Chapter Twelve: ANGRY GODS

Chapter Twelve: Angry Gods

The Spaniards now devoted themselves to building Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz. On a plain half a league from Quiahuitztlan (qwee-ah-weets-tlan), a fort was erected with high wooden walls and watchtowers, followed by a church, market place, arsenals, barracks, and officers’ quarters.

Cortez himself was the first to work, digging trenches and hauling foundation stones. Cajoling his officers to join him, they all set to work, as did all the soldiers at whatever task they could do ? making bricks, nails, and lumber, working the lime kilns ? while over a thousand Totonacs labored with them. Within less than three weeks it was habitable enough for the colony to be formally founded (1).

A few days after "Villa Rica" had been established, a delegation of Mesheeka nobles arrived, led by a military commander named Motelchiuh (mo-tell’-chee-you), and including two of Montezuma’s nephews. Motelchiuh grandly presented Cortez with the gilded helmet requested by Tendile at the sand encampment of San Juan de Ulua. It was now filled with gold dust ? as Cortez had requested.

"Malinche, please accept this, and our other offerings [feathers, cloth, and jewelry] in thanks from the Great Montezuma for freeing his servants," Motelchiuh said to Cortez through Malinali. "The Great Montezuma ordered a vast army to destroy you when he learned that you encouraged his Totonac subjects to commit treason against him and refuse to pay his tribute. Then his servants arrived at Tenochtitlan and explained how Malinche had set them free, and expressed great friendship to him. So we come now in friendship and not war, but we do not understand how you can be living among the traitors of Cempoala and other Totonacs."

Cortez had Malinali respond, "I accept these gifts in the same spirit of friendship. Your other three men have been well fed and cared for and will now be released to you. I wish nothing but friendship between myself and Lord Montezuma. I must tell you that we are here because of the grave discourtesy shown to us by Lord Montezuma’s Governor, Tendile. He left us alone without any notice, without food or assistance. So we came here, where the Totonac people befriended us.

"I am sure Governor Tendile was rude to us without the knowledge or approval of Lord Montezuma. I am sure Lord Montezuma will understand that the people of Cempoala have rendered great service to us, and that in so doing they cannot serve two masters at once. That is why they have stopped their tribute, and I ask the Lord Montezuma not find them guilty and try to punish them. For I, together with my brothers, will soon be on our way to visit him and place ourselves at his service. Once this is done, his commands regarding the people of Cempoala will be attended to."

Cortez then had wine served to the delegation, presented them with a number of blue and green glass beads, and had Pedro de Alvarado and other horsemen put on a show of galloping and skirmishing. The Mesheeka nobles expressed delight at the show, and Cortez’s flattery. They departed in a jovial mood.

As soon as the Mesheeka were out of sight, the Fat Cacique arrived on his litter. Announcing that his people were now more convinced than ever that Cortez and his men were Teules, Gods ? for instead of an attacking army Montezuma had sent presents of gold ? he then begged for Cortez’s help.

Two days’ journey to the west, he said, lay the town of Tizapacingo (tiz-ah-pah-ching-o). All the Mesheeka calpixque had fled there from the Totonac towns that expelled them. A Mesheeka army had assembled there, and had begun destroying the crops of nearby towns and waylaying travelers. "You promised to protect us, Lope Luzio!" he exclaimed. "You must attack Tizapacingo now ? we are ready to march with you!"

When told that two thousand Cempoalan warriors were indeed awaiting his command, Cortez complied. At dusk of the second day of marching, the army arrived at the outskirts of Tizapacingo. A group of eight town elders emerged and asked to speak to Cortez. They were in tears.

Malinali had to ask them to slow their torrent of words. She listened and turned to Cortez. "These villagers are very frightened. They say they do not understand why you would come here to kill them when they have done nothing to deserve it. The people of Cempoala have had a dispute with them for many years over their boundaries and land, and it is under your protection that the Cempoalans come to kill them and rob them of their land. There once was a garrison of Mesheeka soldiers in their town but have all left. They pray that you will not attack them, and ask instead for the same protection and alliance you have given to Cempoala."

"Do񡠍arina," Cortez asked gravely, "there are many lives at stake here ? do you believe these men are telling the truth?"

Malinali realized she was being asked to make a life-or-death judgment, that Cortez relied upon her and trusted her enough to make it. The Tizapacingoans could be setting a trap. There could be a Mesheeka army waiting to spring upon them. She looked into the eyes of the elders. She saw nothing but fear and hope. She looked back at Cortez and answered him with one word:

"Yes."

One single word from Malinali decided the fate of the people of Tizapacingo. Cortez instantly called for Pedro de Alvarado, Cristobal de Olid, and several other officers, commanding them to halt the advance of the Cempoala soldiers. They did so, but not in time to prevent the looting of a number of farms surrounding the town. Cortez ordered the Cempoalan commanders to appear before him. He thundered at Malinali:

"Tell them I want every single item their men have stolen, every piece of clothing, every bit of food, everything, returned to the farms they have looted. If any of their men enter the town, I will have them killed. Tell them they and their King have lied to me, that for using me to try and rob these people, they are all deserving of death. Tell them I will spare them now but if they ever deceive me again I will not leave one of them alive. Tell them to go with their men and sleep in the fields. I will speak with them again in the morning."

Malinali did not have to deliver this with heightened emotion, for the commanders could easily discern how furious Cortez was. Knowing their humiliation was warranted, they meekly complied. Cortez then turned to the Tizapacingo elders, who were beside themselves in gratitude. "You wish to know how you can thank me?" he had Malinali ask them. They all of course eagerly nodded.

"You can swear your loyalty to my Lord, King Don Carlos of Spain, as have the people of Cempoala. Yet even more important, you must stop sacrificing people to your gods. Any god that drinks human blood is an evil god and is not worthy of your worship. This is how you can thank me. Do you agree?"

There was hesitation this time, but they agreed nonetheless.

The next morning Cortez sent for the Cempoala commanders, who had slept in terror all night out in the open fields, wondering what Cortez would do. He called for the Tizapacingo elders, bringing them together with the Cempoalans.

"You have been enemies for many years," he told them. "Now you are to be friends. You have sworn loyalty to me and my Lord, and I now require in the name of His Majesty King Don Carlos that you make peace between yourselves. You will settle this dispute of land here and quickly, and you will pledge in front of me there will be no more war between you. Is this agreed?" There was an outbreak of relief, smiles by all, and unanimity in agreement with Cortez’s demand.

* * * * *

It was in a black mood that Cortez passed through Cempoala on his way back to Villa Rica. He was met by King Tlacochcalcatl bearing food and profuse apologies. In the central square, there was an assemblage of Cempoalan nobles dressed in ceremonial finery. The King addressed Cortez through Malinali:

"Lope Luzio, we should not have deceived you regarding Tizapacingo, but it is all to the good, as there now will be peace between our cities. For bringing us this peace, we wish for you to have us as brothers. We wish for you to have children by our daughters. To seal our brotherhood, we have brought seven daughters of my chieftains for your officers to marry, and my very own niece for you."

From the assemblage stepped the eight maidens, dressed in gorgeously embroidered robes, each with a golden collar around her neck and large golden rings in their ears. Each was lovely, with one exception. The King’s niece was as fat as he was. Without hesitation, Cortez swept his hat before the King, smiled, and thanked him for his gracious friendship.

The King and all the nobles smiled with relief in turn. But not for long. Cortez nodded to Malinali to begin translating.

"We are honored by your offer of friendship. Such friendship and brotherhood with you is what we most desire ourselves. We are honored by the offer of your noble daughters. Please understand, however, that for this offer to be accepted, your daughters must become Christians.

"You must also understand that for us to be your brothers, you must destroy the evil idols which keep your people in darkness. Every day we see with our own eyes three, four, five Indians butchered on your altars, their hearts cut out and offered to your evil gods, their legs and arms cut off and eaten, the human meat sold like an animal’s in your market. If you do not stop this, we will never be your brothers. But if you do, then brotherhood between us will be firmly tied."

The King and the nobles erupted in anger. "Our gods give us good health, good harvests, indeed everything good!" exclaimed the King. "If you dishonor them, we will all perish, and you with us!"

Cortez did not wait for Malinali’s translation. He turned to his officers all standing behind him. "We can tolerate this evil no longer," he announced. "How can we accomplish anything worth doing in this land if for the honor of God we do not first abolish these sacrifices? Tell the men under your commands to be prepared to fight. Even if it costs us our lives, these idols are coming to the ground this very day." Cortez drew his sword.

"Do񡠍arina," Cortez said coldly, "tell the King to remove the idols from the temple or we will do it ourselves. Tell him we are no longer his friend but his mortal enemy unless this be done. Tell him to order this or I will kill him where he stands."

Malinali explained this to the Fat Cacique so convincingly that he broke down. "The Lope Luzio means what he says," she told him. "If you do not do as he says, you will die right here ? and worse, the Lope Luzio will abandon you, Cempoala, and all the Totonacs to the wrath of Montezuma. You must obey him."

"This is not with our consent," came the King’s barely audible reply, "but do as you wish."

In an instant, fifty Spanish soldiers raced up the temple to grab the huge statues of the Totonac gods and roll them down the steep temple steps, shattering them to pieces. As the wailing and cries of terror and rage rose from the Cempoalan crowd, Cortez noticed several detachments of Cempoalan warriors had appeared on the plaza and were preparing to fire their arrows.

Within seconds, Pedro de Alvarado and Gonzalo Sandoval seized the King, flung and pinned him to the ground, and Cortez had the tip of his sword pressing into the King’s chest. "Doñ¡ arina!" he called out. "Tell him if one arrow is fired at my men I will spit him like a goose!"

The King quickly signaled for his warriors to stand down.

* * * * *

The King remained on the ground, too shaken to stand. Cortez had the temple priests brought before him. There were eight. They wore long black hooded capes and long black gowns reaching to their feet. Their hair was so long it reached to their waists, some of them down to their ankles, and was covered and matted together with blood. Their ears were cut to pieces, as doing so was part of their sacrificial ceremony. They never bathed, so their skins were encrusted with filth and their stench was overpowering.

"Gentlemen," he had Malinali address them, "you think this has been a terrible day and your gods will curse you for it. But you are not cursed, you are free, free from this evil that has blinded your souls. Some day and soon, you will celebrate this day as the day you discovered the One True God, and will marvel how you could have worshiped gods that drink human blood.

"The One True God does not want your blood. He wants your love, as children should love their Father. All of us, you just as much as myself, are all God’s children. He does not want your sacrifice. He sent His one and only Son to earth, Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself so that all of His children could be saved.

"There will never be another sacrifice at this temple ? ever. Instead of your idols, we will leave the image of a great lady, the Mother of the Son of God, Mary. Instead of your sacrifices, there will be flowers. Instead of blood on the temples walls, they will be kept white and clean. And you will be in charge to see that this is so."

Startled, puzzled, yet quite gratified that they were not to be horribly punished as expected, they humbly agreed. Cortez then ordered for Cempoalans to bring a great deal of lime to thoroughly remove the thick layers of dried blood and whitewash the temple walls.

He had the priests bathed, their heads shaved, given new white robes, and told them they were to keep themselves and their clothes spotless, and were now in charge of "the altar of Our Lady." A cross, made by the Spanish carpenters, was placed behind the altar. Cortez then selected the oldest soldier among his men, Juan de Torres de Cordoba who had developed a severe limp, as his personal guard over the transformed temple.

The next morning, the Padre Bartholomew de Olmedo performed a Mass and the transformed priests ceremonially fumigated the altar with incense from burning copal resin. Discovering that the Totonacs did not know how to make what Cortez called "candles," the Padre sent for a supply of beeswax, and showed the priests how to make candles from it, which, they were told, should always be kept lit on the altar.

The Padre then had the eight Totonac brides-to-be brought before him. He explained through Malinali that they were to become Christians by announcing their faith in the One True God and His Son, Jesus Christ, by renouncing all false gods, and by participating in a ceremony called baptism. When they looked nervously at Malinali, she added:

"Yes, I have become a Christian myself, and I can tell you that my spirit feels free because of it. And do not worry ? all the holy man will do to you is get you wet with water." All eight suppressed smiles, and all eight went through the ceremony.

Afterwards, Malinali led each by the hand to her promised officer. The daughter of an important Totonac chief named Cuesco the Padre had baptized as Doñ¡ †rancisca, was the most beautiful. Malinali led her to Alonzo Hernandez Puertocarrero, who seemed quite pleased. Malinali seemed pleased as well.

Then Malinali led King Tlacochcacatl’s rotund niece, baptized as Doñ¡ ƒatalina, to Cortez. As she placed Doñ¡ ƒatalina’s plump hand in his, Cortez did his best to look happy. Now it was Malinali’s turn to suppress a smile. She had never seen the great Captain-General embarrassed and struggle so hard to control his emotions. It was as difficult for her to keep from bursting out laughing as it was for Bernal and the other soldiers standing nearby.

Cortez detached himself from Doñ¡ ƒatalina as soon he thought courteous, bowed to her, and stepped forward to address the King and assembled Totonacs with Malinali at his side:

"Today we are friends once more. I and my officers are honored to have your daughters among us, and to have you as our brothers. We depart now for our new home, the city of Villa Rica. As your neighbors and brothers, I renew my pledge to you, that we will defend you against your enemy, the Mesheeka of Montezuma. You are free, free of his taxes, free of his sacrifices ? and all of you are free of the sacrifices of the false gods that once claimed your blood but never will again. May the One True God bless you, my brothers."

The King and the entire assemblage of nobles beamed with pride and satisfaction. As Cortez and officers walked down the steps of the temple accompanied by their new brides, Totonacs gathered on both sides showering them with rose petals. On their horses and followed by the soldiers on foot, they rode out of the plaza through throngs of smiling and bowing Cempoalans. Soon they were on the road to Villa Rica.

Notes:

1. June 28, 1519. On the same day several thousand miles away in Frankfurt am Main, Don Carlos of Spain was elected Emperor Charles V of the Holy Roman Empire. The town was relocated south in 1524 and subsequently re-named La Antigua. In 1599, it was relocated once more, back to the original site of Cortez’s encampment on the sand dunes of San Juan de Ulua. This is now the city of Vera Cruz, while the site of the first European settlement in North America is an obscure fishing village called Punta Villa Rica, near the unmarked ruins of what was Quiahuitztlan.