The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico

Description

For hundreds of years, the history of the conquest of Mexico and the defeat of the Aztecs has been told in the words of the Spanish victors. Miguel León-Portilla has long been at the forefront of expanding that history to include the voices of indigenous peoples. In this new and updated edition of his classic The Broken Spears, León-Portilla has included accounts from native Aztec descendants across the centuries. These texts bear witness to the extraordinary vitality of an oral tradition that preserves the viewpoints of the vanquished instead of the victors. León-Portilla's new Postscript reflects upon the critical importance of these unexpected historical accounts. Illustrations   Translator’s Note   Foreword   Introduction Chapter One Omens Foretelling the Arrival of the Spaniards Chapter Two First Reports of the Spaniards’ Arrival Chapter Three The Messengers’ Journeys Chapter Four Motecuhzoma’s Terror and Apathy Chapter Five The Spaniards March on Tlaxcala and Cholula Chapter Six The Gifts of Gold: The God Tezcatlipoca Appears Chapter Seven The Spaniards Are Welcomed in Tezcoco Chapter Eight The Spaniards Arrive in Tenochtitlan Chapter Nine The Massacre in the Main Temple during the Fiesta of Toxcatl Chapter Ten The Night of Sorrows Chapter Eleven The Siege of Tenochtitlan Chapter Twelve Spanish Raids into the Besieged City Chapter Thirteen The Surrender of Tenochtitlan Chapter Fourteen The Story of the Conquest as Told by the Anonymous Authors of Tlatelolco Chapter Fifteen Elegies on the Fall of the City Chapter Sixteen Aftermath