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Mexico

Chapter 5: SUSAN HALE
By Susan Hale
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This work traces the peoples and civilizations of the Mexican plateau and surrounding regions, surveying mythic origins, Toltec and Chichimec migrations, Texcucan and Michoacan polities, Mayan cities, and the rise of the Aztec capital. It examines institutions, religion, literature, agriculture, and calendar systems, profiles rulers such as Nezahualcoyotl and Motecuhzoma, and recounts contact with Spanish expeditionaries, Cortés's campaigns, and the fall and destruction of the Indigenous capital. The narrative balances archaeological description, native legend, and colonial chronicles to show cultural achievements, political dynamics, and the disruptive effects of conquest and subsequent colonial rule.

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Title: Mexico

Author: Susan Hale

Release date: June 18, 2012 [eBook #40032]
Most recently updated: October 23, 2024

Language: English

Credits: E-text prepared by Steven Gibbs, Josephine Paolucci, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEXICO ***

The Project Gutenberg eBook, Mexico, by Susan Hale

 

E-text prepared by Steven Gibbs, Josephine Paolucci,
and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
(http://www.pgdp.net)

 

 

The Story of the Nations.

MEXICO

THE STORY OF THE NATIONS.

Large Crown 8vo, Cloth, Illustrated, 5s.

1. ROME. Arthur Gilman, M.A.
2. THE JEWS. Prof. J. K. Hosmer.
3. GERMANY. Rev. S. Baring-Gould, M.A.
4. CARTHAGE. Prof. A. J. Church.
5. ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE. Prof J. P. Mahaffy.
6. THE MOORS IN SPAIN. Stanley Lane-Poole.
7. ANCIENT EGYPT. Canon Rawlinson.
8. HUNGARY. Prof. A. Vambéry.
9. THE SARACENS. A. Gilman, M.A.
10. IRELAND. Hon. Emily Lawless.
11. CHALDÆA. Z. A. Ragozin.
12. THE GOTHS. Henry Bradley.
13. ASSYRIA. Z. A. Ragozin.
14. TURKEY. Stanley Lane-Poole.
15. HOLLAND. Prof. J. E. Thorold Rogers.
16. MEDIÆVAL FRANCE. Prof. Gustave Masson.
17. PERSIA. S. G. W. Benjamin.
18. PHŒNICIA. Canon Rawlinson.
19. MEDIA. Z. A. Ragozin.
20. THE HANSA TOWNS. Helen Zimmern.
21. EARLY BRITAIN. Prof. A. J. Church.
22. THE BARBARY CORSAIRS. Stanley Lane-Poole.
23. RUSSIA. W. R. Morfill, M.A.
24. THE JEWS UNDER ROMAN RULE. W. D. Morrison.
25. SCOTLAND. John Mackintosh, LL.D.
26. SWITZERLAND. Mrs. Lina Hug and Richard Stead.
27. MEXICO. Susan Hale.

London: T. FISHER UNWIN, Paternoster Square, E.C.

THE CONVENT OF CAPUCHINAS. (LAST PRISON OF MAXIMILIAN.)

MEXICO

BY

SUSAN HALE

 

 

 

London
T. FISHER UNWIN
PATERNOSTER SQUARE
NEW YORK: G. P. PUTNAM'S SONS
MDCCCXCI


Entered at Stationers' Hall
By T. FISHER UNWIN

Copyright by G. P. Putnam's Sons
(For the United States of America).

CONTENTS.

I.

PAGE

The Subject 1-11

View from a steamer, 1—Seen by Fernando Cortés, 2; his ambition, 3—Inhospitable coast, 3—Vera Cruz, 4—Departure, 4—Climate we leave, 5—Climate we are seeking, 5—Three climates of Mexico, 6—Anahuac, 6; Tierra templada, 7—Scenery of the plateau, 7—Its early inhabitants, 8—Destroyed by Cortés, 8—Traditions of Anahuac, 9—Teocallis changed to cathedrals, 9—The Conquistadores, 10—Spanish rulers, 10—Two emperors, 10—Mexico a republic, 11; its past and future, 11.

II.

Shadowy Tribes 12-23

Meaning of Anahuac, 12—Tula, formerly Tollan, 13—The Toltecs, 13—Cholula: its legends, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20—Mound builders, 21—Legends of the Nahuas, 21—Huehue-Tlapallan, 22—Atlantis, 22—Noah of the Mexican tribes, 22—Universal fable of the deluge, 23.

III.

Traditions of the Toltecs 24-37

Their wanderings, 24; ruins of their capital, 26; their resources, 26; language, 27; early faith, 27—Cuernavaca, 28—Toluca, 28—Power of their ruler, 29—Quetzalcoatl, The Shining Snake, 29; legends of his career, 30; possible facts, 32; mystery of his departure, 32; image in the museum, 33; his attributes, 33—Evil days of the Toltecs, 34—The Agave Americana, 34; its properties, 35—Maguey, 35—Xochitl, 36; her beverage, 36—Deterioration of the Toltecs, 37; dates of their wanderings, 37.

IV.

Chichimecs 38-44

A new dynasty, 38—The Chichimecs, 39; occupations and customs, 39—The mark of a warrior, 39—The Serpent of the Clouds, 40—The invasion of Xolotl, 40—Fall of Tollan, 41—Territory of Xolotl, 41—New waves of emigration, 42—Wise rulers, 42—Texcuco, 42—The Aztecs, 43—War with Atzcapotzalco, 44—Kingdom of Texcuco, 44.

V.

Nezahualcoyotl 45-52

The young prince, 45; in captivity, 45; a faithful friend, 46—Tlaxcaza, 46—The plateau to-day, 46—The Malinche, 46—The Land of Bread, 47—A wise tutor, 47—Maxtla, 48—The homage of Nezahualcoyotl, 48—Maxtla's plot, 48—Open enmity, 49—Nezahualcoyotl's escape, 49; his hiding, 50—Tyranny of Maxtla, 50—The true prince triumphant, 51—Maxtla defeated and killed, 51—The kingdom of Texcuco Acolhuacan, 52.

VI.

Texcuco 53-61

The Golden Age, 53—The government, 53—Council of Music, 53—Texcucan literature, 54—Lost treasures, 54—A royal poet, 55—The Laughing Hill, 56—Artificial lakes, 56—Ruins of Tezcotzinco, 56—Baths of Montezuma, 57—A blot on Nezahualcoyotl's fame, 57; a Mexican Haroun al Raschid, 58; his religion, 59—From anarchy to civilization, 59—Nezahualpilli, 59—Decline of Texcuco, 60—A Texcucan historian, 60—Legend or fact? 61.

VII.

Michoacan 62-69

The Land of Fish, 62—Lonely lakes, 62—Patzcuaro, 63—The Place of Delights, 64—The first settlers, 64—Iré Titatacamé, 65—A dusky princess, 65—Tixiacurí, the first king of Michoacan, 66—The kingdom divided, 66—Tzintzuntzan, 67—The glorious reign of Zovanga, 67—A city of birds, 67—Fruitless excavations, 68—The Tarascans, 68.

VIII.

Mayas 70-82

The first wave of migration, 70—Traces of Mayas in Yucatan, 70—A great empire, 71—Nachan, the town of serpents, 72; its ruins discovered, 72—Palace at Palenque, 72—Lofty chambers and strange bas-reliefs, 73—The Temple of the Cross, 74—An emblem of Christian faith, 75—Meaning of the tablets, 75—Chichen-Itza, 76—A religious centre, 77—Paintings and bas-reliefs, 78—Chaak Mool, the tiger-chief, 78—The beautiful Kinich, 78—Tomb of Chaak Mool, 78—Paved roads of Yucatan, 79—Votan and Zamna, 80—Mayan legends, 80—Weapons and armor, 81—War with the Toltecs, 82.

IX.

Aztecs 83-95

Best known of the Anahuac tribes, 83—Aztlan, 83—The migration, 84—Six centuries of wanderings, 84—The name Mexican, 84,—Their adopted home, 84—Chapultepec, 86—Driven to the islands, 87—A wretched life, 87—Valor of the slaves, 87—An abiding city, 87—Tenochtitlan, or Mexico, 88—Advances in civilization, 88—Results of modern research, 89—A king chosen, 90—Early years of the kingdom, 91—The Princess of Cloth, 92—Canoas, 92—Chimalpopoca, 94—The usurpation, 94—Maxtla, 95.

X.

Mexicans 96-110

Itzcoatl, 96—Alliance with Texcuco, 96—War with Maxtla, 96—Victory of the allies, 97—Fall of the Tepanec monarchy, 97—"The Valley Confederates," 98—Reign of Motecuhzoma, 98—Height of the Mexican power, 98—Conquest of the Chalcas, 99—Inundation and famine, 99—Raid upon neighboring provinces, 100—Laws of Motecuhzoma, 100; his successor, 101—Tizoc, 101—The Drinking-cup of the Eagle, 101—Human sacrifice, 102—Temple built by Tizoc, 105—Dikes, 105—A despot, 106—Extent of the kingdom, 106—Religious fanaticism, 108—Doubtful records, 109.

XI.

Aztec Character 111-123

Unreliable testimony, 111—Hieroglyphics, 111—Paintings, 112—"Wanderings of the Aztecs," 112—Religion, 114—A future life, 114—Funeral customs, 114—Domestic life, 115—Laws, 115—Music, 115—The Aztec calendar, 115—Divisions of time, 116—Names of days, etc., 117—Opinions of antiquarians, 117—The cycle, 118—Unlucky days, 118—Agriculture, 119—Irrigation, 119—A gentle race, 120—The Priestesses, 121—Coatlicue, the goddess of the earth, 122—Source of Aztec greatness, 122—A fatal policy, 123.

XII.

The Last of the Montezumas 124-134

Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, 124; his character, 124—A coronation festival, 125—Royal robes, 125—The life of an Aztec king, 126; his capital, 126—Diaz's description, 127—A life of pleasure, 128—State correspondence, 128—Chapultepec, 129—Montezuma's cypress, 129—Clouds on the horizon, 130—Sinister predictions, 130—The coming of the white men, 131—An unhappy monarch, 131—Landing of the strangers, 132—Velasquez de Léon, 132; his expedition to Yucatan, 133—Grijalva visits Mexico, 133—Montezuma's embassy, 133.

XIII.

Cortés 135-144

Birth, 135; enters the army, 135; visits Cuba, 135—An attractive portrait, 135—Defects of character, 136—Velasquez and Grijalva's expedition, 136—A love story, 137—Cortés receives a commission, 137; his companions, 137—Jealousy of Velasquez, 137—The squadron, 138—Jérome d' Aguilar, 138—First conflict with the Aztecs, 139—Palm Sunday, 139—A happy people, 140—Rumors of danger, 140—Presents to the strangers, 141—Cortés as Quetzalcoatl, 141—Easter, 141—A perplexed council, 142—Mistaken policy, 142—Vera Cruz, 142—Cortés visits Cempoallan, 143—Tlaxcalla, 143—The ships destroyed, 144.

XIV.

Malintzi 145-150

Her birthplace, 145—The little duchess is made a slave, 145—Life in Tabasco, 146—Arrival of Cortés, 146—Treaty of alliance, 146—The heiress-slave becomes a Christian, 146—Marina or Malinche, 146—A new interpreter, 147—A beautiful picture, 147—Splendid gifts, 148—Malintzi's beauty, 149; her devotion to Cortés, 149; its result, 149.

XV.

Tlaxcalla 151-157

An isolated province, 151—Exaggerated reports, 151—Efforts for the friendship of the Tlaxcallans, 152—A trap for the Spaniards, 152—A battle, 152—Defeat of the Tlaxcallans, 153—Peace concluded, 153—Christianity introduced, 153—Cholula, 154—Slaughter of the Cholultecas, 154—Alliance with Ixtlilxochitl, 154—Cacamatzin imprisoned, 155—Cortés reaches Mexico, 156—Cortés and Montezuma, 157—A lesson and a vow, 157.

XVI.

La Noche Triste 158-165

Overtures of friendship, 158—Bold measures, 159—Montezuma in the power of the Spaniards, 159—A rival in the field, 159—Alvarado, 160—The feast of Huitzilopochtli, 160—The Spaniards in danger, 160—Death of Montezuma, 161—Mexican traditions, 162—Cortés abandons the city, 163—A desperate struggle, 163—La Noche Triste, 164—The scene of the battle, 164; the losses, 165.

XVII.

Conquest 166-179