Spanish Conquest of Mexico in the 16th Century

“We came to serve God and get rich”—Bernal Diaz

“Behold this torch which we will light and place between our armies. If you do not make haste and retreat before the torch is burned, you will die. We do not want you as guests.” Maya warning to the Spaniards in 1518

“Do not lose your soul for the sake of an Indian woman” Geronimo de Aguilar to Gonzalo Guerrero

In the 1500s, two highly militaristic peoples fueled by religious ideologies requiring bloodshed clashed with one another. This is the tale of what happened when a band of Spaniards run into the Mexica (Aztec) empire. By the time the dust will settle, out of the 25 million indigenous inhabitants of Mexico, little over a million will be left standing. 

In this first episode:

-The development of Mesoamerican civilizations leading up to the Mexica

-An unfortunate misunderstanding between the Mexica and their neighbors involving a flayed princess

-The toughest mercenaries in the Valley of Mexico

-Serving the God of War

-A ballgame to settle a dispute on the meaning of creepy omens

-The Cordoba expedition

-The Grijalva expedition

-Pedro de Alvarado and his gangsta rap taste in jewelry

-Hernan Cortes and his playboy ways

-If you drop out of law school, at least conquer an empire

-The ballad of Gonzalo Guerrero

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