Analysis Of Hernan Cortés De Monroy Y Pizarros
Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro and the City of the Aztecs from Hernan Cortés: from Second Letter to Charles V, 1520.
The letter of Cortés to Charles V was an impressive and very descriptive interpretation of a man raised a Catholic and partisan to some extent of Spanish nobility and the true faith. The letter is tempered as a first person account. The flagrant off-hand comparisons to this “native, heathen” empire, to his homeland of Spain. With the letter showing his obvious admiration (or just a politically correct sales pitch) of the Aztecs and what they were able to accomplish without knowledge of God and king, he passively introduces the fact that all though the Aztec nation is great, they could be so much better with Spain’s help. …show more content…
I could see the streets, walk across the bridges, and hear the street vendors hawking items to customers, a city full of life. Being a mechanical person of sorts I was also amazed by the presence of knowledge toward water access, utilization and obvious awareness of sanitation. These tales had an effect on me. What would they do to a king whom wanted to expand his own kingdom? Mouthwatering. Too good to be true. But, “Cortés is there, he’s seen …show more content…
Chihuahuas, raised for food. Birds of Prey. Predators of one sort or another. Another biblical no-no. These are obviously recipe items that cultured Spaniards did not partake of. The addition of eating pigeons was appalling to me! The descriptions of the available foods these natives were cultivating and harvesting is impressive. Their diet was not tempered by fashion. It was for life. One of the things which struck me about their diet choice was the awareness the Aztecs had of eating certain foods during certain times and apparently abstaining from others except during times of famine. Sounds kinda healthy and organic. YUK!
The dominant theme is still the comparisons of the two kingdoms. Like a good salesman, Cortés hammers home the fact of idol worship by the Aztecs, accompanied with the acts of human sacrifice and cannibalism. These are clear violations of Gods law. Acts that cannot be allowed. Cortés brings the point to bear off-handedly that it is the king’s duty to save these savages souls. He sales this fact splendidly playing on obvious moral standards recognized and enforced by king and
The letter of Cortés to Charles V was an impressive and very descriptive interpretation of a man raised a Catholic and partisan to some extent of Spanish nobility and the true faith. The letter is tempered as a first person account. The flagrant off-hand comparisons to this “native, heathen” empire, to his homeland of Spain. With the letter showing his obvious admiration (or just a politically correct sales pitch) of the Aztecs and what they were able to accomplish without knowledge of God and king, he passively introduces the fact that all though the Aztec nation is great, they could be so much better with Spain’s help. …show more content…
I could see the streets, walk across the bridges, and hear the street vendors hawking items to customers, a city full of life. Being a mechanical person of sorts I was also amazed by the presence of knowledge toward water access, utilization and obvious awareness of sanitation. These tales had an effect on me. What would they do to a king whom wanted to expand his own kingdom? Mouthwatering. Too good to be true. But, “Cortés is there, he’s seen …show more content…
Chihuahuas, raised for food. Birds of Prey. Predators of one sort or another. Another biblical no-no. These are obviously recipe items that cultured Spaniards did not partake of. The addition of eating pigeons was appalling to me! The descriptions of the available foods these natives were cultivating and harvesting is impressive. Their diet was not tempered by fashion. It was for life. One of the things which struck me about their diet choice was the awareness the Aztecs had of eating certain foods during certain times and apparently abstaining from others except during times of famine. Sounds kinda healthy and organic. YUK!
The dominant theme is still the comparisons of the two kingdoms. Like a good salesman, Cortés hammers home the fact of idol worship by the Aztecs, accompanied with the acts of human sacrifice and cannibalism. These are clear violations of Gods law. Acts that cannot be allowed. Cortés brings the point to bear off-handedly that it is the king’s duty to save these savages souls. He sales this fact splendidly playing on obvious moral standards recognized and enforced by king and