Die Eroberung von Mexiko

The clash of two cultural worlds - the chronicle of one of the most consequential events of the early modern period. The conquest of Mexico and the downfall of the Aztecs: Bernal Díaz del Castillo, who joined the troops of the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés as a foot soldier, was a witness to this event. He left future generations one of the most reliable and informative sources with his writings. Unlike Hernán Cortés, who sugarcoated events in his letters to Emperor Charles V, Díaz del Castillo does not hold back: he vividly describes the brutal actions taken with cross and sword against the indigenous people, reports on the intrigues among the Spaniards, the search for treasures, and the unequal distribution of the spoils of war, as well as the soldiers' discontent, who felt justifiably cheated yet could not escape the fascination with Cortés.