The First Letter from New Spain

The Lost Petition of Cortés and His Company, June 20, 1519

John F Schwaller author

Format:Paperback

Publisher:University of Texas Press

Published:1st May '15

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

The First Letter from New Spain cover

"An excellent piece of historical research... The authors have taken a long-overlooked manuscript source that despite certain paleographic problems and physical damage still enables them to reconstruct the names of those men who were with Cortes at the very start of the conquest of Mexico... The result is a fascinating example of historical reconstruction ... and an important contribution." -- Stuart Schwartz, George Burton Adams Professor of History, Yale University

Presenting an authoritative translation and analysis of the only surviving original document from the first months of the Spanish conquest, this book brings to life a decisive moment in the history of Mexico and offers an enlarged understanding of the con

The founding of la Villa Rica de la Veracruz (the rich town of the True Cross) is prominently mentioned in histories of the conquest of Mexico, but scant primary documentation of the provocative act exists. During a research session at the Spanish archives, when John Schwaller discovered an early-sixteenth-century letter from Veracruz signed by the members of Cortés’s company, he knew he had found a trove of historical details. Providing an accessible, accurate translation of this pivotal correspondence, along with in-depth examinations of its context and significance, The First Letter from New Spain gives all readers access to the first document written from the mainland of North America by any European, and the only surviving original document from the first months of the conquest.

The timing of Cortés’s Good Friday landing, immediately before the initial assault on the Aztec Empire, enhances the significance of this work. Though the expedition was conducted under the authority of Diego Velázquez, governor of Cuba, the letter reflects an attempt to break ties with Velázquez and form a strategic alliance with Carlos V, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. Brimming with details about the events surrounding Veracruz’s inception and accompanied by mini-biographies of 318 signers of the document—socially competitive men who risked charges of treason by renouncing Velázquez—The First Letter from New Spain gives evidence of entrepreneurship and other overlooked traits that fueled the conquest.

From the moment that I opened The First Letter from New Spain to its conclusion, I found myself ridiculously excited about the material. . . . Schwaller does a good job in his effort to place the founding of the town within the context of the events surrounding it. Further, by organizing the book in the way that they do and focusing on all known signatories, Schwaller and Nader lessen the exceptionalism of the top conquistadores and demonstrate the very real plight and dangers that awaited the conquistadores at the bottom ranks of the group. At the end of the monograph, and this review, I find myself just as excited about it as when I started. I believe that the book will appeal to scholars, students, and the general public alike. * Hispanic American Historical Review *

ISBN: 9781477307632

Dimensions: 229mm x 152mm x 23mm

Weight: 399g

316 pages