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By extraordinary coincidence, the 500 conquistadors led by Hernan Cortes arrived during the exact year when an Aztec prophecy foretold the return of Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent God.
Feathered Serpents represent not only the precious powers of the Earth but also the flowers of the Earth, the ability of the Earth to be reborn in a kind of optimistic cycle that was very important to Aztec life. The symbol of Quetzalcoatl also, he was a myth of eternal return that he would return periodically in the form of a ruler, the form of a great priest or a great man. He’s a symbol who is there in the beginning of history, the center of history is a great creator god and then at the end of their history, as someone who returns, first to save them. Er, but then in the face of Spanish arms and disease, it's not able to allow Aztec life to go on.
The prophecy suggested that the returning Quetzalcoatl would be fair-skinned and bring peace and justice. Could this be why the Spanish soldiers were welcomed so warmly? Their leader, Hernan Cortes described his impressions in letters to Charles V, King of Spain.
I cannot describe 100th part of all the things which could be mentioned. I will say only that these people live almost like those in Spain and in as much harmony and orders there and considering that they’re barbarous since so far from the knowledge of god and cut off from all civilized nations, it is truly remarkable to see what they've achieved in all things.
But there was another reason why the arrival of the Spaniards was so fortuitous. Over the previous three decades, Aztec demands for tribute had sparked growing unrest among the tribes they had conquered. The incidence of sacrifice increased dramatically. The worst occasion in 1487, when records claimed 80,000 people were killed, a bloody example to deter further unrest. The Spaniards had come not just to conquer lands for their king, but to make money for themselves. Joining forces with the Aztec's tribal enemies, gave Hernan Cortes the opportunity he was looking for.
So when the whole conquest was carried out, Cortes takes credit for, Cortes is constantly talking about what he and his men are doing. But we’re still talking about a few hundreds of Spaniards backed up by hundreds of thousands of Indian allies. So the conquest of the Aztecs is not a Spanish conquest of the Aztecs and their empire, but an Indian conquest.
With crossbows and guns, the Spaniards were able to open up the Aztec lines enabling their Indian allies to carry on the battle with their traditional weapons. But where the Aztecs fought to take live captives for sacrifice, these enemies shot to kill.
words to remember:
1/fortuitous:accidental偶然的
2/crossbow:石弩
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