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The Mexica and Spanish Accounts Of the Conquest of Mexico

 

            When it comes to the tales of the Conquest of Mexico, there are two different accounts of what actually happened. On one hand we have the Spanish version of what happened between the two, and on the other hand we have the Mexica version. It seems as though in each perspective certain facts are greatly exaggerated, usually in the favor of the viewpoint of the group telling the story in order to make themselves appear to be in the right. The Festival of Toxcatl and the fleeing of the Spanish from Tenochtitlan are just some of the accounts with major differences.
             The Spanish version of the Festival of Toxcatl tells a story of how the Mexicas had planned to rebel against the Spanish. It is said that the Mexicas wanted to "liberate Moctezuma" this is believed because they fought saying, "free our god and King if you don't want to die." Cortes went to see what the cause of the alleged rebellion was. By the time he arrived it was time for a festival the Mexicas wanted to celebrate. They begged him to let them celebrate the festival. He finally decided to let them have this celebration on the condition that there were no sacrifices, no people killed and no one had weapons. More than six hundred people gathered in the largest temple, naked only covered with rich stones, to celebrate. They preformed sacred dances and sang sacred songs, to praise the god honored by the festival. While they were celebrating Pedro de Alvarado went there with his men. Some say that they initially just wanted to see the rituals of the Mexicas. But after arriving there they wanted the gold and other riches that the Mexicas were wearing so they covered every entrance and brutally murdered them and took the riches they possessed. .
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             In the Mexica version it is told how the Spanish murdered the Mexicas during their celebration of Huitzilopochtli. Everyone was enjoying themselves and in celebration in the place the Mexicas called The Patio of the Gods, when the Spanish came and blocked every exit so that the Mexicas had no way to escape.


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