Читать книгу A Beginner's History - William H. Mace - Страница 10

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THE ARMOR OF CORTÉS

Now in the museum at Madrid

Cortés sank his ships

Spaniards saw signs of riches

13. Cortés Invades Mexico. Columbus died disappointed because he had not found the rich cities which everybody believed were somewhere in India. Foremost among Spanish soldiers was Hernando Cortés, who, in 1519, sailed with twelve ships from Cuba to the coast of what is now Mexico. His soldiers and sailors were hardly on land before he sank every one of his ships. His men now had to fight. They wore coats of iron, were armed with swords and guns, and they had a few cannon and horses. Every few miles they saw villages and now and then cities. The Indians wore cotton clothes, and in their ears and around their necks and their ankles they had gold and silver ornaments. The Spaniards could hardly keep their hands off these ornaments, they were so eager for gold. They were now sure that the rich cities were near at hand, which Columbus had hoped to find, and which every Spaniard fully believed would be found.

Difference in Spanish and Indian ways of fighting

The people of Mexico had neither guns nor swords, but they were brave. Near the first large city, thousands upon thousands of fiercely painted warriors wearing leather shields rushed upon the little band of Spaniards. For two days the fighting went on, but not a single Spaniard was killed. The arrows of the Indians could not pierce iron coats, but the sharp Spanish swords could easily cut leather shields. The simple natives thought they must be fighting against gods instead of men, and gave up the battle.

HOUSE OF CORTÉS, COYOACAN, MEXICO

Over the main doorway are graven the arms of the Conqueror, who lived here while the building of Coyoacan, which is older than the City of Mexico, went on

Day after day Cortés marched on until a beautiful valley broke upon his view. His men now saw a wonderful sight: cities built over lakes, where canals took the place of streets and where canoes carried people from place to place. It all seemed like a dream. But they hastened forward to the great capital city. It, too, was built over a lake, larger than any seen before, and it could be reached only along three great roads of solid mason work.

GUATEMOTZIN

The nephew of Montezuma and the last Indian emperor of Mexico. After the statue by Don Francisco Jimenes

A great Indian City

These roads ran to the center of the city where stood, in a great square, a wonderful temple. The top of this temple could be reached by one hundred fourteen stone steps running around the outside. The city contained sixty thousand people, and there were many stone buildings, on the flat roofs of which the natives had beautiful flower gardens.

AN INDIAN CORN BIN, TLAXCALA

These are community or public bins, stand in the open roadway, and are still fashioned as in the days of Cortés

Cortés makes Montezuma a prisoner

Montezuma, the Indian ruler, received Cortés and his men very politely and gave the officers a house near the great temple. But Cortés was in danger. What if the Indians should rise against him? To guard against this danger, Cortés compelled Montezuma to live in the Spanish quarters. The people did not like to see their beloved ruler a prisoner in his own city.

The Spaniards driven out of the city

But no outbreak came until the Spaniards, fearing an attack, fell upon the Indians, who were holding a religious festival, and killed hundreds of them. The Indian council immediately chose Montezuma's brother to be their ruler and the whole city rose in great fury to drive out the now hated Spaniards. The streets and even the housetops were filled with angry warriors. Cortés compelled Montezuma to stand upon the roof of the Spanish fort and command his people to stop fighting.

HERNANDO CORTÉS

From the portrait painted by Charles Wilson Peale, now in Independence Hall, Philadelphia

But he was ruler no longer. He was struck down by his own warriors, and died in a few days, a broken-hearted man. After several days of hard fighting, Cortés and his men tried to get out of the city, but the Indians fell on the little army and killed more than half of the Spanish soldiers before they could get away.

The great Indian city almost destroyed

14. Cortés Conquers Mexico. Because of jealousy a Spanish army was sent to bring Cortés back to Cuba. By capturing this army Cortés secured more soldiers. Once more he marched against the city. What could bows and arrows and spears and stones do against the terrible horsemen and their great swords, or against the Spanish foot soldiers with their muskets and cannon? At length the great Indian city was almost destroyed, but thousands of its brave defenders were killed before the fighting ceased (1521). From this time on, the country gradually filled with Spanish settlers.

15. Cortés Visits Spain. After several years, Cortés longed to see his native land once more. He set sail, and reached the little port of Palos from which, many years before, the great Columbus had sailed in search of the rich cities of the Far East. Here, now, was the very man who had found the splendid cities and had returned to tell the wonderful story to his king and countrymen. All along the journey to the king the people now crowded to see Cortés as they had once crowded to see Columbus.

CORTÉS BEFORE MONTEZUMA

After the original painting by the Mexican artist, J. Ortega; now in the National Gallery of San Carlos, Mexico

Cortés shares Columbus' fate

Cortés afterwards returned to Mexico, where he spent a large part of his fortune in trying to improve the country. The Spanish king permitted great wrong to be done to Cortés and, like Columbus the discoverer, Cortés the conqueror died neglected by the king whom he had made so rich. For three hundred years the mines of Mexico poured a constant stream of gold and silver into the lap of Spain.