Hernan Cortez – Rebel or Empire Builder

After Spain’s brief conquest of Cuba lead by Diego Velasquez, Velasquez was intent on conquering new lands in the name of the king to be rewarded with fame and profits. It was believed by the greedy Spaniards that the Americas were rich with gold and Velasquez soon sent an expedition to conquer the land of Mexico. Velasquez was faced with a problem; he could not leave Cuba so he had to find a soldier suitable to lead an expedition of this magnitude who was also loyal enough to return to Velasquez so that he could claim the glory for himself. Cortez was chosen to lead the expedition as Velasquez believed that he was not big enough to become his rival. Unknown to Velasquez, the cunning Cortez had persuaded his advisors to advise him to appoint Cortez and as soon as they set sail Cortez would never obey him again. Velasquez suspected him of being a rebel but it was too late and when he sent word

Cortez learnt of the Aztecs who lived inland and had conquered vast areas of Mexico and were hated by other Indian tribes for practising human sacrifice. He took the opportunity to promise these tribes freedom from the Aztec’s rule if they allied with the Spanish. Cortez made the decision to travel inland with 400 men to meet the Aztec empire. This was rebellion because Cortez intended on disobeying Velasquez’ orders to trade with the coastal tribes and then return to Cuba. When his men realised this they were against Cortez’ decision but he explained that if they returned to Cuba and Velasquez they would have no land and little gold and their sufferings would have been for nothing. This shows Cortez’ ambition to expand the Spanish empire as well as his rebelliousness. Cortez next set up the town of Vera Cruz in Mexico appointing his men as town councillors and threatening that if Velasquez’ men disobeyed he would write to the king and report that they were rebels. Again this shows both his qualities as an empire builder and a rebel.

Meanwhile, Velasquez had sent an army lead by Panfilo de Narvaez marching towards Tenochtitlan to seize Cortez. Cortez army, strong with more than twenty thousand allied Indians, intercepted Narvaez who was forced to surrender when his eye was put out by a pike. Cortez took the opportunity to write to the king claiming that Velasquez and Narvaez were rebels as they had defied the king’s officials in Cuba by launc

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