When the Spanish first made contact with Aztec (Triple Alliance) representatives on the coast near San Juan de Ulua a regional administrator named Pinotl was a key figure. In 1518 Juan Grijalva arrived in the area and was quickly in contact with Pinotl and several other local headmen. Depending on the source, Tentlil (Tendile, Teudilli) and Cuitlalpitoc were also there with Grijalva. It’s also possible that “Pinotl” is the title of the regional leader.
Wanting to see the strangers for himself, Pinotl and others crept close to the shore and saw the ships and several smaller skiffs with men fishing. Eventually the small entourage met with Grijalva and exchanged gifts.
An Indigenous spy, possibly Pinotl, observes the arrival of a Spanish ship on the Mexican coast, 1579 (vellum) by Duran, Diego (16th century); Biblioteca Nacional, Madrid, Spain; (Codex Duran, Historia De Las Indias).
A year later when Cortes came to San Juan de Ulua it was Tentlil, according to various sources, that handled the negotiation and presenting Cortes with the treasure. Pinotl’s involvement in the Conquest was over and seems to have been limited to the Grijalva meeting. In the Cronica Mexicayotl, by the Mestizo chronicler Tezozomoc, we get a few more tidbits about his role as a key Aztec ally on the Coast.
He is mentioned by various names, including Pinotzin, Pinotl, Pinoteuctli and Pinotecuhtli. Pinotl is referenced by name in the Florentine Codex, Annals of Quauhtitlan. His position “Governor of Cuetlaxtlan” is mentioned by Bernal Diaz in his version of the Grijalva expedition.
Annals of Quauhtitlan – Leader of the Cuetlaxtlan people. Cuetlaxtecatl Pinotl, Pinotl. In this brief text Pinotl is seen to acknowledge the arrival of the Spanish and to have taken gifts to them, as well as receiving gifts for Moctezuma.
Florentine Codex – Calpisqui of Cuextecatl, and referred to as Pinotl. In this representation Pinotl is one of five local leaders who goes to the coast to see Grijalva’s ships.
Cronica Mexicayotl – Referred to as Pinoteuctli and Pinotetl in Tezozomoc’s Cronica. In Chapter 34 he is mentioned collecting tribute from towns. In another mention in Chapter 42, Pinotetl seems to be the guy that needs to be contacted to arrange for visits and supplies in Huastepec. In Chapter 108 he is depicted in the Grijalva landing.
In addition to the main European and Indigenous sources, like Bernal Diaz and Cortes, there are other less-known sources. Here are a few of the most interesting, but lesser known, European sources for the Conquest of Mexico.
This anonymous telling of the exploration of Mexico by the Cortes expedition is short and written like a guide to the New World. The anonymous author writes on subject like “The Animals” and men’s clothing. This is presumably a first-hand account.
Written by Andres de Tapia, a conquistador who was on the expedition with Cortes, it is a rough telling of the full expedition to New Spain and Tenochtitlan. It’s possible this version was the foundational document for Gomara and Bernal Diaz’s versions. This is a first-hand account of the conquest, one of five written by men who were on the expedition (Andres de Tapia, Cortes, Diaz, anonymous conquistador, Aguilar and Velazquez de Tapia).
Andres de Tapia depicted in the Manuscript of the Dogging.
This version was written late in life by the conquistador Francisco de Aguilar. By the time Aguilar had written this account he was an old priest. This version is short, and adds little to the known narrative. One interesting point is an expedition to Texcoco that Aguilar was sent on with Pedro de Alvarado.
Relación de méritos y servicios del conquistador Bernardino Vázquez de Tapia
Vazquez de Tapia wrote a version of the conquest, which is in the typical “Relacion” style which generally sought to tout the conquistador’s feats in the New World. Bernardino’s tells a familiar story, which varies in several ways, including how he stayed in Tenochtitlan and took part in the attack on the Mexica festival, while Cortes, Bernal Diaz and other prominent writers went to Cempoala to contend with Narvaez.
Andres de Tapia was a Spanish conquistador under the command of Hernan Cortes during the Conquest of Mexico. Like many of the Spanish conquistadors he was born in Estremadura, Spain. While at Cozumel, Tapia was the first man to spot the lost Spaniard who had lived among the Maya.
Image of Tapia from the Manuscript of the Dogging.
He wrote an account of the Conquest with the catchy title of RELACIÓN DE ALGUNAS COSAS DE LAS QUE ACAECIERON AL MUY ILUSTRE SEÑOR DON HERNANDO CORTÉS, MARQUÉS DEL VALLE, DESDE QUE SE DETERMINÓ A IR A DESCUBRIR TIERRA EN LA TIERRA FIRME DEL MAR OCÉANO, or in English, A RELATION OF CERTAIN THINGS OF WHICH THE ILLUSTRIOUS DON HERNAN CORTES, MARQUES OF THE VALLEY, SINCE HE DETERMINED TO DISCOVER LAND ON ‘TIERRA FIRME’ OF THE OCEAN SEA. It was simply called Relacion de Algunas Cosas by most people.
The only English translation I know of is The Conquistadors, First-person Accounts of the Conquest of Mexico, which includes a translation by Patricia de Fuentes. It can be found in libraries, maybe on big book or academic retailers.
The original text is comprised of massive run-on sentences, overly formal language that lands as uneducated, compared to the later accounts by Gomara and Bernal Diaz. While their accounts may be based on his, Tapia’s version was not published until 300 years after the events.
Having read Diaz and Gomara first, it seems plausible, from what I’ve read so far of Tapia. Others are sure of it, having identified copied text in Gomara’s effort. Since Diaz was, in part, rebutting Gomara’s account it would also have been shaped by Tapia’s.
“On this island it was understood by signs, or we understood as best we could, that on the mainland that stood off the island there were men with beards like us, up to three or four. The Marquis of the Valley gave certain jewels and things of [rescate] that he brought, to an Indian because he carried a letter to those Christians, and with this Indian he sent a brig and four boats and a captain; and because the Indian said they were near the coast of the sea he wrote to them in the letter that the boats would wait for them for five days, and no more; and with this they left the brigantine and boats, and they were eight days, and the Indian who brought the letter returned to our people, and made signs that they did not want to come, and so they all returned to that island. And then the Marquis had all his people boarded, and embarked and signaled that all made sail, and so they did, and suddenly the wind became so contrary, that it was necessary to take the port, without being able to do anything else, and returned to disembark.”
Translation of de Tapia’s description of the Battle of Cintla by Patricia de Fuentes:
“The marques and all his men heard mass and went out against them. Since the land is crossed with canals, and there are deep estuaries along the route we were to take, the marques, with ten of the thirteen horses he had, went along the left of the estuary to see where he could find cover of trees from which to attack the enemy from the rear or the flank. The foot soldiers headed straight forward over the canals, and as the Indians knew the terrain and are more nimble than the Spaniards, they crossed over quickly, and from the other side shot many arrows and spears at us, and stones from slings. Although we killed some of them with certain field pieces we had, and with the crossbows, they did us much damage because they were so numerous. We found ourselves in great danger and were out of touch with the marques, for with so many dangerous crossings he had not found the way to reach the enemy.
Just as the Indians had us foot soldiers surrounded on all sides, there appeared at their rear a man on a dapple-gray horse, and the Indians began to flee and leave us alone for a while, thanks to the damage the rider was doing them. We, thinking it was the marques, rallied ourselves and killed some of the enemy, but the horse did not appear again for the moment. Turning back on us again, the enemy began to abuse us as before, and again the horseman appeared and attacked them, closer to us this time so that we all saw him. Once more we charged and the horse disappeared as before. And still he came again, which made three times that he appeared and that we saw him, believing him to be one of the marques company.
The marques and his nine horsemen returned to our rear and told us how they had been able to cross over to us. We told him how we had seen one of the horsemen and he said: “Onward companions, for God is with us.” Once he was out of the canals he charged into the enemy, the foot soldiers behind him, and in this way we routed them. Many were killed and the rest fled to take refuge in the impassable parts of the canals.”
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.
The first expedition to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula was led by Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba. He and 110 men on three vessels departed Cuba on February 9, 1517 and within weeks had spotted pyramids, people and farms in places like Isla de Mujeres and El Meco. There is some debate as to what and where Cordoba saw, but it seems they came in at Isla de Mujeres and from there possibly spotted the pyramids at El Meco, which they dubbed “El Gran Cairo” or the Great Cairo for its resemblance to Egypt.
Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba.
The expedition moved on North, toward a place where they would come to call Cape Catoche. Here they were met by 10 large canoes, according to Bernal Diaz. After some friendly gesturing, as there were no Maya-Spanish translators yet, they had 30 men aboard the ship. The Spanish gave them beads. The Maya men left but indicated they’d be back tomorrow.
On March 5, 1517, 12 canoes arrived and beckoned the Spanish to come ashore with promise of food and water. Cordoba agreed it seemed a decent wager and took his men ashore. The apparent Maya leader led the Spanish inland, friendly all the time, Diaz claims.
With a loud shout the Maya leader ordered a heavy projectile attack on the Spanish and a cloud of arrows, spears and stones assaulted them, wounding 13, according to Diaz. As the Maya warriors advanced for hand to hand the Spanish technological advantage became clear as their swords slashed at the Maya, claiming 15 lives.
The Spanish were able to fight their way back to the boats and make it to the ships out at sea. Within days two men would succumb to their injuries and were buried at sea. The Spanish seized some low quality gold and captured two Maya men. One of the men, baptized as Melchior, would become a translator for the Cortes Expedition.
The Expedition moved East along the coast until they reached Campeche. Exhausted and feeling the effect of severe dehydration the men put ashore with their leaky casks. Here they were greeted by 50 people and invited to town. It was here the Spanish saw human sacrifice for the first time. Dreadlocked priests covered with knotted blood came out and waved incense over the Spaniards. The increasing agitation of the crowd soon made clear the Spanish needed to leave. Fearing another attack they did so.
Map of Francisco Hernandez Cordoba’s ill-fated expedition to the Yucatan.
Battle at Chompoton
Days later the Spanish saw a town and, driven by thirst, unloaded the casks again and began to fill them at a maize farm. Soon hordes of warriors began to appear and surround them. But the Maya warriors departed at nightfall.
The pre-dawn hours brought the distant noise of rallying warriors, drums and shouting. The warriors would soon be upon them. The dawn light brought a terrible sight for the Spanish as Maya divisions were lining up along the coast, behind them, on all sides. And more warriors were pouring in.
First the arrows and stones poured in wounding up to 80 of 108 men, according to Diaz. Next came the hand to hand combat with the two handed wood and obsidian swords of the Maya against Spanish steel blades. Despite their arms advantage, more than 50 Spaniards were killed in the battle and the men were driven to their boats, the remaining men barely escaping with their lives.
Cordoba and his Spaniards escape by sea from Maya warriors at Chompoton, Mexico.
In the end the battle lasted one hour, two Spaniards were captured alive, 50 men were killed on the battlefield; every soldier, Diaz says, received multiple arrow wounds. Five more men would succumb to their wounds in the following days.
Following the calamitous battle, the men decided to head for Cuba but had to scuttle one ship due to a shortage of men to sail. They sailed along the coast for awhile looking for water, eventually crossed the Gulf of Mexico to Florida where they found life-saving water, had another skirmish with Indigenous warriors there before making back to Cuba.
Cordoba would soon die of his wounds in Cuba. Besides Bernal Diaz, several other men from the Cordoba Expedition would go on to participate in the Grijalva and Cortes Expeditions, including the pilot Anton de Alaminos, Juan Alvarez “El Manquillo,” and a priest named Alonso Gonzalez.
