Originally titled Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva España (The True History of the Conquest of New Spain), this first-person narrative by the military adventurer, conquistador, and settler Bernal Díaz del Castillo (1492-1584) recounts the fall of Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II, the defeat of the Aztec Empire, and his participation in the Spanish military campaigns that brought them about. Díaz served in three Mesoamerican expeditions, that of Francisco Hernández de Córdoba to the Yucatán peninsula (1517); that of Juan de Grijalva (1518), and finally the expedition of Hernán Cortés (1519) in the Valley of Mexico. Amongst chroniclers, Díaz was most celebrated as Daniel Defoe (1660-1731) was amongst novelists.

Beyond the sheer adventure and conflict, Díaz del Castillo’s work serves as a crucial document for understanding the complexities of Spanish colonization, the clash of civilizations, and the inevitable changes it brought to the New World. His account not only sheds light on the strategic military maneuvers and alliances formed with various indigenous groups but also reflects on the cultural exchanges, misunderstandings, and the human aspects of this epochal period. The Conquest of New Spain stands not just as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the conquerors, but also as a poignant reminder of the worlds that were irrevocably changed in the wake of their ambitions.

Author

Bernal Díaz del Castillo (1492-1584) was a Spanish conquistador and historian who played a significant role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century. Born in Medina del Campo, Spain, he traveled to the New World in search of adventure and fortune. Díaz del Castillo is best known for his firsthand account of the conquest, The Conquest of New Spain, which provides a detailed and vivid narrative of the events from the perspective of a soldier involved in the expedition led by Hernán Cortés. His work stands out for its detailed descriptions of battles, the customs and cultures of the indigenous peoples, and the political dynamics within the Spanish expedition. Despite controversies over its accuracy and biases, his account remains one of the most important and influential primary sources for understanding the Spanish conquest of Mexico and the fall of the Aztec Empire.