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Conquistadores: A New History of Spanish Discovery and Conquest
A sweeping, authoritative history that aims to deepen our understanding of the campaigns and conquests that propelled a small European kingdom to become one of the greatest empires in the world
Over the few short decades that followed Christopher Columbus's first landing in the Caribbean in 1492, Spain conquered the two most formidable civilizations of the Americas: the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of Peru. Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, and the other explorers and soldiers that took part in these expeditions dedicated their lives to seeking political and religious glory, helping to build an empire unlike any the world had ever seen.
Centuries later, two dominant narratives about these conquests have prevailed--one of the romance and exoticism of adventure, the other of cruelty and exploitation of innocent people at the service of politics and religious bigotry. In The Conquistadors, Mexican historian Fernando Cervantes--himself a descendent of one of the conquistadors--tells the complete story of the conquests while steering a middle course between these two viewpoints. He argues that, while the conquistadors had undeniable faults, the tendency to condemn them tells us more about our modern sense of shame than it does about their original intentions.
Drawing upon previously untapped primary sources that include diaries, letters, chronicles, and polemical treatises, Cervantes reframes the story of the Spanish conquest of the New World, examining the late medieval world from which the conquistadors emerged. At the heart of the story are the conquistadors themselves, whose epic ambitions and moral contradictions defined an era, as well as their supporters and detractors. Cervantes helps us understand them on their own terms and shows us how their achievements still have much to tell us in our increasingly post-nationalist world.
Over the few short decades that followed Christopher Columbus's first landing in the Caribbean in 1492, Spain conquered the two most formidable civilizations of the Americas: the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of Peru. Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, and the other explorers and soldiers that took part in these expeditions dedicated their lives to seeking political and religious glory, helping to build an empire unlike any the world had ever seen.
Centuries later, two dominant narratives about these conquests have prevailed--one of the romance and exoticism of adventure, the other of cruelty and exploitation of innocent people at the service of politics and religious bigotry. In The Conquistadors, Mexican historian Fernando Cervantes--himself a descendent of one of the conquistadors--tells the complete story of the conquests while steering a middle course between these two viewpoints. He argues that, while the conquistadors had undeniable faults, the tendency to condemn them tells us more about our modern sense of shame than it does about their original intentions.
Drawing upon previously untapped primary sources that include diaries, letters, chronicles, and polemical treatises, Cervantes reframes the story of the Spanish conquest of the New World, examining the late medieval world from which the conquistadors emerged. At the heart of the story are the conquistadors themselves, whose epic ambitions and moral contradictions defined an era, as well as their supporters and detractors. Cervantes helps us understand them on their own terms and shows us how their achievements still have much to tell us in our increasingly post-nationalist world.
496 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 2020
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July 19, 2021
I was surprised to learn that this book had such good reviews on GoodReads because, quite frankly, I found the book to be quite a slog. Having recently moved to South America, I was looking forward to learning some more about its history. This would not be a book that I recommend.
I have two main complaints. My first is that the book is written in a rather dry style, filled with references to names and concepts that I am unfamiliar with. I have no idea who the intended audience of the book is, but it clearly was not me. In fact, I think this book is an excellent example of why reading is not merely the act of decoding words also the act of placing knowledge into an existing schema. There were many times in which I could read all the individual words in a sentence but was unable to make any sense of what was being discussed since I am not familiar with 16th-century Spanish politics and religious history. Take, for example, the following sentence, which is a part of a discussion of the religious order that was chosen to convert the Tainos in Hispaniola.
"Erasmus's secret was the deceptively simple way in which he managed to fuse into a single intellectual tradition the main conflicting currents of the late fifteenth century: the Netherlands piety of the devotio moderna and the Windisheim reform movement, Florentine Neo-Platonism, humanistic textual scholarship, and the various anxieties of what we might anachronistically call a growing 'middle class' increasingly aware of its needs and its potential for social action.' (pg. 108)
Maybe this sentence means something to someone with a background in the topic, but it meant absolutely nothing to me. The endless references to abstract concepts that are unlikely to be familiar to the general reader greatly detracted from the book. At times, Cervantes was able to make the topic come alive, but unfortunately, such instances were few and far between.
My second complaint about the book is that it claims to give a more balanced and reframed view of the actions of the conquistadors. One of the main arguments seems to be that we are judging the conquistadors' actions by modern standards and that when one considers the structure of government that they put into place (which lasted for over 300 years), their conquest and Spain's subsequent development of the New World should be considered an accomplishment. Spain, he argues, did not just exploit its 'colonies' (Cervantes argues that technically, these were not really colonies), but helped the region develop into a thriving, commercially prosperous kingdom, that was home to countless intellectuals. He also goes on to say that the conquistadors should not be blamed for the current problems in South America. To me, this seems to be an argument of the ends justifying the means. Given that the conquistadors were rightfully criticized for their actions at the time, it is clear that even by the standards of their time, the conquistadors behaved despicably. Secondly, while New Spain might have had a flourishing culture, we will never know what the Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs would have achieved had their cultures not been destroyed by the Spanish. At the end of the day, the death of thousands of people and wanton destruction of culture in the name of greed can never be justified.
This brings me to one last related point, and this regards Cervantes' choice of language when describing the fate of the Inca queen, Cura Ocllo. Cervantes states, 'Whether [Francisco] and his secretary, Antonio Picado, actually managed to have sexual intercourse with her, as was later alleged, we will never know. But her execution reached levels of cruelty that shocked even the most heartless conquistadores.' (pg. 310). Let us be clear, the correct word to use here would be rape. Stating that Francisco and Picado may have had sexual intercourse makes it sound like a somewhat consensual act, which it clearly would not have been. I am also not sure what the speculation about whether or not they were successful in raping her adds much either. But language has power and not calling a crime by its name only serves to minimize the crime.
I have two main complaints. My first is that the book is written in a rather dry style, filled with references to names and concepts that I am unfamiliar with. I have no idea who the intended audience of the book is, but it clearly was not me. In fact, I think this book is an excellent example of why reading is not merely the act of decoding words also the act of placing knowledge into an existing schema. There were many times in which I could read all the individual words in a sentence but was unable to make any sense of what was being discussed since I am not familiar with 16th-century Spanish politics and religious history. Take, for example, the following sentence, which is a part of a discussion of the religious order that was chosen to convert the Tainos in Hispaniola.
"Erasmus's secret was the deceptively simple way in which he managed to fuse into a single intellectual tradition the main conflicting currents of the late fifteenth century: the Netherlands piety of the devotio moderna and the Windisheim reform movement, Florentine Neo-Platonism, humanistic textual scholarship, and the various anxieties of what we might anachronistically call a growing 'middle class' increasingly aware of its needs and its potential for social action.' (pg. 108)
Maybe this sentence means something to someone with a background in the topic, but it meant absolutely nothing to me. The endless references to abstract concepts that are unlikely to be familiar to the general reader greatly detracted from the book. At times, Cervantes was able to make the topic come alive, but unfortunately, such instances were few and far between.
My second complaint about the book is that it claims to give a more balanced and reframed view of the actions of the conquistadors. One of the main arguments seems to be that we are judging the conquistadors' actions by modern standards and that when one considers the structure of government that they put into place (which lasted for over 300 years), their conquest and Spain's subsequent development of the New World should be considered an accomplishment. Spain, he argues, did not just exploit its 'colonies' (Cervantes argues that technically, these were not really colonies), but helped the region develop into a thriving, commercially prosperous kingdom, that was home to countless intellectuals. He also goes on to say that the conquistadors should not be blamed for the current problems in South America. To me, this seems to be an argument of the ends justifying the means. Given that the conquistadors were rightfully criticized for their actions at the time, it is clear that even by the standards of their time, the conquistadors behaved despicably. Secondly, while New Spain might have had a flourishing culture, we will never know what the Incas, Mayas, and Aztecs would have achieved had their cultures not been destroyed by the Spanish. At the end of the day, the death of thousands of people and wanton destruction of culture in the name of greed can never be justified.
This brings me to one last related point, and this regards Cervantes' choice of language when describing the fate of the Inca queen, Cura Ocllo. Cervantes states, 'Whether [Francisco] and his secretary, Antonio Picado, actually managed to have sexual intercourse with her, as was later alleged, we will never know. But her execution reached levels of cruelty that shocked even the most heartless conquistadores.' (pg. 310). Let us be clear, the correct word to use here would be rape. Stating that Francisco and Picado may have had sexual intercourse makes it sound like a somewhat consensual act, which it clearly would not have been. I am also not sure what the speculation about whether or not they were successful in raping her adds much either. But language has power and not calling a crime by its name only serves to minimize the crime.
October 1, 2020
A sweeping, authoritative history that aims to deepen our understanding of the campaigns and conquests that propelled a small European kingdom to become one of the greatest empires in the world. Over the few short decades that followed Christopher Columbus's first landing in the Caribbean in 1492, Spain conquered the two most formidable civilizations of the Americas: the Aztecs of Mexico and the Incas of Peru. Hernán Cortés, Francisco Pizarro, and the other explorers and soldiers that took part in these expeditions dedicated their lives to seeking political and religious glory, helping to build an empire unlike any the world had ever seen.
Centuries later, two dominant narratives about these conquests have prevailed--one of the romance and exoticism of adventure, the other of cruelty and exploitation of innocent people at the service of politics and religious bigotry. In The Conquistadors, Mexican historian Fernando Cervantes--himself a descendent of one of the conquistadors--tells the complete story of the conquests while steering a middle course between these two viewpoints. He argues that, while the conquistadors had undeniable faults, the tendency to condemn them tells us more about our modern sense of shame than it does about their original intentions.
Drawing upon previously untapped primary sources that include diaries, letters, chronicles, and polemical treatises, Cervantes reframes the story of the Spanish conquest of the New World, examining the late medieval world from which the conquistadors emerged. At the heart of the story are the conquistadors themselves, whose epic ambitions and moral contradictions defined an era, as well as their supporters and detractors. Cervantes helps us understand them on their own terms and shows us how their achievements still have much to tell us in our increasingly post-nationalist world. This is a fascinating and informative deep dive into a much-misunderstood history. Written in an accessible and fluid style, it is an extensive, powerful and no-holds-barred account of the Spanish conquests of old. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Allen Lane for an ARC.
Centuries later, two dominant narratives about these conquests have prevailed--one of the romance and exoticism of adventure, the other of cruelty and exploitation of innocent people at the service of politics and religious bigotry. In The Conquistadors, Mexican historian Fernando Cervantes--himself a descendent of one of the conquistadors--tells the complete story of the conquests while steering a middle course between these two viewpoints. He argues that, while the conquistadors had undeniable faults, the tendency to condemn them tells us more about our modern sense of shame than it does about their original intentions.
Drawing upon previously untapped primary sources that include diaries, letters, chronicles, and polemical treatises, Cervantes reframes the story of the Spanish conquest of the New World, examining the late medieval world from which the conquistadors emerged. At the heart of the story are the conquistadors themselves, whose epic ambitions and moral contradictions defined an era, as well as their supporters and detractors. Cervantes helps us understand them on their own terms and shows us how their achievements still have much to tell us in our increasingly post-nationalist world. This is a fascinating and informative deep dive into a much-misunderstood history. Written in an accessible and fluid style, it is an extensive, powerful and no-holds-barred account of the Spanish conquests of old. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Allen Lane for an ARC.
July 21, 2025
Starts out very well, with a wonderful back-to-the-future bit from 1490: Tirant lo Blanch , a "chivalric romance" novel first published in 1490 (this is the book mentioned in "Don Quixote" as "the best book in the world") was tremendously popular then, evidence that reading for leisure was already widespread in Europe in the late 15th century. The custom of the time was to read the book aloud to others (not least because printing was not yet widespread). Fast-forward to the 21st century, when many 'readers' also prefer to listen to audio-books! The more things change.....
I have several pages of notes, and will try to get them in some sort of order and write a fuller review in the next few days. I'm way behind, on reviews and everything else. Don't hold your breath. Important book, on a topic that's interested me for decades.
NPR gave it a rave review, the best I saw online: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/15/103474...
Start with that one, is my advice.
Excerpt:
"When Cortés departed on another expedition, he temporarily left Tenochtitlan in the hands of his deputy, Pedro de Alvarado, who had "none of Cortés's political skills, and all the prickly honour of a chivalrous knight," Cervantes writes. Finding themselves surrounded by dancers during a festival, Alvarado and his men suspected an attack was imminent and decided to strike first. In the ensuing massacre, wrote one informant, "The blood ... ran like water, it spread out slippery and a foul odor rose from it." The war that followed ultimately left the great city of Tenochtitlan in ruins.
A Mexican-born historian who now teaches at the University of Bristol in England, Cervantes marshals an enormous array of primary and secondary sources to tell the story of the decades that followed Christopher Columbus' arrival on an island off what is now Cuba, in "three cramped, ill-equipped vessels, with a combined capacity of ninety men."
.
.
.
There's a depressing sameness to the way Cervantes tells the story. The indigenous populations sometimes fought back, often with great skill and courage, and could themselves be brutal to their enemies. But they were ultimately no match for the Europeans, who came in greater and greater numbers and carried artillery that seemed to give them God-like powers. And what to make of the horses they rode? "...To a group of people who had never seen such animals — and who saw them mounted by men who seemed inseparably fused to them — it was a terrifying experience." Cervantes writes. ....
Many people were appalled when Pizarro, eager to get back to gold-hunting, decided to execute the imprisoned Incan emperor Atawallpa to neutralize him as a threat. In 1526, the Council of the Indies complained that too many Spaniards were treating the natives "far worse than if they were slaves" (who were already being brought into the New World), Cervantes writes. They had caused the deaths of "a large number of the said Indians on a scale that has turned many of the islands and large swathes of the mainland into veritable wastelands, bereft of population." There were other considerations: How could you convert the natives to Christianity if they were dead?
The past is a different country. VERY different, at the time of the Conquest. Very good book: 4.5 stars, rounded down after reading some of the well-argued negative reviews here. Even after a half-millenium, the Conquest generates considerable revulsion, and rightly so.
I have several pages of notes, and will try to get them in some sort of order and write a fuller review in the next few days. I'm way behind, on reviews and everything else. Don't hold your breath. Important book, on a topic that's interested me for decades.
NPR gave it a rave review, the best I saw online: https://www.npr.org/2021/09/15/103474...
Start with that one, is my advice.
Excerpt:
"When Cortés departed on another expedition, he temporarily left Tenochtitlan in the hands of his deputy, Pedro de Alvarado, who had "none of Cortés's political skills, and all the prickly honour of a chivalrous knight," Cervantes writes. Finding themselves surrounded by dancers during a festival, Alvarado and his men suspected an attack was imminent and decided to strike first. In the ensuing massacre, wrote one informant, "The blood ... ran like water, it spread out slippery and a foul odor rose from it." The war that followed ultimately left the great city of Tenochtitlan in ruins.
A Mexican-born historian who now teaches at the University of Bristol in England, Cervantes marshals an enormous array of primary and secondary sources to tell the story of the decades that followed Christopher Columbus' arrival on an island off what is now Cuba, in "three cramped, ill-equipped vessels, with a combined capacity of ninety men."
.
.
.
There's a depressing sameness to the way Cervantes tells the story. The indigenous populations sometimes fought back, often with great skill and courage, and could themselves be brutal to their enemies. But they were ultimately no match for the Europeans, who came in greater and greater numbers and carried artillery that seemed to give them God-like powers. And what to make of the horses they rode? "...To a group of people who had never seen such animals — and who saw them mounted by men who seemed inseparably fused to them — it was a terrifying experience." Cervantes writes. ....
Many people were appalled when Pizarro, eager to get back to gold-hunting, decided to execute the imprisoned Incan emperor Atawallpa to neutralize him as a threat. In 1526, the Council of the Indies complained that too many Spaniards were treating the natives "far worse than if they were slaves" (who were already being brought into the New World), Cervantes writes. They had caused the deaths of "a large number of the said Indians on a scale that has turned many of the islands and large swathes of the mainland into veritable wastelands, bereft of population." There were other considerations: How could you convert the natives to Christianity if they were dead?
The past is a different country. VERY different, at the time of the Conquest. Very good book: 4.5 stars, rounded down after reading some of the well-argued negative reviews here. Even after a half-millenium, the Conquest generates considerable revulsion, and rightly so.
August 3, 2023
I would first like to note that I chose 1 star because of the incredible undertaking in terms of the gathering of information and historical reconstruction of the political and religious climates of the time. The work is incredibly well-researched and does incorporate a myriad of accounts for the descriptions of pivotal events in the “conquest” of the Americas. However, I feel the book has glaring problems with respect to the idea that these events can be described with such banal ideas. This “conquest” should be rightfully described as what it was, genocide. A systematic erasure and enslavement of indigenous peoples, masquerading as adventurous conquest.
As is often the case when relying on the many histories written by those who held power during atrocities, Cervantes mythologizes and laments the role of conquistadores in the genocide of the Indigenous Americans. While this sentiment is woven throughout the narrative created for the “Conquistadores.” Chapter 16 (The End of an Era), points to the acceptance that “expeditions of conquest” in the New World while difficult to justify, ultimately persisted as a means to finance the endeavors of European monarchs. Meanwhile, those who initiated the "conquest" of the New World (the genocide of the Americas) met ignoble ends. This implies that the Conquistadores, described by Cervantes at the close of Chapter 16, as “men who despite their moral failings succeeded more or less through their own agency, in transforming Spanish and European conceptions of the world”, were victims in their own right. The narrative created can at times be difficult to parse when describing the shifting of immense geopolitical events between both peoples and cultures across half a century. Though, as the title implies the historical narrative created is that of these poor men who initiated a genocide. As such, the civilizations, and millions of inhabitants therein that ultimately lost their lives to the Steel Blades of Spanish conquest, are but mere set pieces in the story of adventurous “Conquistadores” who braved the New World.
The Indigenous peoples of the Americans, and throughout the world, are today still feeling the effects of this genocide as we piece together cultures cut from us by the "civilization" of European steel. We are still sifting through the ashes of the histories burned in the romanticized fires of conquest, exploration, salvation, and progress. We should not be relegated to set pieces in the histories of nations that were built on the decimation and enslavement of our people.
As is often the case when relying on the many histories written by those who held power during atrocities, Cervantes mythologizes and laments the role of conquistadores in the genocide of the Indigenous Americans. While this sentiment is woven throughout the narrative created for the “Conquistadores.” Chapter 16 (The End of an Era), points to the acceptance that “expeditions of conquest” in the New World while difficult to justify, ultimately persisted as a means to finance the endeavors of European monarchs. Meanwhile, those who initiated the "conquest" of the New World (the genocide of the Americas) met ignoble ends. This implies that the Conquistadores, described by Cervantes at the close of Chapter 16, as “men who despite their moral failings succeeded more or less through their own agency, in transforming Spanish and European conceptions of the world”, were victims in their own right. The narrative created can at times be difficult to parse when describing the shifting of immense geopolitical events between both peoples and cultures across half a century. Though, as the title implies the historical narrative created is that of these poor men who initiated a genocide. As such, the civilizations, and millions of inhabitants therein that ultimately lost their lives to the Steel Blades of Spanish conquest, are but mere set pieces in the story of adventurous “Conquistadores” who braved the New World.
The Indigenous peoples of the Americans, and throughout the world, are today still feeling the effects of this genocide as we piece together cultures cut from us by the "civilization" of European steel. We are still sifting through the ashes of the histories burned in the romanticized fires of conquest, exploration, salvation, and progress. We should not be relegated to set pieces in the histories of nations that were built on the decimation and enslavement of our people.
September 28, 2021
This is history at its best. A thorough account of men who are deeply misunderstood and condemned by smug modern moralism. To most people, the conquistadors are essentially aliens from a strange world and little effort is made to understand them in their own context. This book is the antidote. True history should lead us to greater understanding of the past and why people did what they did.
May 17, 2023
Why only two stars, though the book was quite readable and contained interesting information? In the first place, it seemed to me the argument was self-defeating. It is an attempt to counter the "Black Legend" (the author doesn't use this term, but it is obviously what he is thinking of) by showing the conquistadores as men of their times, functioning in a context of of late medieval culture and religion. Yet despite some omissions (see below) it becomes quite clear that their contemporaries - not just the enemies of Spain but also Spanish rulers and above all clerics, were their first and sometimes worst critics. No amount of nuancing the exaggerations of Bartolomé de las Casas is able to hide this. The way the conquistadores were quickly sidelined and sometimes punished harshly, speaks volumes: once they had done their bosses' dirty work for them, they were swept under the rug as embarrassments. It was later generations that raised statues for them, even after the liberation of Hispanic America, so it's not as though they lack admiration. The statues are all over the place in Spain and the Americas; Cortés got one as late as 1982. Of course, last year there was this wave of statue-disgracing that above all targeted colonizers, and the year before that the President of Mexico demanded apologies from Spain and the Pope, etcetera, so at least the timing of the book is understandable.
Then there were the omissions. William of Orange's "Apology" is identified as the culmination of anti-Spanish propaganda by rebellious Protestants and enemy nations, but the author omits to mention that William wrote it after the Spanish King had abducted his son (who never saw his father again) and put a price on his head. Manco Inca rose against the conquistadores who made him Sapa Inca, but the reader isn't told he did so after the youngest Pizarro brothers put him in chains, pissed on him and raped his wife. That Manco was murdered by two conquistadores he had welcomed as guests is also omitted; the story of the conquest of Peru stops with the murder of Francisco Pizarro. Why not spend a few paragraphs on the end of Manco's rebellion, which now remains dangling in mid-air? Omissions like these come across as rather manipulative.
Outright ridiculous is the claim that the late medieval world "saw the stamping out of the last vestiges of Muslim rule on continental Europe". Constantinople and the Balkans beg to disagree. A peculiar slip-up from a professional historian, but maybe we should show some understanding for a Mexican teaching in a country that has turned its back on continental Europe? Being Dutch, pro-William of Orange, and ashamed of the colonizing thugs of my own nation, I decided against it. So my 2,5 stars ended up as 2.
Then there were the omissions. William of Orange's "Apology" is identified as the culmination of anti-Spanish propaganda by rebellious Protestants and enemy nations, but the author omits to mention that William wrote it after the Spanish King had abducted his son (who never saw his father again) and put a price on his head. Manco Inca rose against the conquistadores who made him Sapa Inca, but the reader isn't told he did so after the youngest Pizarro brothers put him in chains, pissed on him and raped his wife. That Manco was murdered by two conquistadores he had welcomed as guests is also omitted; the story of the conquest of Peru stops with the murder of Francisco Pizarro. Why not spend a few paragraphs on the end of Manco's rebellion, which now remains dangling in mid-air? Omissions like these come across as rather manipulative.
Outright ridiculous is the claim that the late medieval world "saw the stamping out of the last vestiges of Muslim rule on continental Europe". Constantinople and the Balkans beg to disagree. A peculiar slip-up from a professional historian, but maybe we should show some understanding for a Mexican teaching in a country that has turned its back on continental Europe? Being Dutch, pro-William of Orange, and ashamed of the colonizing thugs of my own nation, I decided against it. So my 2,5 stars ended up as 2.
February 22, 2022
While I don't agree with everything mentioned here, there was a lot to sit and think on. One such thing is how some indigenous groups adopted Christianity into their beliefs in a way that transformed the result in something different. Or how the Crown seemed as horrified, in most cases, by the violence and bloodshed. Or how the conquests stemmed-- at least more than I previously understood-- from a religious intent.
I don't agree that we should look at conquistadores through a more 'sympathetic' light. Not only because of the horrors the Conquistadores did, but also because even in this book, Cervantes reveals when certain Conquistadores begun to be driven by riches more than religion. But I do believe context of the time can help us understand how it happened.
The main thing I did not like is that the organization made it difficult to follow along with people who played a part in multiple events. I understand that dividing the book by events helped to maintain some framework but with everything being interconnected, I would have appreciated a little more 'recaps' to orient myself. (Mostly from the first half.) Tangentially, while I understand why this book was not presented chronologically, it was off-putting for time to feel so fluid. The book ends with events from around 1535 but prior to that, had been several decades later.
I don't agree that we should look at conquistadores through a more 'sympathetic' light. Not only because of the horrors the Conquistadores did, but also because even in this book, Cervantes reveals when certain Conquistadores begun to be driven by riches more than religion. But I do believe context of the time can help us understand how it happened.
The main thing I did not like is that the organization made it difficult to follow along with people who played a part in multiple events. I understand that dividing the book by events helped to maintain some framework but with everything being interconnected, I would have appreciated a little more 'recaps' to orient myself. (Mostly from the first half.) Tangentially, while I understand why this book was not presented chronologically, it was off-putting for time to feel so fluid. The book ends with events from around 1535 but prior to that, had been several decades later.
November 17, 2020
Highly readable and full of detail
Also, a much needed reflection on the balance on the moral contradictions of the conquistadors that will probably cause some (very welcome as I see it) heated discussions.
Which ever position one might hold regarding these hot topics, I think people will find this to be a fascinating read
Also, a much needed reflection on the balance on the moral contradictions of the conquistadors that will probably cause some (very welcome as I see it) heated discussions.
Which ever position one might hold regarding these hot topics, I think people will find this to be a fascinating read
July 25, 2024
Wat een ongelofelijk sterk geschreven boek. Cervantes (toevallig ook de naam van de schrijver van Don Quixote, beetje alsof er een moderne kunstenaar de achternaam Rembrandt zou dragen) schrijft erg duidelijk en verhalend over de exploitaties van Cortès, Pizarro, Columbus, Alvarado, De Soto en Jimenez. Mensen die gedreven waren door veel meer dan alleen macht, de typische leus van ‘Glory, God and Gold’ blijkt toch enige nuancering te krijgen.
Een enorme verassing was de hoeveelheid informatie die gegeven werd over de rijken van de Azteken, Maya en Inca’s. Ik dacht dat ik wel een beetje was uitgekeken op de ‘ancient civilizations’ na mijn afstapping van Grieken en Romeinen, maar de hoeveelheid liefde en waardering die wordt uitgesproken naar deze ongelofelijk geavanceerde volkeren intrigeert mij diep. Fifth Sun staat al een tijdje in mijn want-to-read, wellicht is een tripje naar de boekenwinkel niet van zijn plaats.
Ironisch genoeg was bij het vorige boek wat ik gelezen heb, The Rise of Athens, de grootste afknapper de oneindige militaire anekdotes. Dit boek zat er ook vol mee, alleen hier was het juist een van haar sterkste punten. Ik zelfs een keertje op het puntje van mijn stoel (ik wilde gewoon heel heel heel graag dat Pizarro vermoord werd…)
Sowieso een aanrader voor velen. Het eindigde alleen een beetje vreemd. Er werd beargumenteerd in 1 bladzijde dat de conquistadores niet verantwoordelijk zijn voor de arme positie van de landen in Midden- en Zuid-Amerika nu. Dit is een mening die toch wel enige onderbouwing nodig heeft en daarom vond ik het einde een beetje een vreemde smaak achterlaten, vooral na 350 bladzijdes aan gruweldaden en tiran-beleid onder leiding van deze conquistadores
Een enorme verassing was de hoeveelheid informatie die gegeven werd over de rijken van de Azteken, Maya en Inca’s. Ik dacht dat ik wel een beetje was uitgekeken op de ‘ancient civilizations’ na mijn afstapping van Grieken en Romeinen, maar de hoeveelheid liefde en waardering die wordt uitgesproken naar deze ongelofelijk geavanceerde volkeren intrigeert mij diep. Fifth Sun staat al een tijdje in mijn want-to-read, wellicht is een tripje naar de boekenwinkel niet van zijn plaats.
Ironisch genoeg was bij het vorige boek wat ik gelezen heb, The Rise of Athens, de grootste afknapper de oneindige militaire anekdotes. Dit boek zat er ook vol mee, alleen hier was het juist een van haar sterkste punten. Ik zelfs een keertje op het puntje van mijn stoel (ik wilde gewoon heel heel heel graag dat Pizarro vermoord werd…)
Sowieso een aanrader voor velen. Het eindigde alleen een beetje vreemd. Er werd beargumenteerd in 1 bladzijde dat de conquistadores niet verantwoordelijk zijn voor de arme positie van de landen in Midden- en Zuid-Amerika nu. Dit is een mening die toch wel enige onderbouwing nodig heeft en daarom vond ik het einde een beetje een vreemde smaak achterlaten, vooral na 350 bladzijdes aan gruweldaden en tiran-beleid onder leiding van deze conquistadores
September 30, 2023
A vivid, nuanced and well-written history of the Spanish conquistadors. The book is billed as revisionist, but if you’re familiar with the topic there aren’t many surprises, and Cervantes doesn’t provide much commentary on the events he describes.
Cervantes stresses the importance of diseases and the Spaniards’ ability to win over native allies. He does a good job explaining events in Europe, covering religious movements, the Moors, wars, and other developments that shaped the conquistadors' worlds. He also does his best to discover the truths behind the conquistadors’ official accounts of their expeditions. The scope is broad at times, as Cervantes covers such topics as the debate over what rights the natives had (he also suggests that de las Casas’s version of events was inflated), the Spanish government’s attempts to curb abuses, and how the conquistadores set up local governments that tried to rule with a lighter touch. He vividly describes the American worlds they discovered, though the book focuses on the Caribbean, Mexico and Peru, and mostly on Cortés and Pizarro; there is little on de Soto in southwest America, or the rest of South America, if you’re interested in those stories. American natives are often lumped together, but Cervantes does a good job showing the diversity of these peoples, and how often they were at war with each other, or chafed under unpopular rulers (the conquistadors were quick to notice this, of course) Cervantes also notes that the natives practiced slavery in one form or another.
The narrative is engaging, but some readers may wish for more coverage of the American cultures these men came into contact with, or of the mindset of the conquistador. Others will be left wondering exactly how the Spaniards extracted and used the gold they discovered. The pace feels a bit inconsistent, and the conclusion is somewhat flat. Some may find the conclusion abrupt; it ends with the establishment of the “New Laws,” even though there other important developments after this, such as the silver discoveries in Potosí. There is less coverage of slavery than I thought there would be in a modern work on this subject. Cervantes also repeats the story of the Aztecs expecting the return of Quetzalcoatl, although more recent scholarship has cast doubt on it (he seems to contradict himself on this point later on) There’s only a few maps, and not terribly detailed ones.
A dense but balanced and well-researched work.
Cervantes stresses the importance of diseases and the Spaniards’ ability to win over native allies. He does a good job explaining events in Europe, covering religious movements, the Moors, wars, and other developments that shaped the conquistadors' worlds. He also does his best to discover the truths behind the conquistadors’ official accounts of their expeditions. The scope is broad at times, as Cervantes covers such topics as the debate over what rights the natives had (he also suggests that de las Casas’s version of events was inflated), the Spanish government’s attempts to curb abuses, and how the conquistadores set up local governments that tried to rule with a lighter touch. He vividly describes the American worlds they discovered, though the book focuses on the Caribbean, Mexico and Peru, and mostly on Cortés and Pizarro; there is little on de Soto in southwest America, or the rest of South America, if you’re interested in those stories. American natives are often lumped together, but Cervantes does a good job showing the diversity of these peoples, and how often they were at war with each other, or chafed under unpopular rulers (the conquistadors were quick to notice this, of course) Cervantes also notes that the natives practiced slavery in one form or another.
The narrative is engaging, but some readers may wish for more coverage of the American cultures these men came into contact with, or of the mindset of the conquistador. Others will be left wondering exactly how the Spaniards extracted and used the gold they discovered. The pace feels a bit inconsistent, and the conclusion is somewhat flat. Some may find the conclusion abrupt; it ends with the establishment of the “New Laws,” even though there other important developments after this, such as the silver discoveries in Potosí. There is less coverage of slavery than I thought there would be in a modern work on this subject. Cervantes also repeats the story of the Aztecs expecting the return of Quetzalcoatl, although more recent scholarship has cast doubt on it (he seems to contradict himself on this point later on) There’s only a few maps, and not terribly detailed ones.
A dense but balanced and well-researched work.
September 29, 2021
Well researched, scholarly but somewhat dry history of the Spanish conquest of the new world. I wouldn't call Cervantes exactly an apologist for the conquistadors and Spanish rule, but he does argue (I think) that our judgments should be mitigated by understanding their and their victims' world views and motives. At times I found it difficult to figure out exactly what point he was making, e.g. his discourse on the painter Diego Velazquez in his final chapter. Then again, this may have been due to my own limitations. I was also mildly irritated that Coronado is only mentioned once and then in passing - perhaps his expedition was beyond the scope of Cervantes' book but I don't see how - and his account of de Soto's expedition; it ends with de Soto's death but says nothing about what became of the survivors.
August 2, 2023
I really enjoyed this book, as it filled in much of the history of the early days of the European presence in the Americas. It was very readable, exciting in many places, and well supported by sources in the notes.
I am puzzled by 2 things, first the omission of Coronado and his expedition into Americas southwest; second by the notion of the ‘reforming’ royal and religious actors. I’m sure that further reading will help me understand both … the author has the benefit of so much familiarity with the subject that what are ‘new interpretations’ to him are simply ‘new knowledge’ to me!
I am puzzled by 2 things, first the omission of Coronado and his expedition into Americas southwest; second by the notion of the ‘reforming’ royal and religious actors. I’m sure that further reading will help me understand both … the author has the benefit of so much familiarity with the subject that what are ‘new interpretations’ to him are simply ‘new knowledge’ to me!
July 2, 2022
This is solid but not fantastic and it is somewhat apologetic, by both omission and commission.
I've read one or two other recent books about the Triple Alliance headed by the Mexica, aka the "Aztecs," so not much about Cortes was new to me. I knew that much of the traditional Spanish claims about Moctezuma's actions and their "whys" were bogus. Cervantes only reinforces that, as well as much of what I'd learned in the last several years about other tribes of today's Central Mexico being ready to revolt, but on their own terms with their own goals.
The main part new to me was the details of Cortes having to leave Tenochtitlan after he learned about a new fleet on the coast, from Cuba, headed by "frenemy" Panfilo de Narvaez. It was an "unfortunate gamble" per Cervantes. It was also, from Cortes' POV, a necessary one.
Would he have done better handling the situation back in Tenochtitlan than did Pedro de Alvarado? Debatable. The Spanish were under pressure and edgy from an increasingly long "house arrest" of sorts; any commander would have had trouble with his troops.
I learned more about the conquest of Peru, both the military details and the bloodthirsty mindset of the Pizarro brothers, all of whom made Cortes a model of probity.
Cervantes on the military, and fairly much on the social side, is good about the post-Columbus pre-Cortes conquest of the Caribbean islands.
He's also good about Spain at this time, trying to transition from separate countries to a unified one, but also in both Castile and Aragon, trying to transition from a feudal society to something more modern, with Isabel and Fernando depending first on townsmen then on "new nobility" created since the Castilian civil war about 150 years ago. This, plus a take on Castilian law that allowed officers of the Crown to "obey but not implement" laws, is part of what gave Charles V (and Isabel and Fernando already) grief in the new world.
Related? Part of why they needed money is that Castile, especially, had had something equivalent to the "jizya" of Islamic states, but when Jews and Muslims were expelled, there was nobody to levy this tax against. Also "interestingly," Cervantes doesn't mention that both monarchs themselves may have had converso blood in their family trees. No, really; bits of hints with Isabel and more with Fernando.
On the conquests, weirdly, Cervantes includes de Soto in Florida but not Coronado in New Mexico. The latter had more influence on Mexican history and much more on US history.
In between the conquests, Cervantes talks about the Dominicans who lead attempts at conversion in the early days, and of course, las Casas.
The last chapter, especially, is "apologetic." It's true that Spain wasn't a modern nation-state, and the eventual vice-royalties in the New World certainly weren't. And, having seen Pueblo churches in New Mexico, I understand friars accepting, in the early years, "surface conversions," or "incorporations" rather than conversions. Cervantes explains this well. And, the English were no bed of roses in dealing with American Indians or importing Black slaves. Nonetheless, it's not just "judging in modern terms" to critique the conquistadors' New World more than Cervantes does.
"Interestingly," he mentions some problems with the early installments of the encomienda system in the Caribbean, but even there, only the secular side of it, and the religious side not at all. On the mainland, none of it's mentioned. But, as someone quite familiar with New Mexico's Pueblo Revolt, I know the priests were hated as much as the secular officials for how they exploited the encomienda sytem.
On the flip side (though it would be hard to ignore it) he notes the actuality of when stories about things like Our Lady of Guadalupe arose vs legends. And, it should be added there's nothing inherently wrong with apologetics; it's always whether they're defensible or not.
Cervantes' Wikipedia stub says he's a lay Dominican. Maybe that's why he didn't go into more detail.
Ideally, I'd 3.5 star this. But, no half stars, so 3 it is.
I've read one or two other recent books about the Triple Alliance headed by the Mexica, aka the "Aztecs," so not much about Cortes was new to me. I knew that much of the traditional Spanish claims about Moctezuma's actions and their "whys" were bogus. Cervantes only reinforces that, as well as much of what I'd learned in the last several years about other tribes of today's Central Mexico being ready to revolt, but on their own terms with their own goals.
The main part new to me was the details of Cortes having to leave Tenochtitlan after he learned about a new fleet on the coast, from Cuba, headed by "frenemy" Panfilo de Narvaez. It was an "unfortunate gamble" per Cervantes. It was also, from Cortes' POV, a necessary one.
Would he have done better handling the situation back in Tenochtitlan than did Pedro de Alvarado? Debatable. The Spanish were under pressure and edgy from an increasingly long "house arrest" of sorts; any commander would have had trouble with his troops.
I learned more about the conquest of Peru, both the military details and the bloodthirsty mindset of the Pizarro brothers, all of whom made Cortes a model of probity.
Cervantes on the military, and fairly much on the social side, is good about the post-Columbus pre-Cortes conquest of the Caribbean islands.
He's also good about Spain at this time, trying to transition from separate countries to a unified one, but also in both Castile and Aragon, trying to transition from a feudal society to something more modern, with Isabel and Fernando depending first on townsmen then on "new nobility" created since the Castilian civil war about 150 years ago. This, plus a take on Castilian law that allowed officers of the Crown to "obey but not implement" laws, is part of what gave Charles V (and Isabel and Fernando already) grief in the new world.
Related? Part of why they needed money is that Castile, especially, had had something equivalent to the "jizya" of Islamic states, but when Jews and Muslims were expelled, there was nobody to levy this tax against. Also "interestingly," Cervantes doesn't mention that both monarchs themselves may have had converso blood in their family trees. No, really; bits of hints with Isabel and more with Fernando.
On the conquests, weirdly, Cervantes includes de Soto in Florida but not Coronado in New Mexico. The latter had more influence on Mexican history and much more on US history.
In between the conquests, Cervantes talks about the Dominicans who lead attempts at conversion in the early days, and of course, las Casas.
The last chapter, especially, is "apologetic." It's true that Spain wasn't a modern nation-state, and the eventual vice-royalties in the New World certainly weren't. And, having seen Pueblo churches in New Mexico, I understand friars accepting, in the early years, "surface conversions," or "incorporations" rather than conversions. Cervantes explains this well. And, the English were no bed of roses in dealing with American Indians or importing Black slaves. Nonetheless, it's not just "judging in modern terms" to critique the conquistadors' New World more than Cervantes does.
"Interestingly," he mentions some problems with the early installments of the encomienda system in the Caribbean, but even there, only the secular side of it, and the religious side not at all. On the mainland, none of it's mentioned. But, as someone quite familiar with New Mexico's Pueblo Revolt, I know the priests were hated as much as the secular officials for how they exploited the encomienda sytem.
On the flip side (though it would be hard to ignore it) he notes the actuality of when stories about things like Our Lady of Guadalupe arose vs legends. And, it should be added there's nothing inherently wrong with apologetics; it's always whether they're defensible or not.
Cervantes' Wikipedia stub says he's a lay Dominican. Maybe that's why he didn't go into more detail.
Ideally, I'd 3.5 star this. But, no half stars, so 3 it is.
August 16, 2022
Great book. It's split into three main parts, which deal first with the initial Spanish discoveries and settlements under Columbus, then with Cortés and the conquest of Mexico, and finally Pizarro's defeat of the Incas in Peru and Ecuador (Plus Hernando DeSoto, who was involved in Pizarro's expeditions but later split off to explore what became the Southeastern U.S.). A primary concern throughout is to understand the motivations of the conquistadores and the cultural context that drove them. So in the intro, Cervantes says this:
"It is important that we do not reduce the richly complex world of the conquistadores to a sweeping caricature. Our view of their many atrocities needs to be grounded in historical context. Their world was not the cruel, backward, obscurantist and bigoted myth of legend, but the late-medieval crusading world which saw the stamping out of the last vestiges of Muslim rule on continental Europe."
Cervantes doesn't hide the fact that for all the atrocities certain conquistadores committed, the American natives could be just as barbaric, and were not necessarily unified with each other. The Spanish were not a monolith either: Ferdinand and Isabella, as well as their successor Charles V, the King of Spain and Habsburg Emperor, were often appalled at what the Spanish adventurers were doing and sought by laws and decrees to reign them in. Priests and bishops also often heroically sought to protect the natives from poor treatment. Basically, everyone involved in the Spanish conquests was human, some wicked, some good, all with varying interests. It was fascinating also to read about the political and theological debates that took place regarding everything Spain was doing in the New World.
I'll note finally one aspect of Columbus' exploration and the subsequent conquests that comes out in this book, often not realized. Columbus finally got the sponsorship he needed in his attempt to sail west to Asia because he wanted eventually to be able to use the proceeds and the new route to retake Jerusalem for Christendom. In other words, to fulfill the dream of the Crusaders. From that angle, the discovery of the New World and its initial settlement could really be seen as part of the larger story of the Crusades rather than as a new "Age of Exploration." That would bring a whole different perspective to it.
"It is important that we do not reduce the richly complex world of the conquistadores to a sweeping caricature. Our view of their many atrocities needs to be grounded in historical context. Their world was not the cruel, backward, obscurantist and bigoted myth of legend, but the late-medieval crusading world which saw the stamping out of the last vestiges of Muslim rule on continental Europe."
Cervantes doesn't hide the fact that for all the atrocities certain conquistadores committed, the American natives could be just as barbaric, and were not necessarily unified with each other. The Spanish were not a monolith either: Ferdinand and Isabella, as well as their successor Charles V, the King of Spain and Habsburg Emperor, were often appalled at what the Spanish adventurers were doing and sought by laws and decrees to reign them in. Priests and bishops also often heroically sought to protect the natives from poor treatment. Basically, everyone involved in the Spanish conquests was human, some wicked, some good, all with varying interests. It was fascinating also to read about the political and theological debates that took place regarding everything Spain was doing in the New World.
I'll note finally one aspect of Columbus' exploration and the subsequent conquests that comes out in this book, often not realized. Columbus finally got the sponsorship he needed in his attempt to sail west to Asia because he wanted eventually to be able to use the proceeds and the new route to retake Jerusalem for Christendom. In other words, to fulfill the dream of the Crusaders. From that angle, the discovery of the New World and its initial settlement could really be seen as part of the larger story of the Crusades rather than as a new "Age of Exploration." That would bring a whole different perspective to it.
March 14, 2024
A very splendid and very readable history of the Spanish discovery and conquests in the, to them, 'New World'. What makes this work particularly interesting and enlightening is the positioning of the events within the intellectual framework of the time. By understanding the intellectual framework of how the conquistadores saw and understood their world and how that influenced the way they viewed the world they had 'discovered' makes it possible for us to follow with much greater understanding what happened without in anyway excusing or diminishing the horrors of the conquest. The complexity of the Conquistadors world view and the way they applied it to the 'new' world allows a deeper understanding of what happened and what they tried to create in the Americas. Richly fascinating and essential reading for anyone who is interested in this period of history.
December 5, 2023
3.8. Really interesting analysis of the Spanish conquistadors in the context of medieval crusading culture and chivalry. I loved the final chapter (probs why I studied IR, not history) on the evolution from the vice-regal system to republics. Some language and treatment definitely feels dated, way too many names/dense detail for a smooth read.
September 21, 2024
Interesting read. Cervantes documents the political and theological underpinnings of the European (especially Spanish) conquering of the Americas very well. The spread of Christ’s Kingdom over the world was primary for the conquistadors, though they are not without their many faults in the venture.
March 30, 2025
Fascinating time period. The book covers Columbus's discovery, Cortes' conquests of the Aztecs and Pizarro's conquests of the Incas along with some background on Spanish rule with Ferdinand and Isabella and then Charles V.
The interaction with the Spanish from the native's perspective is almost like a visit from aliens. They are fearful of the giant horses and the perceived invincibility of the Spanish soldiers with their metal weapons and armour. Some of the combat episodes have crazy number imbalances but yet the Spanish amazingly almost always come through.
The Spanish having recently gained experience from conquering the Moors, had learnt lessons on effectively assimilating populations under their rule.They believed in treating the natives well in order to have them accept Christianity and Charles V as their ruler. The conquistador's try to control the narrative back home on their poor treatment of the natives, and send back large gold and silver shipments. Ultimately word gets back (friars = snitches) and many end up in prison.
Great lil random Wikipedia article to read is Juan Ortiz a Spaniard who spent 11 years on his own living with natives before being found again by another expedition.
The interaction with the Spanish from the native's perspective is almost like a visit from aliens. They are fearful of the giant horses and the perceived invincibility of the Spanish soldiers with their metal weapons and armour. Some of the combat episodes have crazy number imbalances but yet the Spanish amazingly almost always come through.
The Spanish having recently gained experience from conquering the Moors, had learnt lessons on effectively assimilating populations under their rule.They believed in treating the natives well in order to have them accept Christianity and Charles V as their ruler. The conquistador's try to control the narrative back home on their poor treatment of the natives, and send back large gold and silver shipments. Ultimately word gets back (friars = snitches) and many end up in prison.
Great lil random Wikipedia article to read is Juan Ortiz a Spaniard who spent 11 years on his own living with natives before being found again by another expedition.
April 11, 2024
This book was amazing (and horrifying, frankly). Super detailed -- literally half the book is notes, bibliography, etc. It goes into great detail about the terrible things the conquistadores did to central America, and also had a lot of context about how Spain felt about those things. Special emphasis on Cortez, Pizarro, and Columbus.
July 20, 2023
This was an engaging, and in depth history of the conquest of Latin America by Spain in the roughly 50 years following Columbus' voyage. Deeply researched with a wealth of relatively new sources and with a significant effort to parse through the propagandistic writings written in the immediate aftermath of the conquest by the enemies of the conquistadores as well as more contemporary "de-colonial" fabrications. It's very interesting, I learned quite a bit that was new and the nuance and complexity of the diplomatic maneuvers of the Spanish were extremely interesting to follow. The forms of governance and the actual relationships between the Spanish and the indigenous people are a lot more complicated than they are described in most modern histories of the period. The book does a great job of stripping away the presentism that infects most contemporary works on the subject and contextualized the encounters from the intellectual perspectives of both the Spanish at the time in their cultural context and of the indigenous people within theirs. All in all, an excellent and fascinating work.
April 4, 2021
Like the topics of dinosaurs, WWII, the Age of Empire or the history of Nazi Germany, the conquests of the Conquistadores and their exploits in the Americas have always, since a child, held a dark and peculiar fascination for me.
It is easy to see the total subjugation of indigenous peoples in general and particularly of the Aztecs by Hernando Cortez or the decimation of Incas by Francisco Pizarro, in light of more modern-day war crimes such as the Balkans, Congo, Armenian massacres or even the slaughter of the Jews during the holecaust.
But this shortsighted comparison, while being emotionally cathartic, doesn’t allow for historical perspective nor hold up under any reasonably objective form of critical scrutiny.
Cunning, guts, malfeasance, differences in the overal purpose of battle & warfare, superior technology, superstition and an astonishing single-mindedness and sense of purpose, along with the inadvertent utility of chemical warfare (probably more devastating than any other tool of war in use at the time, carried over with the invaders as it was in the form of deadly viruses that the indigineous peoples had absolutely no defence against) and the Devil’s Own Luck served as apocalyptical a collection of macabre tools of subjugation, death, destruction and genicidal obliteration as any modern nuclear device ever might hope to be.
Hindsight of modern historical perspective and political correctness aside, there always seemed to me to be something inherently missing in the accounts that I had previously read concerning this subject, some part of the puzzle of truth. In Conquistadores, Cervantes contributes in no small measure to filling this gap in knowledge with an accounting of the political and moral circumstances running both alongside and counter to the classic view of the whole concept of historical conceits and imperatives imbuing the materials so far made available to us concerning the Conquest of the Americas.
The author’s main thesis is that the whole of the Conquista ought to be tracked not only by the greed for gold and racial bloodlust but additionally through the lens of the zealously religious world outlook of the Spaniards and the Holy Roman Emporer (it covers the Spanish Conquista, the Portuguese Conquistadors are entirely another matter, not covered here).
There are a few parts of the book which are overly pedantic or that might not seem relevant, the uninterested reader can easily skip this material. But, for the reader who is curious about the subject and interested in adding a little more depth, substance and perspective to his historical wonderings, your time spent here pays off.
It is easy to see the total subjugation of indigenous peoples in general and particularly of the Aztecs by Hernando Cortez or the decimation of Incas by Francisco Pizarro, in light of more modern-day war crimes such as the Balkans, Congo, Armenian massacres or even the slaughter of the Jews during the holecaust.
But this shortsighted comparison, while being emotionally cathartic, doesn’t allow for historical perspective nor hold up under any reasonably objective form of critical scrutiny.
Cunning, guts, malfeasance, differences in the overal purpose of battle & warfare, superior technology, superstition and an astonishing single-mindedness and sense of purpose, along with the inadvertent utility of chemical warfare (probably more devastating than any other tool of war in use at the time, carried over with the invaders as it was in the form of deadly viruses that the indigineous peoples had absolutely no defence against) and the Devil’s Own Luck served as apocalyptical a collection of macabre tools of subjugation, death, destruction and genicidal obliteration as any modern nuclear device ever might hope to be.
Hindsight of modern historical perspective and political correctness aside, there always seemed to me to be something inherently missing in the accounts that I had previously read concerning this subject, some part of the puzzle of truth. In Conquistadores, Cervantes contributes in no small measure to filling this gap in knowledge with an accounting of the political and moral circumstances running both alongside and counter to the classic view of the whole concept of historical conceits and imperatives imbuing the materials so far made available to us concerning the Conquest of the Americas.
The author’s main thesis is that the whole of the Conquista ought to be tracked not only by the greed for gold and racial bloodlust but additionally through the lens of the zealously religious world outlook of the Spaniards and the Holy Roman Emporer (it covers the Spanish Conquista, the Portuguese Conquistadors are entirely another matter, not covered here).
There are a few parts of the book which are overly pedantic or that might not seem relevant, the uninterested reader can easily skip this material. But, for the reader who is curious about the subject and interested in adding a little more depth, substance and perspective to his historical wonderings, your time spent here pays off.
April 25, 2023
10/10
What a wild and interesting ride as this book details any of the major expeditions in the early 1500s as the Spanish Empire “discovered” and explored the Americas. I have a lot of thoughts on this but am horrible at articulating my thoughts n these reviews so bear with me. First, why the hell did we EVER celebrate Columbus day? Even aside from the fact that he was brutal and even his behavior appalled the noble court of Spain at the time, he was also INSANE. Thinking the world was shaped like a boob with the garden of Eden as the nipple type insane. Seriously, this dude was not alright mentally. It was interesting throughout the book to see how the nobles and rulers of Spain actually did not want slaves from the Americas and were appalled by the brutality of the conquistadores over there, something that I didn’t realize. In fact, one of the rulers had slaves sent back. Though it wasn’t because slavery is an awful practice against any human, it was due to the Americas technically being claimed as Spanish land and therefore, the indigenous peoples were technically citizens and therefore couldn’t be enslaved. It was also interesting how the Spanish conquistadors had a game plan for empire crumbling. A) Kidnap the figurehead/ruler, B) flame tensions and start civil war, C) murder ruler and install puppet ruler, D) Plunder the city even though they had vowed allegiance, E) success? Usually ends with the Spanish being chased from a ruined city and being massacred? It happened literally everywhere they went. But it is funny, they would have the indigenous peoples vow allegiance and fealty than still steal the gold and treasures of the city?? Also I didn’t realize that A) rival factions in the Americas would ally with the Spanish to fight against to gan power and B) the conquistadores literally were fighting each other ALL the time. Very interesting stuff, such a violent time where the Incas had a massive civil war and then fought the Spanish and all these other brutal events. Can’t say I feel bad when a conquistador expedition went horrible wrong.
What a wild and interesting ride as this book details any of the major expeditions in the early 1500s as the Spanish Empire “discovered” and explored the Americas. I have a lot of thoughts on this but am horrible at articulating my thoughts n these reviews so bear with me. First, why the hell did we EVER celebrate Columbus day? Even aside from the fact that he was brutal and even his behavior appalled the noble court of Spain at the time, he was also INSANE. Thinking the world was shaped like a boob with the garden of Eden as the nipple type insane. Seriously, this dude was not alright mentally. It was interesting throughout the book to see how the nobles and rulers of Spain actually did not want slaves from the Americas and were appalled by the brutality of the conquistadores over there, something that I didn’t realize. In fact, one of the rulers had slaves sent back. Though it wasn’t because slavery is an awful practice against any human, it was due to the Americas technically being claimed as Spanish land and therefore, the indigenous peoples were technically citizens and therefore couldn’t be enslaved. It was also interesting how the Spanish conquistadors had a game plan for empire crumbling. A) Kidnap the figurehead/ruler, B) flame tensions and start civil war, C) murder ruler and install puppet ruler, D) Plunder the city even though they had vowed allegiance, E) success? Usually ends with the Spanish being chased from a ruined city and being massacred? It happened literally everywhere they went. But it is funny, they would have the indigenous peoples vow allegiance and fealty than still steal the gold and treasures of the city?? Also I didn’t realize that A) rival factions in the Americas would ally with the Spanish to fight against to gan power and B) the conquistadores literally were fighting each other ALL the time. Very interesting stuff, such a violent time where the Incas had a massive civil war and then fought the Spanish and all these other brutal events. Can’t say I feel bad when a conquistador expedition went horrible wrong.
March 2, 2022
(Audiobook) This work looks at an aspect of history that has undergone more than its fair share of reassessments with the times. The Spanish "conquest" of the "New" World is a topic filled with controversy, a fair amount of it deserved. However, there is always more to the story, and that is what Cervantes looks to offer. Starting with the voyages of Columbus, this work follows the rise and fall of the Conquistadors as they came to the New World. They were brutal in their methods, especially Pizarro and Cortes, but they were not just mindless men driven by lust and greed. They were motivated by religious and adventurous motives to advance Spain and their fortunes. There was a significant impact from the social, political and religious environment in Spain during that time.
One thing that doesn't make the grade-school textbooks is that the stories of the exploits and actions of the Conquistadors in the New World, for all the wealth they brought in, did not generate positive headlines. There was much soul-searching and questioning of the morality of their actions in Spain, and condemnation followed their names as much as praise. It is a debate that is not just limited to the "revisionist" history of today.
Overall, the work does not take a positive view of these men, but it does not regulate them to status of cartoon villains. They did what they did and made their impact. They were men of their time, but their acts should not be emulated.
The rating is the same for audiobook and/or e-copy/hard copy.
One thing that doesn't make the grade-school textbooks is that the stories of the exploits and actions of the Conquistadors in the New World, for all the wealth they brought in, did not generate positive headlines. There was much soul-searching and questioning of the morality of their actions in Spain, and condemnation followed their names as much as praise. It is a debate that is not just limited to the "revisionist" history of today.
Overall, the work does not take a positive view of these men, but it does not regulate them to status of cartoon villains. They did what they did and made their impact. They were men of their time, but their acts should not be emulated.
The rating is the same for audiobook and/or e-copy/hard copy.
January 5, 2022
There is, quite frankly, a lot of myth and historical mayhem out there about the discovery of the "New World" and the role of Spain's "Conquistiadores." In Fernando Cervantes's riveting new book, we get a fresh, unbiased, and deeply researched historical overview of these brave, ambitious, at times greedy, and more often than not bloody explorers. From Pizarro to Cortés to the rest of them, Cervantes drills in what drove them to risk their lives on the high seas and in the jungles of Latin America. True, the search for gold was the primary factor. And with it came a great price - particularly for the native Americas who died by the thousands from diseases brought by the conquistadores if not at the bloody tip of their swords.
What is particularly valuable about Cervante's book is his superb overview of what was going on in Europe at the time, the wars and dynastic wars, the rise of Martin Luther, and the never-ending battles with the Moors. All of which directly impacted Spain's spending and focus on the New World - indeed, in many ways tremendously exasperating the desperate search for gold and silver in the New World to fund those very wars back home.
I am happy to have this book on my shelves as I know I will find it a tremendous resource in the years to come as I grow my business in Latin America and need to be refreshed on the history of that time, which continues to define in so many ways the way of life in the region today.
What is particularly valuable about Cervante's book is his superb overview of what was going on in Europe at the time, the wars and dynastic wars, the rise of Martin Luther, and the never-ending battles with the Moors. All of which directly impacted Spain's spending and focus on the New World - indeed, in many ways tremendously exasperating the desperate search for gold and silver in the New World to fund those very wars back home.
I am happy to have this book on my shelves as I know I will find it a tremendous resource in the years to come as I grow my business in Latin America and need to be refreshed on the history of that time, which continues to define in so many ways the way of life in the region today.
August 9, 2023
Recommended to me by one of my mentors, this book takes a fresh look at history of Spain at the time of unification under Fernando and Isobel, and it's context of Spain coming out of the Middle Ages and how that affected its "Age of Exploration" under the Conquistadores.
The book is an exercise under the umbrella of academia, so some of it goes over my head just a bit, but it did teach me some fascinating details about Columbus, Cortes and Pizarro I had not known. Too much to talk about here, but I loved reading about both the Azteca and Inca. He even writes about Soto's trek into the continental US.
Cervantes points out all the moving parts of what was happening to Spain at the time. Unification, coming out of the Middle Ages, the search for routes to Asia going westward all put into context the men who we would eventually label the "Conquistadores". He also talks about who the different religious orders were that were sent to the New World by the Crown, and why.
The book is an exercise under the umbrella of academia, so some of it goes over my head just a bit, but it did teach me some fascinating details about Columbus, Cortes and Pizarro I had not known. Too much to talk about here, but I loved reading about both the Azteca and Inca. He even writes about Soto's trek into the continental US.
Cervantes points out all the moving parts of what was happening to Spain at the time. Unification, coming out of the Middle Ages, the search for routes to Asia going westward all put into context the men who we would eventually label the "Conquistadores". He also talks about who the different religious orders were that were sent to the New World by the Crown, and why.
July 5, 2024
"Conquistadores" covers the history of the Spanish in the New World from Columbus through the conquests of the Aztec and Inca empires as well as (more briefly) some of the subsequent Spanish explorations in North and South America. Spanning the late 1400s through the mid-1500s, this book tells the story of the epochal events that changed the course of world history, situating the conquistadores in the New World through their homegrown Spanish context and explaining how the conquistadores period laid the foundations of the semi-autonomous and local/regional nature of the Spanish colonies in the New World.
The core thesis of the book is that we need to understand this period on its own terms and not retroactively frame this period through the lens of modern nationalism. The conquistador "kingdoms" were more loosely tied to the Spanish center than more modern forms of colonialisms, which allowed for a significant degree of local autonomy and regional diversity. We need to understand the conquistadors based on their medieval religious culture rather than a nationalist-centered narrative.
Some reviewers have mistakenly read this book as focusing on repatriating the conquistadors from modern critiques and sensibilities but that's not the core message of the book as such. However, and while the author acknowledges the horrible cruelties of the conquistadors, there is unfortunately an accompanying tendency to de-center the violence of the conquistadors, to focus on their own narratives of adventurous journeys and victories (though contemporary critiques like those of Las Cases are covered), and to privilege the Spanish perspective over the indigenous one. The useful historical perspectives on the nature of Spanish conquest and rule would have been better supplemented with a similar focus on Spanish greed and violence and on Indigenous perspectives. The latter does shine through to a certain extent (how could it not given the historical facts?), but I would have preferred those narratives to be more rigorously and critically centered than was the case here.
The core thesis of the book is that we need to understand this period on its own terms and not retroactively frame this period through the lens of modern nationalism. The conquistador "kingdoms" were more loosely tied to the Spanish center than more modern forms of colonialisms, which allowed for a significant degree of local autonomy and regional diversity. We need to understand the conquistadors based on their medieval religious culture rather than a nationalist-centered narrative.
Some reviewers have mistakenly read this book as focusing on repatriating the conquistadors from modern critiques and sensibilities but that's not the core message of the book as such. However, and while the author acknowledges the horrible cruelties of the conquistadors, there is unfortunately an accompanying tendency to de-center the violence of the conquistadors, to focus on their own narratives of adventurous journeys and victories (though contemporary critiques like those of Las Cases are covered), and to privilege the Spanish perspective over the indigenous one. The useful historical perspectives on the nature of Spanish conquest and rule would have been better supplemented with a similar focus on Spanish greed and violence and on Indigenous perspectives. The latter does shine through to a certain extent (how could it not given the historical facts?), but I would have preferred those narratives to be more rigorously and critically centered than was the case here.
December 18, 2023
Speaking of the age of discoveries, this account of the early stages of colonization of Latin America is a discovery in itself. Its geatest merit is in providing the much needed context: the chivalric ethos that, coupled with the curiousity to reach India (and eventually Jerusalem) by going the other way, set things into motion; the theological debates over the legal aspects of colonization that laid foundation for very unique form of Empire; the individual endeavours of a few (conquistadors and 'human right activists' like Bartolome de Las Casas) that affected the destinies of so many.
It was eye-opening fact that, unlike other Empires of the time, the Spanish crown insisted early on in treating the Native Americans as subjects and not discount them as mere savages. True, the riches of the new continent were duly appropriated as means to finance European warfare (primarily against the Ottomans), but exploatation wasn't an end in itself. Conversion to Christianity on the other hand, was such an end, yet half a century after the discovery this became the job of peaceful missionaries. The proof of that is high rates of indigenous population across many Latin American states and survival of Quechua, Náhuatl and Maya as spoken tongues.
The conclusion is equally mind-blowing: economic theory implying that difference between rich and poor countries is explained by inclusive institutions (and the lack of such) is seriously challenged. The eighteenth century would credit Mexico above United States in terms of prosperity, but something went amiss. That is however a subject for a book yet to be written.
It was eye-opening fact that, unlike other Empires of the time, the Spanish crown insisted early on in treating the Native Americans as subjects and not discount them as mere savages. True, the riches of the new continent were duly appropriated as means to finance European warfare (primarily against the Ottomans), but exploatation wasn't an end in itself. Conversion to Christianity on the other hand, was such an end, yet half a century after the discovery this became the job of peaceful missionaries. The proof of that is high rates of indigenous population across many Latin American states and survival of Quechua, Náhuatl and Maya as spoken tongues.
The conclusion is equally mind-blowing: economic theory implying that difference between rich and poor countries is explained by inclusive institutions (and the lack of such) is seriously challenged. The eighteenth century would credit Mexico above United States in terms of prosperity, but something went amiss. That is however a subject for a book yet to be written.
July 21, 2025
This book was actually on my wish list, but I wound up getting it to use as a reference for my European Conquest of the Americas class. This book provides a detailed history of the activities of the Spanish Conquistadores in the Americas. Of particular interest to me was their desire to help Spain prove their religious superiority. These explorations were funded by the Crown and religious groups. Catholic religious orders that participated and supported the exploration, evangelizing and pacifying, were mostly Dominicans, Carmelites, Franciscans, and Jesuits. These orders would go on to construct and operate residential schools for Indigenous children. As many know, methods used during the Spanish Inquisition to get people to confess and submit were cruel and barbaric. Many of these practices were used against Indigenous people, including the children in these missions and schools.
"There is no hate like Christian love." That quote holds so much weight even in our present timeline.
The book was well done. If you are interested in Spanish history or this history of the Americas, this is a great book to help out with that. I found it useful for several assignments during my class and tremendously helpful for my final project.
"There is no hate like Christian love." That quote holds so much weight even in our present timeline.
The book was well done. If you are interested in Spanish history or this history of the Americas, this is a great book to help out with that. I found it useful for several assignments during my class and tremendously helpful for my final project.
November 10, 2023
A book with a weird chip on its shoulder about the woke Anglo mob cancelling the well-meaning conquistadors, which undermines its handful of genuinely interesting insights. For example, the idea that indigenous Mexican Catholicism has far more in common with the day to day practices of an ordinary Spanish Catholics, or how the decentralized Hapsburg empire was a model for Latin American governance. Surprisingly, for a book that argues passionately that we should see the conquistadors as having a unique social context, I don’t feel like their motivations or context was explored enough.
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October 7, 2021Complete, comprehensive review of the few short decades of the 16th century when the Spanish completely dominated (destroyed?) what is now Mexico, Central America, and Western South America. Very thorough.
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