Why did montezuma think cortes was a god

These are our only existing direct source, all other commentaries having been written years later when their authors were older men and the events deep in the past. The idea first appeared, albeit in somewhat incoherent form, in some writings by Europeans in the s. In such a scenario, the white men had nothing to feel remorse about, no matter how much the Indians had suffered since their arrival.

The Europeans had not only been welcomed, they had been worshipped. The first ones to do so were the students of the very Franciscan friars who had originally touted the idea. The young indigenous writers were from elite families, the same ones who, forty or fifty years earlier had lost everything with the arrival of the Spaniards. And they were longing for an explanation. How had their once all-powerful fathers and grandfathers sunk so low?

They were intimately acquainted with both sets of people—their Mexica families and their European teachers. They knew them both too well to believe that their own people were simply inferior, necessarily weaker or less intelligent than Europeans. Their own personal experience taught them that this was definitely not the case. Here, however, was an explanation. The Aztecs were not dehumanised by this bloodshed, however. They were an expressive and sophisticated civilisation that valued poetry, art and family highly.

They believed sacrifice was a privilege, and were able to accept that violent death was a necessary part of life. Less than a week later, he seizes the Aztec ruler and takes control of the city. The Spaniards and their allies flee Tenochtitlan on the Night of Tears. Having lost more than half their company, they rally at Tlacopan before retreating to Tlaxcala.

Having fought their way back to the lake, the conquistadors launch their brigantines, besiege the city, and the great battle for Tenochtitlan begins. After months of fierce fighting, which leaves Tenochtitlan in ruins, the last tlatoani Cuauhtemoc is captured in a canoe on the lake and the Aztecs finally surrender. A clear and ambitious tactician, he was devout, brave and single-minded in pursuit of his goals. Horses and war dogs were also new to the Aztecs, who quickly realised their tactical importance and began to target them in battle.

Lacking any natural immunity, the indigenous peoples were decimated by diseases brought by the conquistadors. Smallpox was particularly devastating during the conquest of Mexico and, in the following years, other illnesses such as measles, mumps, typhus, influenza and the plague brought many indigenous American populations to near extinction.

Sign in. Back to Main menu Virtual events Masterclasses. Read more: The old world and the new exclusive to The Library The real Amazons: How the legendary warrior women inspired fighters and feminists. With a Spanish fleet approaching, however, Montezuma saw his chance to get rid of his increasingly bothersome guest and prepared his people for war.

He defeated the Spanish force, the remnants of which decided to join him. In his absence, however, his men had massacred a group of Native Americans gathered to celebrate a religious festival. Desperate and fighting for their lives, the Spaniards fled the city after suffering massive casualties as did their Native American allies , but they killed Montezuma before they left.

It was reasonable for him to assume that the potential benefit of an alliance with the Spaniards was worth the risk, but in the end it was a misjudgment. Montezuma failed to achieve the outcome he desired, because his empire was overwhelmed by a technologically superior foe bent on conquest and wealth. Groups seeking to discredit the idea that Montezuma made a rational decision to invite the Spanish into Tenochtitlan would use which of the following to support their argument?

I also know that they have told you the walls of my houses are, made of gold, and that the floor mats in my rooms and other things in my household are likewise of gold, and that I was, and claimed to be, a god; and many other things besides.

The houses as you see are of stone and lime and clay. See how they have lied to you? Are you the king? Is it true that you are the king Motecuhzoma? The journey has tired you, but now you have arrived on the earth. You have come to your city, Mexico. You have come here to sit on your throne, to sit under its canopy. I am not walking in my sleep. I am not seeing you in my dreams. I have seen you at last. He taught the Mesoamericans how to farm corn.

He was believed to have invented writing, books, astronomy and calendars. He forbade human sacrifice, promoting the sacrifice of birds, butterflies, snakes and grasshoppers instead. He warned the Amerindians that he would return to punish them if they continued to sacrifice humans.

Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards, beginning in , Montezuma believed that there were eight omens predicting the end of the Aztec civilization, the end of the world.

Coinciding with the arrival of Cortez, which was on the traditional birthday of Quetzalcoatl and during the year of the end of the 52 year cycle of the Aztec calendar, could have added to the legend. Montezuma may have been confused by all these events. The question remains: was Montezuma II weak and fearful of Cortez, knowing that he may have returned to punish them or was he the strong leader of the Aztec Empire, extending a welcome to these strange men?

I suppose we will never know for sure what was going on in the mind of Montezuma. For all your buying and selling of real estate in Rocky Point, Bank Trusts or FM3s please contact me: rosariesalerno hotmail.

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