Conquest of New Spain

'The Conquest of New Spain' is the first-person account of Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a military adventurer, conquistador, and colonist settler of the 16th century who participated in three Mexican expeditions: Hernan Cortes (1517) in the Valley of Mexico; Juan de Grijalva (1518) in the Yucatan Peninsula; and Francisco Hernandez de Cordoba (1517) in the Yucatan Peninsula. Del Castillo describes how he took part in the downfall of Emperor Moctezuma II and the subsequent Aztec empire's destruction. It is unique in addition to Castillo's descriptions since it presents a negative picture of Herman Cortes, the expedition leader to Mesoamerica. Although Cortes' conquistador army and leadership qualities have typically been lauded by history, Castillo portrays Cortes as a man who defrauded his soldiers of the glory they earned. Castillo accuses Cortes of stealing his soldiers' portion of the Aztec wealth, explaining why many soldiers found themselves no richer than they were when they came. Castillo didn't finish writing his story until he was more than eighty years old. Castillo's method of ensuring that the narrative of the average soldier was conveyed in a striking manner was his way of demanding that the reality of the tragic mission be fully revealed and completed.