I like Daniel Kokotajilo's take on the conquistadors, showing that some of the common explanations for their success can't actually explain just how successful they were:
I didn't read her name here. There was no one more important than Malinche. An Indigenous woman who acted as interpreter and advisor for Cortes between the warrior chiefs, including Moctezuma. Mother of Cortes' child, first of the mixed race Euro-Indigenous. Sold by her parents at a young age, then gifted to Cortes as an offering. She was intelligent, with a gift for languages. Cortes would take their son back to Spain. She died in what is now Mexico City. Long referred to as a traitor to the Mexican people. She is an incredible story. Largely forgotten, but a hugely important part of the conquest
Yes, you're not wrong - both Cervantes and Fehrenbach speak well of her. Camilla Townsend makes much of her also in Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs. Probably should have included her in the section on allies, but also I'd suggest her history is well appreciated
Interesting to reflect on why today we have more sympathy for the Aztecs or Inca than for the Corinthians or Carthaginians whose cities were razed and people incorporated into an empire. Is it because (refolded) Carthage eventually became a wealthy city of the empire, not much different from Rome? Because they were NOT incorporated but continued to be foreign and whose elites could never be equal to the elites of Spain itself?
Someone once said the reason Mormonism seems an especially ridiculous religion is because it was founded recently enough to be very well-documented. Similarly, we have a lot more records related to the conquest of the New World compared to Carthage, and hardly anybody claiming Carthage's legacy (since the Muslims who took over that region dismiss their pagan predecessors, and thus have little reason to prefer them over equally pagan Romans).
I like Daniel Kokotajilo's take on the conquistadors, showing that some of the common explanations for their success can't actually explain just how successful they were:
https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/ivpKSjM4D6FbqF4pZ/cortes-pizarro-and-afonso-as-precedents-for-takeover
I didn't read her name here. There was no one more important than Malinche. An Indigenous woman who acted as interpreter and advisor for Cortes between the warrior chiefs, including Moctezuma. Mother of Cortes' child, first of the mixed race Euro-Indigenous. Sold by her parents at a young age, then gifted to Cortes as an offering. She was intelligent, with a gift for languages. Cortes would take their son back to Spain. She died in what is now Mexico City. Long referred to as a traitor to the Mexican people. She is an incredible story. Largely forgotten, but a hugely important part of the conquest
Yes, you're not wrong - both Cervantes and Fehrenbach speak well of her. Camilla Townsend makes much of her also in Fifth Sun: A New History of the Aztecs. Probably should have included her in the section on allies, but also I'd suggest her history is well appreciated
Interesting to reflect on why today we have more sympathy for the Aztecs or Inca than for the Corinthians or Carthaginians whose cities were razed and people incorporated into an empire. Is it because (refolded) Carthage eventually became a wealthy city of the empire, not much different from Rome? Because they were NOT incorporated but continued to be foreign and whose elites could never be equal to the elites of Spain itself?
It's more useful as anti-colonialist rhetoric
Someone once said the reason Mormonism seems an especially ridiculous religion is because it was founded recently enough to be very well-documented. Similarly, we have a lot more records related to the conquest of the New World compared to Carthage, and hardly anybody claiming Carthage's legacy (since the Muslims who took over that region dismiss their pagan predecessors, and thus have little reason to prefer them over equally pagan Romans).
Fascinating history. Really enjoyed reading this.