The Conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés (1519-1521)

1. 1. Cuba

   Today: Santiago de Cuba, Cuba · Arrived 1 February 1519

   Cortes and his men departed from Cuba, with some of the men expressing their desire to return home rather than continue with the expedition. Cortes provided a vessel and provisions for those wishing to return to Cuba.

   Next morning when our petty officers went round to our different quarters and called upon the men to march out with their arms and horses, the partisans of Velasquez insolently answered, that they would take no further part in any expedition, but wished to return home to their possessions in Cuba. They had already lost enough, by allowing themselves to be led away by Cortes to join him in the first instance; they now, however, would desire him to fulfil the promise, which he had made in the camp on the downs, namely, to grant those their discharge who wished to return to Cuba, and provide them a vessel and the necessary provisions.

2. 2. island Cozumel

   Today: Cozumel Island, Quintana Roo, Mexico · Arrived 1 March 1519

   The Spanish expedition under Cortés returned to the island of Cozumel to repair a leaky vessel, where they were assisted by local caziques and priests. During this stay, Geronimo de Aguilar, a Spaniard who had been held by the Maya, arrived and joined the expedition.

   So we again put into the harbour we had just left: we unloaded the cassave-bread; and found, to our great joy, that the image of the holy Virgin and cross were in the best condition, and that incense had been placed before them. It was not long before the caziques and priests again made their appearance, and asked what had caused us to return so speedily. Cortes told them that one of our vessels was leaky and had to be repaired, begging of them to assist us with their canoes in unloading our cassave-bread. This they most readily complied with, and it took us four more days to repair the vessel.

3. 3. Tabasco

   Today: Grijalva River (near modern-day Frontera), Tabasco, Mexico · Arrived 1 March 1519

   The Spanish expedition led by Cortés arrived at the river and town called Tabasco (Potonchán) in March 1519, marking their first significant landing and encounter with local peoples on the mainland of New Spain.

   The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

   The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

4. 4. San Juan de Ulua

   Today: San Juan de Ulúa, Veracruz, Mexico · Arrived 21 April 1519

   Cortés and his fleet arrived and anchored in the harbor of San Juan de Ulua on Holy Thursday, 1519. Shortly after their arrival, local indigenous emissaries boarded Cortés's ship to meet the Spanish commander.

   On Holy Thursday, in the year of our Lord 1519, we arrived with our whole squadron in the harbour of San Juan de Ulua. As Alaminos well remembered this spot from the expedition under Grijalva, he brought our ships to anchor in a place where they were sheltered from the north wind. We had scarcely lain here half an hour when we espied two large canoes, which are called here pirogues, filled with a number of Indians, making straight for Cortes's vessel, which, from the large flag hanging from the mast-head, they recognized as our commander's ship.

5. 5. Quiahuitzlan

   Today: Quiahuitzlan, Veracruz, Mexico · Arrived 1 May 1519 · position reconstructed

   The Spanish expedition led by Cortés arrived at Quiahuitzlan, where they interacted with local tribes and began to establish alliances and a foothold on the coast near Veracruz.

   The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

   The record survives. Why is this stage empty?Why is this position reconstructed?

6. 6. Cempoalá

   Today: Cempoala, Veracruz, Mexico · Arrived 1 May 1519

   The Spanish expedition led by Cortés arrived at Cempoalá, the capital of the Totonac people, near the coast of Veracruz, where they established important alliances early in the conquest of Mexico.

   The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

   The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

7. 7. Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz

   Today: Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico · Arrived 1 April 1519

   The expedition resolved to found a town at this site, naming it Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, as they arrived off the coast on Holy Thursday and landed on Good Friday.

   Upon this we resolved that a town should be built, and called _Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz_, as we arrived off this coast on Holy Thursday, and stepped on land on Good Friday.

8. 8. Tlascalla

   Today: Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico · Arrived 1 September 1519

   The Spanish expedition under Cortés arrived at Tlascalla (Tlaxcala) to seek alliance and support during their campaign in central Mexico.

   How Sandoval marches to Tlascalla in order to fetch the woodwork for building the brigantines, and what happened to him in a place which we termed the Moorish town

9. 9. Cholulla

   Today: Cholula, Puebla, Mexico · Arrived 1 October 1519

   Cortés and his army arrived in the town of Cholula, where they were received with great ceremony before learning of a plot against them instigated by Motecusuma.

   How we arrived in the town of Cholulla, and the brilliant reception we met with

10. 10. Iztapalapan

    Today: Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 1 November 1519

    The Spanish expedition under Cortés marched against Iztapalapan on their approach to Tenochtitlan, as described in the memoirs of Bernal Díaz del Castillo.

    CHAP. CXXXVIII. How we marched against Iztapalapan; Cortes taking along with him Alvarado and Oli; while Sandoval was left behind to protect Tezcuco

11. 11. Mexico

    Today: Mexico City, Mexico ·

    Bernal Díaz del Castillo and the Spanish conquistadors arrived at the Aztec capital, which he refers to as Mexico, during their campaign of conquest. The memoirs recount the events and experiences of the Spanish as they entered and interacted with the city.

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

12. 12. Mexico

    Today: Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 1 May 1520

    The Spanish conquistadors under Cortés entered and occupied the city of Mexico (Tenochtitlan), marking the beginning of a critical and tumultuous period in the conquest, including the first occupation and subsequent crisis.

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

13. 13. Tlacupa

    Today: Tacuba, Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 30 June 1520

    Cortés and his forces, retreating from Tenochtitlan, were lured by the Mexicans to pursue them along the causeway to Tlacupa (modern Tacuba), where they were ambushed and suffered heavy losses during the retreat known as La Noche Triste.

    When the news of the unfortunate termination of the battle reached Mexico, additional troops were immediately ordered to Tlacupa to oppose Cortes, and received instructions first to attack the Spaniards, and then to fall back upon Mexico, in order to entice the Spaniards to pursue them along the causeway. This stratagem succeeded admirably, for Cortes was deceived by their apparent flight, and pursued the enemy as far as a bridge, thinking the victory was already his.

14. 14. Otumpan

    Today: Otumba, State of Mexico, Mexico · Arrived 14 July 1520

    The Spanish and their Tlascallan allies fought a major battle near the township of Otumpan, which became known as the Battle of Otumba, against the Mexicans during their retreat from Mexico.

    Near to the place where this terrible and bloody battle was fought lay the township of Otumpan, by which name this battle will be known through all times to come. The Mexicans and Tlascallans have given a faithful representation of it in their numerous paintings of the battles we fought up to the conquest of Mexico.

15. 15. Tlascalla

    Today: Tlaxcala, Tlaxcala, Mexico · Arrived 1 July 1520

    The Spanish forces regrouped and sought refuge in Tlascalla after their retreat from Tenochtitlan, using it as a base for recovery and preparation for further campaigns.

    CHAP. CXL. How Sandoval marches to Tlascalla in order to fetch the woodwork for building the brigantines, and what happened to him in a place which we termed the Moorish town

16. 16. Tepeaca

    Today: Tepeaca, Puebla, Mexico · Arrived 1 August 1520

    Cortes marched into the province of Tepeaca with a large force, including thousands of Tlascallan warriors, to punish the inhabitants for the murder of several Spaniards and to retaliate for damage done to Tlascallan plantations.

    Cortes had desired the caziques of Tlascalla to furnish him with 5000 men to join him on his march into the province of Tepeaca, whose inhabitants he was going to punish for the murder of several Spaniards. It was the township of Tepeaca, Quauhquechola, and Tecalco, which lay from twenty-four to twenty-eight miles from Tlascalla, against which our arms were particularly bent.

17. 17. Tezcuco

    Today: Texcoco, State of Mexico, Mexico · Arrived 1 January 1521

    Cortes and his forces used Tezcuco as their headquarters and base of operations for the campaign around Lake Texcoco, issuing orders to allied towns and preparing for the siege of Mexico. The brigantines were constructed and launched here, and Sandoval was left to protect the city and the fleet.

    Sandoval was left behind with a strong detachment of foot and horse for the protection of Tezcuco and our brigantines.

18. 18. Iztapalapan

    Today: Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 1 April 1521

    During the siege operations around the lake towns, Sandoval found himself on a peninsula in the lake at Iztapalapan, where the Spanish forces engaged in attacks against fortified positions and faced resistance from united canoes of several towns.

    In Iztapalapan, Saudoval found himself on a peninsula in the lake, and the only way by which he could reach

19. 19. Mexico

    Today: Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 1 May 1521

    The Spanish forces under Cortés began the final siege and assault on the city of Mexico (Tenochtitlan), marking the beginning of the last phase of the conquest. The memoirs detail the preparations and the initial operations around the lake and neighboring towns leading up to the siege.

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

20. 20. Tlatelolco

    Today: Tlatelolco, Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 13 August 1521

    On this date, the Spanish conquistadors and their allies captured Tlatelolco, the last stronghold of the Mexica resistance in Tenochtitlan, marking the end of the siege and the conquest of the city.

    The surviving testimony does not cover this stage — help us find one.

    The record survives. Why is this stage empty?

21. 21. Mexico

    Today: Coyoacán, Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 1 August 1521

    After the conquest and destruction of Tenochtitlan, Cortés established his headquarters in Coyoacán and began the process of rebuilding the city of Mexico.

    After this campaign in the province of Panuco, Cortes was busily occupied with the rebuilding of the city of Mexico.

22. 22. Mexico

    Today: Mexico City, Mexico · Arrived 1 September 1521

    After the conquest, Cortes began the rebuilding of the city of Mexico, marking out locations for churches, monasteries, dwellings, and public squares, and assigning a quarter for the Mexican population. The city was restored with great splendour and became larger and more populous than before.

    Cortes now also began to make the necessary regulations for the rebuilding of the great and celebrated city of Mexico; he marked out the ground for the churches, monasteries, private dwellings, public squares, and assigned a particular quarter of the town for the Mexican population. This city was rebuilt with so much splendour, that, in the opinion of those who have travelled through the greater part of Christendom, Mexico, after its restoration, was a larger and a more populous city than any they had seen, and the architectural style of the houses more magnificent.

Published under CC BY-SA 4.0. Sources keep their own open licences. See the Magna Carta of the Seas for how this was verified.