History of the Conquest of Mexico (William H. Prescott, 1843)

Absolutely fascinating. This detailed history (900 pages) was released in 1843, so quite the different perspective than a current writer might take. I'm not sure how much has been debunked by subsequent scholarship but would be pretty confident that most of the book has survived

I always like the stories of different cultures coming into contact, though usually I run into this in the context of the African explorations. Prescott notes many similarities while emphasizing the differences as well. Many similar values and religious concepts; some not so similar. I much liked one of the appendices, which was a letter from an Aztec mother to her daughter (who was moving into adulthood). Other than the subservient tone toward the male figures (which wouldn't have been out of place in contemporary Europe), it read exactly like sound modern advice - sophisticated, measured, etc.

The author tells the unbelievable tale in delightful prose, very scholarly yet completely engaging. Prescott had pretty much lost his eyesight, so had to have many of the source materials read to him by others; he composed text on some sort of device for the blind. This book (and one on the Peruvian conquest that I definitely read) helped him become quite famous. We travel occasionally through Prescott, Arizona, which was the territorial capital and named for this author.

The Cortes story is pretty well known in broad strokes; this book provides the detail that makes the broad-stroke version all the more unbelievable. Some items:

1. Prescott provides immense detail about the various tribes, including why so many were willing to help Cortes against the Aztecs.

2. The characterization of Montezuma is compelling. The circumstance of the Quetzalcoatl story is uncanny. I didn't know Montezuma hosted the Spaniards for literally months.

3. The characterization of Cortes - he seemed to have pretty much incredible leadership ability (not to mention physical strength and stamina). I really didn't know anything about his post-conquest adventures (none came close to matching that success though were also very difficult).

4. Cortez has a handful of men in a land full of enemies, no maps, no knowledge of much of anything - and burned his ships so there was no turning back. There is plenty reason why that action became so famous.

5. The noche triste - and subsequent difficult retreat from Mexico to the land of their allies - this was quite the adventure. The canals and causeways made for difficult urban fighting. (I was just reading that the first poem ever submitted by Robert Frost for publication was based on this event - he was captivated by Prescott's book.)

6. Impressive that Cortes survived this, the intrigues of his fellow Spaniards, and returned to take the city. The actual reduction of the city was quite a process - ended up basically knocking down all buildings other than temples etc. that were too large to be worth the effort. and filled in the canals to give freedom of movement for cavalry, cannon, etc.

7. And then came slavery (in all but name), disease, etc. for the survivors. And some form of religious conversion.

8. Prescott had some interesting observations about the motivations of the conquerors, that they were almost a throw-back to the "knight errant" construct that already was obsolete elsewhere in Europe. But Spain was a throw-back in general; interesting course of development with Islamic presence so different than elsewhere in Europe.

Like so much history I read - but applicable to this one in particular - the story lines are more compelling than fiction. A novelist who tried to write this stuff would be ridiculed.