Review of "The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico" by Bernal Diaz

Gun Watch ^ | June 4, 2017 | Dean Weingarten

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Cortez had a huge army of Tlaxcalans(10,000 or more) backing him as they also hated the Aztecs. They were tired of being used as human sacrifices to Aztec gods.

[arthurus]

Today at such a sale I picked up War of the Roses, a1912 whaling book, and a French canoeing book among others. I got 14 books today and when I get that many I will probably have one or two that I get a few pages into and realize it is not worth the dollar I paid for it. When I am done with them all I will take back the ones I don’t keep {just a couple) for someone else to find. The best times are when the library gets a whole collection of books from an estate. People who collect books for decades tend to have a lot of good ones.

[texanyankee]

I fear my large collection of books will end up in some trash heap.

My 2 grown kids show no interest in historical accounts as me.

Most of them are paperbacks but a significant amount are hardcover so they could/should fetch a few dollars on ebay.

I doubt a library would be interested except for resale.

[moovova]

"Some are openly promoting the Aztec religion."

Well, that takes heart.

[marktwain]

Thanks for the detailed response on the extra-legality of Cortez’ actions.

[marktwain]

I found this digital copy of the last voyage of Lasalle.

The Project Gutenberg eBook of Joutel's Journal of La Salle's Last Voyage, 1684-7

Looks very interesting.

[PUGACHEV]

The Spanish were punctilious in observing the law during their many conquests. It seems odd to us, but they were obsessive about it. When encountering a native population they always read a proclamation announcing the establishment of Spanish authority and the authority of the church. Of course, there was little chance the natives had any idea of what being said or what it meant, but, to the Spanish, it justified the harshest reprisals if the natives did not convert.

Eventually, Spain and Portugal came into conflict over who had the right to rule where in the New World and the Pope had to step on and settle it to avoid what would probably have been a world war. However, not everyone agreed with the Pope’s decision, and when French pirates plundered Spanish treasure galleons, the King of France justified it by asking to see the codicil in Adam’s will which left the New World to Spain.

[marktwain]

When encountering a native population they always read a proclamation announcing the establishment of Spanish authority and the authority of the church.

Yes, Bernal Diaz mentions this practice repeatedly.

[DIRTYSECRET]

*I fear my large collection of books will end up in some trash heap.
My 2 grown kids show no interest in historical accounts as me.*

I got rid of all mine. It’s not like I’ll read them all a second time. It’s more of a trophy case that takes up space.

I do go to the library if there’s one I’d like to reread from 50 years ago. Some of them really had an influence on a young mind.

[ckilmer]

What i found to most shocking about bernal diaz account was the homosexuality in the aztec and mayan priesthood.

what makes that so crazy intesting is that the same combination of human sacrifice and sexual deviancy is evident in the middle eastern religions at the time of the old testament.

[arthurus]

Resale is what the libraries do with donations unless they come from Universities and such. Those donations have been a boon to me and provided some good reading for my grandsons. I don ot throw them out hen read. I either return them for re-resale Or give them to my grandkids or to other people who want to read them. There are some of us put here who would much rater read a book than read on-line. it is a lot easier on the eyes.

[Farmerbob]

I love the library sale room. Don’t mind spending .25-.50 on a random author or subject.

[Farmerbob]

[I fear my large collection of books will end up in some trash heap.]

Leave a note in your will to have them donated to a senior center.