The Conquest of New Spain (Classics)
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Product Description
Product Description
Vivid, powerful and absorbing, this is a first-person account of one of the most startling military episodes in history: the overthrow of Montezuma's doomed Aztec Empire by the ruthless Hernan Cortes and his band of adventurers.
Bernal Díaz del Castillo, himself a soldier under Cortes, presents a fascinatingly detailed description of the Spanish landing in Mexico in 1520 and their amazement at the city, the exploitation of the natives for gold and other treasures, the expulsion and flight of the Spaniards, their regrouping and eventual capture of the Aztec capital.
About the Author
Spanish historian Bernal Diaz del Castillo (c.1492-1584) was a soldier in the army of the conquistador Cortes in the attack on the Aztecs.
J M Cohen translated widely from French and Spanish, including for Penguin Classics Montaigne's Essays and Cervantes' Don Quixote.
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First Sentence
BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO, the last survivor of the Conquerors of Mexico, died on his estates in Guatemala at the age of eight-nine, as poor as he had lived. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
BERNAL DIAZ DEL CASTILLO, the last survivor of the Conquerors of Mexico, died on his estates in Guatemala at the age of eight-nine, as poor as he had lived. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Over the last couple of years I've been quite interested in the Spanish conquest of South America, and I had heard this book referred to a couple of times, so thought I would pick it up.
Anyone with even just a passing interest in South America history should grab a copy. It's easily one of the most gripping and interesting books I've ever read.
The story is translated from the original Spanish of a soldier who traveled with Hernan Cortes and his small band of soldiers, who eventually overthrew a rich and powerful civilisation.
Bernal Diaz' story starts with his involvement in a couple of early investigations of the Mexican coast, moving onto his expedition with Cortes. He explains the movements and battles in detail, meetings between 2 cultures who didn't really know what to make of each other, building towards the incredible climax of fearsome resistance and house to house fighting in the fall of Tenochtitlan.
A truly amazing book that is a must read for anyone with an interest in history.
Anyone with even just a passing interest in South America history should grab a copy. It's easily one of the most gripping and interesting books I've ever read.
The story is translated from the original Spanish of a soldier who traveled with Hernan Cortes and his small band of soldiers, who eventually overthrew a rich and powerful civilisation.
Bernal Diaz' story starts with his involvement in a couple of early investigations of the Mexican coast, moving onto his expedition with Cortes. He explains the movements and battles in detail, meetings between 2 cultures who didn't really know what to make of each other, building towards the incredible climax of fearsome resistance and house to house fighting in the fall of Tenochtitlan.
A truly amazing book that is a must read for anyone with an interest in history.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Bernal Diaz's account of his expirences in New Spain (i.e, Mexico and the Aztec Empire) is one of the key texts associated with the expansion into and colonisation of Central and South America by the Spanish in the Sixteenth Century. His first hand account of the Mexica and the practices of the Aztecs, as well as his description of the events leading up to the eventual defeat of the once mighty Aztec Empire by a small band of Spanish adventurers provides important and interesting information about this period and on South American History.
While there are notable inaccuracies and biases in Diaz's account, the editor (J.M. Cohen)provides an excellent interpretation of this primary document and points the reader in the right direction as far as what interpretation to give Diaz's text (written when the former soldier was a very old, and probably bitter, man). However, through no fault of the editor, Diaz suffers from considerable verbal diahorea and much of his account is neither intersting or relevant. Nevertheless, this is one of the most important and complete contemporary documents on the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs, and also one of the few to survive.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
When Bernal Diaz set out from Spain in the early 16th century he had no idea what lay before him. His was an adventure that wouuld see the collapse of the ancient empire of the Aztecs. Spain would assume supremacy in the New world and our world would be changed forever. Diaz gives a first-hand account of the miltary campaign, which he was actively engaged in, that led to these momentous world-changing events. He displays a deep understanding of, and sympathy with, the native Indians. His heart is always in the right place, but his sword is always in his right hand. Towards the end of his long life he took up his pen and bequeathed to us a book that puts flesh and blood on the dry bones of history. This is historical narrative at its most sweeping and compelling best.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
disapointed
I had read a different interpretation of this book on a pdf file but wanted a hard copy so bought this, it shamelessly cuts out important sections and events, even though in the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by mich
unbelievable
Bernal Diaz gives a highly readable,first hand account of the conquest of the Aztecs.What this man,when he died at the age of 89,had experienced in his life beggars belief and the... Read more
Published on 7 Mar 2010 by Mr. S. J. Macdonald
Gold, not Faith
Bernal Díaz's bloody tale is an extremely revealing text and an overt message to all soldiers all over the world. Read more
Published on 13 Feb 2010 by Luc REYNAERT
Couldn't put it down. Fact with the grip of fiction.
The translator, Cohen, has drawn the salient facts from someone who was actually there, Bernal Diaz. Read more
Published on 24 April 2002
Brilliant
.. it is probably the best historical book i have read. the fact it was written 500 years ago and is still interesting to the average person is rare. Read more
Published on 17 Dec 2001
A great book - pity about the edition
Bernal Diaz's account of the conquest of Tenochtitlan by the Spanish is one of the best documents of that famous event. Read more
Published on 12 Dec 2001
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