Chapter Twenty-Six: CLEANSING THE TEMPLE

The Jade Steps

Chapter Twenty-Six:  Cleansing The Temple

Much of the royal household was transferred to the Palace of Axayacatl.  Montezuma's chefs set up the royal kitchens, attendants the royal baths, servants the royal wardrobe, so that he was fed, bathed, and clothed as before.  Suitable quarters were arranged for his wives and concubines, which he frequently visited.  His retinue of courtiers and counselors was with him throughout the day.  Petitioners and ambassadors from various parts of the empire came to plea with him or present him with tribute. 

All seemed normal – with one difference.  The only guards, of which there were many, were Spanish.  There wasn't a jaguar warrior in sight.

Yet to everyone who came to him with concern, to ask about his obvious imprisonment, Montezuma assured them he was happy and under no restraint.  He told them not to disturb themselves or the city, and commanded them not to be distressed, for his "visit" with the strangers was the will of Huitzilopochtli.

Cortez had instructed his guards to show Montezuma every respect and to see that he received "attention and amusements."  Any of the Spaniards who knew any skill like juggling or could provide a performance like sword-play was asked to entertain him.  Montezuma became fond of a young page Cortez assigned to him named Orteguilla.  The lad was always happy and cheerful, with a quick mind so that Malinali had been able to teach him passable Nahuatl.  The Aztec Emperor enjoyed talking to Orteguilla, who could always make him laugh.  And whatever Montezuma would confide in him, young Orteguilla would relay it to Cortez and Malinali.

After about a week, Qualpopoca and his chieftains from Nautla were brought to the Palace of Axayacatl and presented to… Cortez, not Montezuma.  He had them taken to a private room accompanied by his largest, most menacing soldiers – and Malinali.

The contrast between the huge glowering armed strangers and Malinali's quiet calm questions caused Qualpopoca to break down and confess that as Nautla's governor, he had been instructed by Montezuma to recover tribute not being paid by the Totonacs.  If any "teules" tried to prevent them, he was to fight and kill them.  This would show both his Mesheeka and the Totonacs that the "teules" were not gods, and if one could be killed they all could be.

Upon hearing Qualpopoca's confession, Cortez immediately went to see Montezuma.  Guards ordered everyone out of the room:  Cortez and Malinali were alone with Montezuma.

"Lord Montezuma, it is with grave regret that I must tell you that your governor, Qualpopoca, says it was you who commanded him to attack the Totonacs under my protection and kill my Spanish brothers.  I must also tell you that I believe him, as it is in keeping with your trickery at Cholula.  It is the law of His Majesty King Don Carlos that anyone responsible for deaths such as these should himself die.

"Yet even though His Majesty would say you deserved such punishment, I cannot bring myself to order it.  For I now have such affection and concern for you that, even if you were guilty of this crime, I would rather forfeit my life than you forfeit yours."

Malinali could see in Montezuma's eyes that he had no response to Cortez's combination of threat and  kindness.  His eyes pleadingly darted to hers.

"You might command an appropriate punishment for Qualpopoca, for his crimes in Nautla and his worse crime of accusing you of them," she suggested.

Instantly, the look of fright vanished from his eyes, he brought himself stiffly erect, and said, "The Divine Hearth!"  Malinali's glance at Cortez told him to have the guards let everyone back into the throne room. 

When his nephews and courtiers had assembled, Montezuma announced, "I have just learned of the extent of our governor Qualpopoca's treachery.  There is only one punishment for this treason:  the Divine Hearth.  See that this sentence is carried out upon him and his chieftains immediately – in the Great Square in front of the Teocalli where the people of Tenochtitlan can see what happens to such traitors!"

Cortez bowed to Montezuma, messengers scurried out with the royal command, and Montezuma bade Orteguilla to sit down beside him.  Soon they were happily talking, and Cortez and Malinali left.  As they were walking out, he commented, "Now he is in my grasp more than ever.  And just what is this Divine Hearth, my Lady?"

"It is a punishment the Aztecs use for the worst crimes.  You have something like it, I think, for I have heard some of the men talk about how heretics and traitors are killed.  They called it auto da fé."

Cortez's eyebrows raised.  "The ‘act of faith'?  Montezuma can be ruthless when he needs to be, can't he?  Qualpopoca is to be burned at the stake."

*  *  *  *  *

"Isn't there an arsenal de armas, a weapons storehouse, near the great plaza?" Cortez asked her.  Malinali nodded.  "It would be filled with arrows and spears, yes?"  Malinali nodded again.

"If Qualpopoca is to be burned, then his ‘Divine Hearth' may as well be made of these wooden weapons.  They could never be used against us if they are ashes.  Send a messenger with some guards, my Lady, to this arsenal with instructions…"

As she went off to do so, Malinali noticed Cortez was lost in another thought.  When she found him again, he was accompanied by a soldier carrying leg irons.  Cortez looked grim and in no mood for talk, so she silently walked with him back to Montezuma's chambers.  Cortez ordered his guards between Montezuma and the courtiers and attendants.

"Doña Marina," Cortez requested, "please inform Lord Montezuma that as much as I regret it, our law requires punishment for his being a cause of the violence perpetrated upon my men and those under my protection.  I have no choice but to order this."

He nodded to the soldier holding the leg irons, who proceeded to fasten them around Montezuma's ankles.  Montezuma was too shocked to move or protest.  A haze formed over his eyes and he said not a word.  With a curt bow, Cortez turned and left, motioning for Malinali to follow.  Too stunned to say anything herself, they walked in silence until they reached their quarters.

"I have seen something far beyond my dreams – Montezuma placed in chains," she finally said.  "Why did you do this?"

"To break his spirit," came Cortez's reply.  "No matter how gracious he is, he cannot be trusted.  He really did give Qualpopoca a secret command to attack us and the Totonacs.  It is like he is two people in one.  That is too dangerous for us, a handful of strangers surrounded by tens of thousands who would shed their blood at his command.  Our only chance is audacia, audacity, my Lady.  Fortes fortuna adiuvat, fortune favors the brave."

He paced the floor.  "I get no joy out of humiliating him.  I, like all of my men, have become very fond of him.  At least the part of him that is like a child.  There is another part of him that is a monster, worshipping evil gods soaked in blood.  I had no wish to do this – any more than I wish to watch those Aztec nobles burn to death.  I asked the guards to inform me when it is over."

"Thank you for sparing me the sight as well, my Captain," Malinali replied quietly.

Cortez continued to pace the floor in silence.  A guard entered the room and nodded.  As Cortez strode out of the room, he said, "And now, my Lady, we shall see how good a judge of people I am."

They found Montezuma surrounded by his attendants who were all gushing tears.  They were holding up his shackled legs with their hands and had inserted bits of cloth and quetzal feathers between the iron and his ankles to protect his skin.  Montezuma's face was a frozen mask, his eyes open and unblinking.

Taking the shackle key from a guard, Cortez rushed up to Montezuma and unclasped the irons.  "Doña Marina," he called out, "please inform Lord Montezuma how much it pained me to do this, but it is our law.  I deeply regret it, and no longer wish to keep him away from his palace.  He is fully free to return – or remain here with us.  It is his choice."

As he heard her translated words, Malinali saw a tear form in Montezuma's eye.  "Malinche," came his reply, "it is better that I remain here.  Once I return to the Tecpan and am at liberty, many nobles and chiefs will demand that I fight you.  If I do, there will be much bloodshed and destruction in our city.  If I refuse, they may fight me to replace me with someone else.  So the better course is to stay here at the command and wish of Huitzilopochtli." 

He spoke these words with clarity, but without any tone of resolve and authority.  These were the words of a broken man.  Cortez was right.

After she relayed Montezuma's reply, Cortez threw his arms around the emperor and embraced him.  "Ah, Lord Montezuma," he called out, "how right I am to love you as I love myself!"

Montezuma smiled weakly and asked to see Orteguilla.

*  *  *  *  *

From that day on, Cortez, after morning Mass, made it a habit to visit Montezuma accompanied by his main officers, Pedro de Alvarado, Juan Velasquez de Leon, and Diego Ordaz.  He wished Gonzalo de Sandoval were there, but Cortez had sent him to govern Villa Rica and reestablish Spanish authority (which he was easily able to do, as word of Qualpopoca's fiery execution spread among the Nautla Aztecs and the Totonacs).  Malinali made sure Bernal was with them as well, for she enjoyed his company.

Having finished his morning meal of fruits and vegetables, Montezuma would greet them, whereupon the Spaniards, including Cortez, would take off their mailed caps or helmets, flatter him with compliments, and show him every courtesy.  Montezuma began to take a particular liking to Pedro de Alvarado, and called him by his nickname Tonatio, the Sun, for his bright yellow hair and his bright sunny smile.  He continually showered gifts of jewels, small bars of gold, feathered cloaks – and beautiful women – upon the Spaniards.  When he presented Bernal with one such beauty – "the daughter of an important man," the emperor noted – Bernal in gratitude kissed Montezuma's hand.

Cortez would while hours away with Montezuma playing totoloque, a Mesheeka game with small gold pellets tossed at small gold slabs some distance away.  Whoever landed his pellets closest to the slabs won.

As the days and weeks passed, Tenochtitlan adapted to Montezuma's circumstances and life returned to normal.  The gigantic market of Tlatleloco, with thousands of vendors selling every kind of merchandise to be found in the land, did its orderly business.    The capullec, city district leader, of each district would meet every day at the calpixcalli, the assembly area, and receive his orders issued by Montezuma's deputies. People had parties with dancing and singing until late at night.

And the sacrifices continued as well.  Cortez pretended to ignore them.

He had given orders to Gonzalo de Sandoval to send from Villa Rica everything that could be salvaged from the scuttled ships – sails, tackle, mariner's compasses, pitch, chains for anchors – to Tenochtitlan.  When it all arrived, Cortez told Montezuma he wished to have two sailboats built for use on the lake.  Agreeing, Montezuma ordered oak and cedar trees cut down and hauled to the lake shore.

There, the Spaniards' master carpenter, Martin Lopez, oversaw teams of Mesheeka craftsmen who were instructed how to cut and shape the wood, caulk and tar the planking, cut the sails, and set up the mast and rigging.  An awning was provided for shade.  In a few short weeks they were done, whereupon Cortez invited Montezuma for a cruise on the lake in the "brigantines."

They sailed to a small island in the lake called Tepepolco, Montezuma's private hunting preserve.  The emperor was thrilled to glide over the water so fast there was a breeze on his face, so much faster than his canoes with oars.  Cortez had been teaching him how to use a crossbow, and the emperor was delighted to discover how much game he could kill with it on his island – deer, hares, and rabbits.  At the end of the cruise, Pedro de Alvarado ordered the ship's two brass cannons fired off as a salute to Montezuma, who thanked him and the Spaniards for "a most wonderful experience."

Cortez was pleased.  "Montezuma has had such a pleasant adventure," he told Malinali, "that he will never object to our brigantines exploring the lake and learning as much as possible about it and the towns on its shores.  Perhaps he will not notice that we are no longer trapped on this island city, and can escape by boat if necessary."[1]

The morning visits to Montezuma continued.  Over a game of totoloque one morning, Cortez commented that Montezuma looked troubled.  "Malinche, there is something I must tell you," came his response via Malinali.  My nephew, Conacochtzin (kona-coached-zin), arrived here last night from Texcoco asking for refuge.  His brother, Cacama, King of Texcoco, is organizing a rebellion against me.  He has arranged a meeting with the kings of Coyoacan, Tacuba, Iztapalapa, Toluca, and Matalcingo in order to form a rebel army, march on Tenochtitlan, kill all of you, kill me, and make himself ruler of all the Mesheeka."

"Let us march upon him first!" Cortez instantly responded.  Before Malinali translated this, she looked warily at Cortez.  "My Captain, how many of your men would march on Texcoco and how many would remain on guard here?  Are there enough to do both?"

Cortez hesitated, then answered, "No.  I was being impetuous.  What do you suggest, my Lady?"

"Lord Montezuma," Malinali asked, "why did Conacochtzin ask you for refuge?"

"Because he is loyal to me, his uncle, the rightful ruler of the Mesheeka," came the emperor's answer.

"Does Cacama know what his brother has done?  Could Conacochtzin return to Texcoco unsuspected?"

Montezuma thought for a moment.  "I will have to ask him.  What are you thinking?"

"There must be a way…" she cut off her own answer.  "Lord Montezuma, where is this meeting of the rebel kings to be held – in Texcoco?"

"No," the king replied, "in a secluded wood some ways away called Tepetzinco."

"How does one get to this place?" she asked.  "By a road where there could be an ambush?"

"No, you must go from Texcoco to Tepetzinco by canoe," the king answered.

Malinali smiled.  "By canoe!  So if Conacochtzin returned to Texcoco, seemed to join his brother's rebellion, took charge of the arrangements for this canoe and paid off the people rowing it, the canoe could bring Cacama not to Tepetzinco but to… Tenochtitlan where he would be in our hands."

It was Montezuma's turn to smile.  "Excellent!  I shall give these instructions to Conacochtzin immediately!"

Cortez looked at Malinali with his eyebrows raised, having not understood the conversation in Nahuatl.  "I think the problem may be solved," was all she would say.

*  *  *  *  *

When Malinali explained the plan to Cortez back at their quarters, he could only respond, "Your father taught you well."  And her plan did go well.  Once back in Texcoco, Conacochtzin colluded with another brother, Ixtlilxochitl (icks-tleel-zoh-cheetle) to arrange the canoe.  Cacama boarded the canoe without suspicion, which delivered him to Montezuma and Cortez.  Montezuma then ordered the arrest of the other rebel kings, and soon all were attached to an iron anchor chain left over from the building of the brigantines in the prison of Axayacatl's Palace.

With the rebellion quelled and feeling more secure, Montezuma announced to Cortez that he must visit the Teocalli, the Great Temple, to make the devotions to the gods that was expected of a Mesheeka ruler.  Cortez replied that he was welcome to go – but that he must not murder any human beings for that is a "sin against God."  He also informed Montezuma that a guard of the best Spanish officers would be provided for his "protection."

Accompanied by a grand assemblage of his nephews and nobles, Montezuma was carried in his litter to the Teocalli.  At arms' length from him were Juan Velasquez de Leon, Alonso de Avila, Pedro de Alvarado, and Francisco de Lugo.  Surrounding the entire procession were 150 Spanish soldiers.  Father Bartholomew Olvedo walked up the steep steps of the temple following Montezuma, who was assisted by the temple priests.  When they reached the top, Father Olvedo discovered that four victims had already been sacrificed.  Their hearts were burning in the copal fire, and their corpses stacked in a pile waiting to be thrown down the Jade Steps.

Held by the priests in front of the techcatl, the blood-encrusted sacrificial stone, were two young men and a boy not more than 10 years old.  The priests handed Montezuma a jewel-handled flint knife, seized the three victims and hurled them onto the techcatl with such force that their spines snapped with loud cracks.  Montezuma quickly stepped between the victims and plunged the dagger into each of their chests.  The priests then inserted their own knives into the victims' open chest cavity to cut out the hearts, hold them up in reverence, and place them in the chacmool, the sacred receptacle.

None of the Spaniards, including Father Olmedo, could believe what they had seen.  It had happened so quickly and shockingly that they remained motionless.  The ceremony over, Montezuma was carried down the Jade Steps, and back to the Palace of Axayacatl in his litter, followed by the sullen and wordless Spaniards.  Upon returning, Montezuma was in a cheerful, happy mood, smiling and laughing.  He ordered gifts of jewels to be distributed to the Spanish officers and guards.

Cortez and Malinali had stayed at their quarters during this episode, and when informed of what transpired by Andres de Tapia, Cortez calmly said, "Señor de Tapia, I feel like taking a walk.  Would you accompany me?"

The two of them and Malinali, joined by ten guards including Bernal, walked out of the palace and into the huge courtyard facing the Teocalli.  Cortez pointed to a building nearby.  "Doña Marina, would you tell Señor de Tapia what is the purpose of that building?"  "It is the children's prison, where children to be sacrificed to Tlaloc are kept," she replied.  He pointed to another building.  "And that one?" he asked.  "That is the victim's kitchen, where the priests cook the arms and legs of the victims and prepare them as meals for Montezuma and the nobles."

They reached the foot of the Teocalli.  "Señor de Tapia, let us climb these Jade Steps and examine the shrine at their top," Cortez said all too casually.  When they reached the top, they walked into the shrine of Tlaloc.  He stood in front of the huge goggle-eyed stone statue of Tlaloc, smeared with blood two or three inches thick.  Around Tlaloc' sneck hung the skin of a human head.

The temple priests were in an uproar.  "Silencio!" Cortez ordered.  They fell silent.  "Doña Marina, please inform these gentlemen that I wish this shrine to be washed free of blood, and to replace this evil statue with one of the Christ and of the Virgin Mary."

The priests laughed.  "If that were done," they replied, "all of Tenochtitlan and the entire Mesheeka kingdom would rise up and destroy you."

Hearing this answer, Cortez took Bernal's spear.  "Something must be done for the Lord," he called out, and began defacing Tlaloc, jabbing out its round mother-of-pearl eyes and knocking off its gold mask.  Bernal and the other guards prevented the priests from interfering.  The statue sufficiently defaced, Cortez calmly turned to his men and said, "Now, let us pay a visit to Lord Montezuma."

By the time they got to Montezuma's substitute throne room at the Palace of Axayacatl, the emperor had already been told of Cortez's outrage and was livid.  Cortez quickly brushed Montezuma's anger aside.

"Lord Montezuma,  how many times have I begged you to cease these evil practices, to give up sacrificing human beings to your gods?  You assured me there would be no such sacrifices if you went to worship at your temple.  Not only did you permit your priests to perform these evil deeds, but you murdered three victims yourself, one of them a little boy, right in front of my men.

"This will now end.  If you do not order the removal of your gods from this and other temples in Tenochtitlan, and allow us to replace them with statues of Christ and Virgin Mary, and the Christian cross, then I will do it by force.  I am asking that you give the order, for I do not want to have to kill any priests who try to stop us."

His anger replaced by alarm, Montezuma called out, "Malinche!  How can you wish to destroy our whole city?  Our gods would be enraged against us and would not spare our lives – not even yours!"

"You worship devils, not gods, and they bring you bloodshed and slaughter," came Cortez's iron reply.  "Their time has come to an end.  Will you give the order?"

Montezuma's shoulders sagged.  "We must take our gods where they will be safe.  You must not touch them.  No more dishonor must be done to them."

"It shall be as you request," Cortez replied.

The next morning, several hundred black-robed priests gathered at the base of the Teocalli bearing ropes, wooden rollers, and woven maguey mats.  Silently ascending the temple, they created a bed of the mats down the steps, removed the statues of Tlaloc and Huitzilopchtli from their pedestals, and carefully lowered them with ropes and rollers down the mat-covered steps.  They did this in harmony and silence – none of the priests said a word.  At the bottom of the Jade Steps, the statues were placed on litters and carried off to a sacred, secret cave outside the city.

That afternoon, the Spaniards began cleaning the temple, washing away the blood and whitewashing the walls.  Cristobal de Olid, overseeing the operation, discovered in an alcove another statue of Huitzilopochtli made of maize and various vegetables held together with human blood.  He ordered it destroyed and burned on the spot.  He further ordered the blood-encrused techcatl sacrificial stone and the chacmool receptacle demolished.

It took several days until the temple was thoroughly cleaned and prepared.  Effigies of Christ and Mary were put in place, and the Spaniards celebrated with Father Olmedo leading them in singing in Latin the ancient Christian hymn of Te Deum.  They then proceeded up the steps to what was now a Christian church and celebrated a Mass.

As Cortez and Malinali led the procession, he noted that the steps had been cleaned, the encrusted blood removed.  "These are no longer The Jade Steps, my Lady," he said.  "Never again will a human being be butchered here."

The priests were shaven and bathed, given clean new white robes, and instructed by Cortez to "not touch the altar, but to keep it swept clean, to burn incense and keep wax candles burning there day and night, and to decorate it with branches and flowers."

The people of Tenochtitlan witnessed all of this in quiet shock.  The day after the first Mass had been held atop the Teocalli, townspeople began placing dried stalks of maize at the base of the temple.  Malinali explained the stalks were an offering and prayer to the new Christian god for rain.  It had not rained in a long time and the crops were withering.

The next morning, the people of Tenochtitlan woke up to a pouring rainstorm.  "Of course their prayers were answered," Cortez told Malinali.  "Today, after all, is Christmas."[2] 

[1]   Four such sailboats were built in total during this period, each about 40 feet long and could carry four bronze cannons, 75 men, equipment and horses.

[2]  December 25, 1519.