwork
Silver crest
30 loads of cotton, decorated with feathers.
Gomara – Camp at San Juan de Ulua (Gom 59) – Presented by Teudilli at the Ulua camp.
One of the great mythologies of the Conquest of Mexico is Cortes burning, or sinking his ships in order to secure his men’s commitment to the march to Tenochtitlan and Moctezuma. The incident is cited in motivational speeches, and among historians as one of history’s greatest gambles. With dissent in the ranks and factions pushing for different goals and loyalties Cortes did seem to at least dismantle some of the ships, and possibly did sink a few.
It is reported he came to Mexico with 11 vessels. One ship was sent back to Spain with the first load of treasure and a few letters. The sources give several versions of the incident. Cortes, Diaz and Gomara all tend to agree that the main motivation was to halt the ambitions of the faction loyal to Diego Velazquez, which planned to return to Cuba and report Cortes’s illegal activity (he left Cuba against orders, and exceeded the mandate of the mission given to him). It certainly would behoove Cortes and his loyalists to cut off their exit or stymie any support they may have been able to muster.
Cortes states in a letter to Charles that he beached the boats. Bernal Diaz, writing some 50 years after the event said a group of men discussed it with Cortes and agreed to scuttle the ships. According to Diaz the important pieces were ordered removed, including “anchors, cables, sails.” Gomara, who was writing second-hand from Cortes, agrees with Diaz in that it was a group decision among the Cortes loyalists. Gomara goes on to say they beached five and sunk four. In his writing, conquistador Andres de Tapia said they scuttled six or seven ships. The former conquistador who became a priest, Francisco de Aguilar, said Cortes secretly sent someone back to the boats to drill holes. The remaining ship was sent to Spain, he notes.
It is clear that Cortes at least dismantled, or decommissioned the ships and ordered the vital parts brought ashore before destroying anything. He also had Martin Lopez with him, a ship builder. Acquiring new timber would not be difficult. Cortes did eventually have boats made to sail on Lake Texcoco and take part in the final Siege of Tenochtitlan. The dramatic reading of this event is that Cortes “burned his ships.” A more practical reading is that he stripped them of anything remotely useful with the intent of rebuilding them. The motive to dissuade Velazquez’s loyal men from returning to Cuba seems reasonable.
ARCHEOLOGY: In 2019 archeologists found an anchor off the location of Cortes’s early headquarters, Villa Rica. They suggest it could be from one of his ships, although sources say they brought anchors ashore.
A sword claimed to be that of Hernan Cortes, used during the Conquest of Mexico, currently sits in the Real Armeria de Madrid (royal armory) in Madrid, Spain. It is a rapier, meaning it is a long, slender sword with a decorative, protected hilt.
Cholula Massacre by Felix Parra
While many famous swords are made of the legendary Toledo steel, there is speculation the Cortes sword is from the German competitor, Solingen steel, based on a “Wolf mark” that may link it to Solingen.
Both Toledo and Solingen had superior steel recipes and stellar reputations for craftsmanship.
If this sword were used during the Conquest of Mexico, it’s hard to imagine the tragedy it inflicted on the people of Mexico. This one sword could be responsible for the deaths of many Indigenous people and considered one of the cruelest relics of the colonization of the Americas. This sword would have been wielded against the Chontal Maya at the Battle of Cintla as Cortes led the cavalry. It would have been present at the Cholula Massacre where Cortes and his men hacked away at unarmed nobles and porters. And it would certainly have been present at the battles in Tlaxcala and the horrors of Tenochtitlan.
Perhaps that’s why the Real Armeria doesn’t publicize this artefact. I was not able to find any supporting information on the provenance of this sword and it is not on public display.
Sword attributed to Hernan Cortes, hosted at the Real Armeria de Madrid in Spain.Catalogue information for the sword attributed to Hernan Cortes.
I have compiled a very detailed map of locations and events related to the Conquest of Mexico. Each point is referenced in one of the major texts documenting the events of Hernan Cortes‘s invasion and destruction of the Aztec Empire.
Each layer of the map groups different events or places. I have tried my best to compare historical documents to archaeological research to get the best idea of how and where things happened.
Illustrated map of the route of Hernan Cortes.Graphic map of Lake Texcoco, including Tenochtitlan.Map of Tenochtitlan overlayed on modern map.
