The Spanish invasion of what is now Mexico occurred in several parts, but the first battle waged between travelers from Spain and the inhabitants of Central America began in February of 1519. Yet previous to the 1519 battle, there was the Cuban undertaking in 1517. Then governor of Cuba, Diego Velazquez de Cuellar commissioned a fleet of ships to sail west and explore the Yucatan peninsula. When the ships arrived they were greeted by the Mayans and invited to land. This was the point at which everything turned sour between the two peoples.
The Mayans are reported as being hospitable, even curious of the Spanish. Yet these ships from Cuba were bent on bureaucratic procedures, as they read a declaration of authority for the Spanish crown to take possession of any lands they come upon. Of course, the Mayans had no understanding of the foreign language. The Spanish then took two men as translators, but were essentially held as hostages. As they sailed away from the peninsula, the Mayan chief Mochcouoh planned his reprisal. That evening the Mayans attacked the ships and killed eighty Spaniards, sending the delegation back to Cuba with nothing to report but ruin and human losses.
A year later, in 1518, the governor of Cuba sent yet another delegation of ships to conquer the Yucatan peninsula. The ships were loaded with weapons, salt pork and cassava bread, but this time there was a different commander who was not bent on destruction. Juan de Grijalva was instead interested in making contact with the Maya, trading goods and exploring the lands. Unfortunately the expedition failed to find the supposedly "rich empire" so popular in the stories among crew members. Grijalva returned to Cuba virtually empty handed.
Finally, a third fleet of ships was commissioned, and this time the infamous commander Hernan Cortes was to command. Cuban governor Velazquez knew Cortes shared the same goal for colonization and converting the natives to Christianity, and was not afraid to draw blood. Thus, in February of 1519 the Spanish invasion of the Yucatan peninsula began, albeit quietly. Cortes started small, on the island of Cozumel. He was able to convert a few locals, and even made contact with two Spanish survivors of an earlier shipwreck. One of these men later joined Cortes and assisted as a translator. It was another eight years before the Spanish crown began to get greedy and initiated a more aggressive manner of conquest.
Today, the Yucatan peninsula is a place of peaceful conservation. The delicate and beautiful ecosystems attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and are a huge part of global environmental sustainability efforts. While the above account is only a tiny part of the story of Spain's conquest of Yucatan, it is in stark contrast to the natural harmony existing there today.
The Mayans are reported as being hospitable, even curious of the Spanish. Yet these ships from Cuba were bent on bureaucratic procedures, as they read a declaration of authority for the Spanish crown to take possession of any lands they come upon. Of course, the Mayans had no understanding of the foreign language. The Spanish then took two men as translators, but were essentially held as hostages. As they sailed away from the peninsula, the Mayan chief Mochcouoh planned his reprisal. That evening the Mayans attacked the ships and killed eighty Spaniards, sending the delegation back to Cuba with nothing to report but ruin and human losses.
A year later, in 1518, the governor of Cuba sent yet another delegation of ships to conquer the Yucatan peninsula. The ships were loaded with weapons, salt pork and cassava bread, but this time there was a different commander who was not bent on destruction. Juan de Grijalva was instead interested in making contact with the Maya, trading goods and exploring the lands. Unfortunately the expedition failed to find the supposedly "rich empire" so popular in the stories among crew members. Grijalva returned to Cuba virtually empty handed.
Finally, a third fleet of ships was commissioned, and this time the infamous commander Hernan Cortes was to command. Cuban governor Velazquez knew Cortes shared the same goal for colonization and converting the natives to Christianity, and was not afraid to draw blood. Thus, in February of 1519 the Spanish invasion of the Yucatan peninsula began, albeit quietly. Cortes started small, on the island of Cozumel. He was able to convert a few locals, and even made contact with two Spanish survivors of an earlier shipwreck. One of these men later joined Cortes and assisted as a translator. It was another eight years before the Spanish crown began to get greedy and initiated a more aggressive manner of conquest.
Today, the Yucatan peninsula is a place of peaceful conservation. The delicate and beautiful ecosystems attract hundreds of thousands of visitors every year, and are a huge part of global environmental sustainability efforts. While the above account is only a tiny part of the story of Spain's conquest of Yucatan, it is in stark contrast to the natural harmony existing there today.
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