Alan Zurita
Prof Blake
Hist 1510
05 Mar 2012
Document Analysis of The Broken Spears
The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico by Miguel LeonPortilla is just like its title sounds, an account of the Aztecs prior to Spanish conquest as well as
accounts of the conquest itself. Until this account of the conquest the only writings that told the
story came from Hernando Cortes, the conqueror himself, to the king of Spain and from Bernal
Diaz del Castillo. “The Broken Spears” is the first book to offer the story from the perspective of
the Aztec people. They include accounts written by Aztec priests and wise men from as early as
1528, only seven years after the fall of Tenochtitlan. In addition to stories of the conquest this
article also gives insight into the history of the Aztecs and information about their empire and its
origins.
“The Broken Spears” is an alternative view of a major historical event that changed the
balance of power throughout the world. During this period of worlds coming together, Europe
was at the height of human civilization, in their view. However, the people of Mesoamerica had
a diverse civilization with culture, education, language, tradition and history. Even the Spanish
soldiers had to understand the grandeur of this empire, even with the disdain they had to such
“savage” people. As described by one Spanish soldier when they met the Aztec king
Motecuhzoma, “so we stood looking about us, for the huge and cursed temple stood so high that
from it one could see over everything very well”. A civilization that deserves to be recognized
understood and validated regardless of the Spanish conquistador opinion.
Portilla describes how the Aztec empire came to be, from the early rise and decline of
empires like the Maya and the Teotihuacan that led to the Toltec empire, all of which gave
features to the foundations of the Aztecs. Portilla explains that the rise of the Aztecs was not a
smooth road, but that their humble beginnings were these of nomads who came to the island of
Tenochtitlan, an island that was so undesirable that other tribes didn’t even want it. Two
centuries later, Tenochtitlan was the Aztec metropolis and capital of the triple alliance of Aztec
power.
Also made clear in Portilla’s work is the Aztec society. Like many societies throughout
the history of mankind, the Aztecs were stratified into social classes. Much like the societies of
Europe, the social classes were broken up into nobles, called the pipiltin, who received advanced
education in reading, writing, astrology, theology and other cultural legacies of the Toltecs, were
who allowed to own land and fill posts in government. The second tier of social class in Aztec
society was the ordinary citizens called the macehualtin. These people were required to attend
school, but they were trained in agriculture, artisanship, merchant work and warfare. The third
and lowest class was the mayeques who worked land for others as serfs or slaves. In addition to
these classes, there were also wise men called tlamatinime. They studied theology and preserved
the old belief of the Toltecs of a single supreme god.
In addition to societal stratification, Portilla also talks about Aztec warfare. This, of
course, played a huge role in the fall of the Aztecs. Portilla explains how, in Aztec culture, that
war was declared through certain rituals. This explains the Aztec surprise when the Spaniards
who were their guests suddenly turned on theme without apparent motive and the ritual
warnings. Accounts from the Aztecs of the slaughter in the main temple in Tenochtitlan convey
this idea.
“They ran in among the dancers, forcing their way to the place where the drums were
played. The attacked the man who was drumming and cut off his arms. Then they cut off
his head, and it rolled across the floor. They attacked the celebrants, stabbing them,
spearing them, striking them with their swords. They attacked some of them from behind,
and these fell instantly to the ground with their entrails hanging out.”
This portrays a celebrating people stunned and surprised, not a people prepared for battle with
warriors at the ready.
According to Aztec accounts Cortes and his men were met at one of the the triple alliance
powers of Tezcoco. Here, they were met by the Aztec king Motecuhzoma’s nephew Ixlilxochtl,
who was ordered to greet the strangers and make them honored guests, even letting them stay in
the royal palace. The people of Tezcoco were quickly astonished by the Spanish and were eager
to be made Christians, even being baptized and given Spanish names. When Motecuhzoma
learned of what happened in Tezcoco, he called together his most trusted advisors to decide what
to do. Some warned that they should repel the Spanish and not allow them to enter the capital of
Tenochtitlan. He chose instead to allow the Spaniards to enter the city as honored guests. The
meeting of the two leaders ended in disaster and treachery for the Aztecs. Cortes soon took
control of the city putting the king under guard and forcing him to show them where their
treasures were. They Spanish quickly gathered up all the gold with greed and started the end of a
sovereign people of America.
The Aztec account of the conquest of Mexico is a version not generally read. In many
ways, the history that people are taught is one that the Spanish came and conquered a savage
people who were as wild as they were dangerous. However, in “The Broken Spears” it is made
clear that the Aztec were in fact a civilized people who simply had different culture, values and
societal make up. They were not the savages that the Spanish saw them as. With insight into
some of the fear and awe that the people of Mexico had for the strangers that came people can
relate to them. In many ways, the Aztec account of the events mirrors the accounts of the
Spanish. By seeing the perspective and background of the victims of this conquest, people can
see that the Aztecs were, in fact, people who were not prepared for total warfare and this led to
their destruction and loss of their hereditary land.