Third letter of Hernán Cortés to the Emperor Charles V facts for kids
The Third Letter of Relation (also known as Tercera Carta de relación) was a very important letter written by the Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés. It was one of five letters he sent to Emperor Carlos V of Spain. Cortés wrote these letters to tell the Emperor about the new lands he had found and how he was conquering them. This specific letter was signed on May 15, 1522, in a place called Coyoacán.
The letter tells the story of Cortés's journey to the "New World" (which is now Mexico). It describes how he conquered the big city of Tenochtitlán and what happened to it. The letter covers events from 1520 until the final conquests in 1522.
Contents
What the Letter Is About
In the first part of his letter, Cortés talks about the Battle of Otumba. This battle happened after a big defeat for the Spanish, known as the ""Night of Sorrows"." After this, Cortés and his soldiers went to Tlaxcala to get ready again. Their goal was to surround and take over Tenochtitlán.
Cortés explains that he had to create "Military Rules" for his soldiers. These rules helped keep order and stop stealing or damaging things.
Building Ships for Battle
Cortés then describes how they built special boats called brigantines. These boats were needed to enter Tenochtitlán using its canals. The boats were made in Tlaxcala because the people there were a big help to the Spanish.
Thirteen of these boats were taken apart and carried to Lake Texcoco. The Tlaxcaltec people helped carry them. Once at the lake, they built special docks to put the boats back together. They also dug channels to connect the docks to the lake. This area became the main base for their military plan.
Surrounding Tenochtitlán
Cortés ordered his troops to take control of the towns around Tenochtitlán. Many of these towns were loyal to the Mexica people and supplied them with food. By taking over these towns, Cortés wanted to stop food and supplies from reaching Tenochtitlán. This would make the city surrender faster.
At this time, Cortés also mentions the first smallpox outbreak. This disease was very deadly and killed many native people. It also caused the death of Cuitláhuac, who was Moctezuma's brother and the ruler of the Mexica. After Cuitláhuac died, Cuauhtémoc became the new emperor. Another writer, Bernal Díaz del Castillo, said that the smallpox disease came from an enslaved person who arrived with another Spanish group.
Cortés also wrote in detail about the battles between the Spanish and the Mexica. He described the brave actions of some of his captains during the siege of the city. Some of these captains, like Cristóbal de Guzmán, were captured and later sacrificed by the Mexica.
The Fall of Tenochtitlán
The most important part of the letter is the description of how Tenochtitlán and Tlatelolco were captured. The letter says that the Spanish not only cut off supplies but also cut off the city's water supply.
Cortés used his brigantines to attack important areas. His soldiers fought their way through every street, causing a lot of damage. The Mexica and Tlatelolca people fought back bravely. In the last strongholds of Tlatelolco, Cortés's troops and the forces of Pedro de Alvarado were able to meet up. Alvarado's forces then started burning down temples.
Cortés wrote about the death and destruction after the long siege. He said he tried to get the people to surrender, but Cuauhtémoc and others refused. Finally, on August 13, 1521, a captain named García Holguín captured the leaders of Mexico, Texcoco, and Tlacopan. These leaders were Cuauhtémoc, Coanacochtzin, and Tetlepanquetzaltzin. The capture of Cuauhtémoc, who was the last ruler of Mexico-Tenochtitlán, marked the end of the Mexica empire.
Map of Tenochtitlán
One special thing about this letter is the map that came with it. This map showed the city of Mexico-Tenochtitlán. People believe the map was made in 1520, but it was only sent with this third letter. Cortés's secretary, Juan de Ribera, sent it. The map shows the lakes and main roads that went through Tenochtitlán. This map was later printed in a book of Cortés's letters in Nuremberg in 1524.
See also
In Spanish: Tercera carta de relación de Hernán Cortés al emperador Carlos V para niños
