Malintzin (aka Doña Marina, aka La Malinche) was born in Mexico around 1500. Twice sold into slavery, she found a way to use her multilingualism and skill at diplomacy to make her indispensable to newly-arrived Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. In the aftermath of the Spanish conquest, Malintzin has been viewed alternately as victim, villain, seductress, folk legend, and myth. But who was the real person?

References:

Monstras podcast http://monstraspodcast.com/podcast/episode/4abc6788/la-malinche

Fifth Sun: A new history of the Aztecs by Camilla Townsend

Malintzin's Choices: An Indian Woman in the Conquest of Mexico by Camilla Townsend

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International, part 4: Mexico's Notorious La Malinche