Download What Was the Aztec Understanding of the Spanish Before Their

H o w D i d C o n f l i c t i n g Wo r l d v i e w s L e a d t o t h e S p a n i s h C o n q u e s t o f t h e A z t e c C i v i l i z a t i o n ?
What Was the Aztec
Understanding of the
Spanish Before Their Arrival?
Historians today believe that about the same time he became king
in 1502, Moctezuma must have heard reports of foreigners landing
in the West Indies. The Spanish had established ports on some
of the islands in the Caribbean and had explored the eastern
Meso-American coastline, especially in the Mayan lands on the
Yucatan Peninsula. For 20 years, the Spanish had heard rumours
from the inhabitants of the islands about a wealthy civilization that
lived on the mainland. Historians also believe that the islanders
passed information about the Spanish to the Aztec. The rumours
described their ships as floating towers. They had light skin, long
beards, and hair that came only to their ears. These descriptions
reminded the Aztec of stories of the god Quetzalcoatl.
The Aztec worldview included a belief in the powers of the gods
and supernatural signs. They often consulted priests before taking
any action. The beginning of anything important was determined
by priests indicating lucky or unlucky days. Both Aztec and Spanish
records show that during Moctezuma’s reign, the Aztec experienced
many frightening omens. The omens were warning of a disaster.
These omens, and a belief that the god Quetzalcoatl was returning
one day to reclaim his throne, confused Moctezuma and his advisors
about how they should deal with the Spanish when they landed on
the shores of the empire.
Island Capital of the Aztecs,
Tenochtitlan, Luis Covarrubias,
Museo Nacional de
Antropologia, Mexico City
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