Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España facts for kids
Title page of an edition of 1632
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| Author | Captain Bernal Diaz del Castillo |
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| Original title | Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España |
| Country | Spain |
| Language | Spanish |
| Subject | Cortés, Hernán, -- 1485-1547. Mexico -- History -- Conquest, 1517-1540. |
| Published | 1800 (Printed for J. Wright, Piccadilly, by John Dean, High Street, Congleton) 1908 (The Hakluyt Society, London) 1963 (Penguin Books) |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 1760 |
| ISBN | 0-14-044123-9 (1963) |
| OCLC | 723180350 |
Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España (which means The True History of the Conquest of New Spain) is a famous book. It was written in 1568 by Bernal Díaz del Castillo. He was a soldier and explorer, also known as a conquistador.
Bernal Díaz del Castillo took part in three important trips to Mexico. These were the expeditions led by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba in 1517, Juan de Grijalva in 1518, and Hernán Cortés in 1519. His book tells his personal story of how the Spanish conquered the Aztec Empire. It includes the fall of Emperor Moctezuma II.
Why Was This Book Written?
Bernal Díaz del Castillo wrote his book when he was over 60 years old. He wanted to share the true story of the Spanish conquest. He felt that other writers had not given enough credit to the regular soldiers. He wanted to show their bravery and hard work.
Díaz del Castillo also wanted to offer a different view. Some writers, like Bartolomé de Las Casas, focused on the harsh treatment of native peoples. Others, like Francisco López de Gómara, praised Hernán Cortés too much. Díaz del Castillo believed these stories did not show the full picture.
His book is told from the point of view of "we," meaning all the soldiers. He defended their actions, saying they were serving God. He also honestly admitted, "We went there to serve God, and also to get rich."
Life After the Conquest
After the Aztec Empire was conquered, many soldiers, including Díaz del Castillo, did not become very rich. They had spent months fighting and exploring. The land and gold they received were often not enough for all their efforts. This made Díaz del Castillo sometimes critical of Cortés in his writings.
About the Translations
The True History of the Conquest of New Spain has been translated into English many times. One early translation was by Maurice Keatinge in 1800. Another important translation was done by Alfred Maudslay in 1908. This version is often seen as the most complete and accurate. It was based on the original Spanish copy published by Genaro García in Mexico.
See also
In Spanish: Historia verdadera de la conquista de la Nueva España para niños
