Chapter Twenty-Eight: THE FATE OF MONTEZUMA

The Jade Steps

Chapter Twenty-Eight:  The Fate of Montezuma

Cortez moved swiftly to commandeer the ships and supplies of Narvaez's fleet.  Under the command of Francisco de Lugo, the ships were brought to Villa Rica, everything of use brought ashore, and the great quantities of wine, bacon, flour, cassava bread and other perishables carefully stored.

He also moved quickly to merge the men and commands of Narvaez's men with his own.  He detached Juan Velasquez de Leon and 120 men, 100 of whom were Narvaez men, to explore the coast to the north of Villa Rica and establish a colony near the river Panuco.  He directed Diego de Ordaz to lead the same sort of contingent south for a colony near the river Coatzacoalco.

He placed Rodrigo Rangel in charge of Villa Rica, made sure Narvaez and Salvatierra were securely imprisoned there, and ordered Gonzalo de Sandoval to make all preparations for the remainder of the command to return to Tenochtitlan.

Then everything changed when Malinali brought one of Narvaez's officers, Botello Puerto de Plata, to Cortez.  "Señor de Plata has disturbing news, my Captain," she told him.  Cortez had been hearing about him.  A hidalgo from Santander on the north coast of Castille, he had become a Latin scholar while studying in Rome, and had a reputation for being a prestidigitador, a magician who could predict the future.

"Señor Cortez, I must warn you to leave here immediately," de Plata announced.  "The officer you left in command at Tenochtitlan, Pedro de Alvarado, and all your men there are in grave danger.  The Aztecs are making war upon them, they are attempting to climb into their quarters with ladders, and wish to kill them all.  You must return there quickly."

Cortez showed no emotion at this, and thanked him for the information.  When de Plata left, Cortez asked Malinali, "Why should I believe this fortune-teller, my Lady?"  "Because there is just this rumor being talked about among the Tlaxcalans," she replied.  "Somehow de Plata heard of it and insisted that he tell you."

"Talk to your Tlaxcalan friends more," Cortez responded.  "See if they know this to be true."

Later that afternoon, Cortez found out it was indeed true.  Four Mesheeka nobles arrived on litters borne from Tenochtitlan.  Malinali hurried from the Tlaxcalan camp to Cortez's quarters.  She entered with a quick nod of her head which Cortez knew meant that the rumor was confirmed.  Crying profusely, the nobles cried out, "Malinche! Malinche!  Tonatio (Alvarado) attacked us during our festival of Toxcatl.  Many have been killed.  Blood has run like water on our streets.  The Great Montezuma requests that you come to Tenochtitlan immediately to end this calamity."

Malinali saw a sad smile briefly flash across Cortez's face.  "Why this and why now?" she knew he was asking himself.  At the very moment when he triumphed against both his Spanish and Aztec enemies comes disaster.  Then she saw the sad smile and the thoughts behind it vanish.

Cortez ordered that the nobles be housed appropriately and handled with every courtesy.  Messengers were sent to Ordaz and Velazquez de Leon telling them to abandon their coastal explorations and march immediately to Tlaxcala where he would meet them.  He instructed Sandoval to have everyone be prepared to depart Cempoala the following morning.

It was a forced march all the way to Tlaxcala.  The soldiers were encouraged by the warm and friendly reception they received in Jalapa and every other town along the way.  The commands of Ordaz and Velazquez joined them before reaching the Tlaxcalan capital, whereupon Cortez formed his entire force into a parade for an impressive entrance.

The Spaniards totaled over one thousand three hundred men-at-arms, eighty crossbowmen, at least eighty musketmen, and almost 100 horses.  They were welcomed by thousands of Tlaxcalans who showered them with flower petals.  King Xicotencatl wept as he embraced Cortez.  He grasped Malinali's hands and called out, "Madrina!" – Godmother.  Then Chief Maxixcatzin  explained the seriousness of Alvarado's situation.

"Tonatio is in true danger, Malinche.  Seven of your men have been killed, and the Aztecs set fire to your quarters.  The attacks were very fierce but stopped once Montezuma learned you had defeated your enemies in Cempoala.  Now your men are starving as the Aztecs will not allow food to be delivered to them.  Our warriors there tried to fight but there so many Aztecs they were lucky to escape.  They were under King Xicotencatl's orders to bring our daughters, the Princesses Otila and Teculehuatzin, here to safety."

Once Malinali related this to Cortez, she asked him, "Shall we send for Señor de Leon?"  By the time he arrived, his wife was waiting for him.  "Otila!" he cried out.  "Our Savior has answered my prayers!"  Their embrace was brief as they were quick to leave.

King Xicotencatl again took Malinali's hand.  "Now if only my Teculehuatzin were as happy.  Please tell Malinche," he implored her, "to bring back her husband, her Tonatio.  I have ordered 2,000 of my warriors to go with you."

Nonetheless, after the forced marches and the rumors of troubles in Tenochtitlan among the men, especially those of Narvaez, Cortez decided to let everyone enjoy Tlaxcalan food, hospitality, and the pleasures of Tlaxcalan ladies for three days before departing.

He decided on the northern route around Lake Texcoco, avoiding the southern route via Cholua.   "We need to see this territory and enter across the shortest causeway, that of Tacuba across from the city of Tlacopan on the other side of the lake," he explained to Malinali.   "Should it be necessary to fight, we must know the quickest way out, now that the ships have been burned."

Malinali had told him of the Tlaxcalan message:  that the brigantines built by Martin Lopez to sail on the lake and provide an escape had been destroyed by the Aztecs.

When they finally reached Tlacopan, the chiefs of the city begged Cortez to stay there:  "Malinche – you are our only hope!  We ask you to stay here where you will be safe.  Send for Montezuma to meet you here and bring Tonatio and your men with him.  For if you go into the city you may never come back, and all hope of our being free of the Aztecs will be lost."

Cortez had Malinali thank them profusely and tell them how much he appreciated their wise advice – but that he could not trust Montezuma and that it was his duty to rescue his men.

Cortez's soldiers kept up the spirits of the Narvaez men during the march to the Aztec capital by regaling them with stories of Aztec riches and how warmly they would be received.  Thus it was a shock for all the Spaniards to find what greeted them as they crossed the Tacuba causeway and entered Tenochtitlan was silence.  It was the day dedicated to St. John the Baptist[1] and it was solemn.

The horses hooves echoed in the streets, canons were fired, and gunshots rang out as the Spaniards tried to make their return one of celebratory victory.  But the streets were empty and the Aztec townspeople shuttered and hidden.  Only when the cavalcade reached the Palace of Axayacatl did the celebration become genuine as Alvarado and the besieged men greeted them in exultant relief.

A messenger arrived saying that Lord Montezuma was anxious to see Malinche.  Cortez had Malinali reply that he would be unable to see the Aztec King until the food blockade was lifted and his men were well fed.  Within an hour a supply of turkeys and tortillas began arriving.  Yet Cortez could not see Montezuma until he talked with Alvarado.

He had learned about the Aztec festival of Toxcatl from Malinali:

"Toxcatl is the month of Dryness[2] and is dedicated to the god Tezcatlipoca.  So it is celebrated with a sacrifice, an ixiptla, to him – a young man chosen for his good looks and good manners a year before.  For the entire year he is treated like the god himself and is given four women who represent the goddesses of food, drink, sexual love, and salt.  For the Aztecs, these are the four basic physical pleasures of life.

"The day of the sacrifice is one of sacred dances.  The Aztec noblemen dress in their finest feathers and ornaments and dance in long curving lines in front of the Great Temple, the Teocalli.  Then the ixiptla proceeds up the steps of the temple to the priests where his heart is offered to Tezcatlipoca."

When Alvarado entered, Malinali was startled to see a changed man.  It was not just for his long golden hair and beard that he was called Tonatio, the Sun – it was that his person shone like the sun as well, his smile, his charm, his confidence, his carriage.  Now it seemed that a cloud pressed down upon him.  He was in the shade of it, although he was pretending otherwise.

Cortez sat silently, waiting for Alvarado to speak. 

"My Captain, it is my great regret that this insurrection took place, but perhaps it was to be expected since with your leaving to fight Narvaez, our garrison here was so very small.  We learned that Narvaez had sent a message to Montezuma saying you would soon be destroyed and encouraging him to destroy us also.  The page Orteguilla also overheard at Montezuma's court that we would be attacked just after the end of a festival in the Great Temple courtyard.  We heard that great quantities of arms had been secretly stored nearby.

"The day before the festival, the kitchens near the temple were very busy.  This is where the arms and legs of the sacrificios are cooked.  There were many huge pots and much water for boiling, like they were preparing for many bodies, many sacrificios.  We were told they were for us – that after the one sacrifice made for the festival, we would be killed and our bodies cooked with garlic and chiles, to be eaten by the Aztec nobles.

"It is true that I gave my permission for this festival – but only with Montezuma's promise that there be no sacrifices.  Now we saw that they had no intention of keeping this promise, and that we would be sacrificed as well.  Our only chance, I decided, was to fall upon the Aztecs and kill their nobles before they could kill us."

"You did what?" cried Cortez.  He slumped in his chair.  "So it is true," he said with an angry sigh.

Malinali had told him what he hoped were only Tlaxcalan rumors spread in their desire for revenge against the hated Aztecs.  The bloody story was that as the Aztec nobles were dancing in their feathers and jewelry, one long line of them forming circles around huge pounding drums like a coiled snake in the Temple Courtyard, Alvarado and his men in their armor attacked without warning.  Hundreds of nobles were cut down by Spanish steel swords.  It was a massacre.  A massacre that ignited an Aztec insurrection.

Cortez stood up.  "Señor de Alvarado, you have done badly.  Your conduct was that of a madman, and has brought a great doom upon us, upon all of our hopes for life in this new land."  He then walked out of the room, leaving Alvarado standing alone.  Malinali followed him.

*  *  *  *  *

They made for Montezuma's quarters in the Palace of Axayacatl.  When they entered, she saw upon the Aztec Emperor's face a look of bewildered helplessness.  "Doña Marina," Cortez requested, "please ask Lord Montezuma if there is any way to repair the grave damage that has been done in my absence."

"I can do nothing, Malinche," was all the king could say. 

"Then what you can do is order the market of Tlatelolco opened.  We are thankful for the food that was delivered, but we are told the market is closed so we cannot get anymore," Cortez responded.

"I can do nothing," Montezuma repeated.  "I am afraid my people would reject my appeal.  Perhaps they would hear an appeal by my brother, Cuitlahuac  (qweet-lah-wok), who is with me here."

Cortez nodded his approval.  He turned to Malinali.  "Doña Marina, please tell Lord Montezuma that I am in deep regret over what has happened."

On the way back to his quarters lost in thought, his only comment to Malinali was, "I am afraid I broke him too much."

Calling all his officers together, he announced, "Gentlemen:  the time for regrets and recriminations is past.  We must ask for the help of our Savior, for with that help we shall overcome these difficulties and triumph.  We shall spend the remainder of this day preparing our defenses.  Tomorrow after dawn, I am commanding Señor Diego de Ordaz to lead a strong force to the Tlatelolco market to secure the food we need.  Gentlemen, let us pray."

That night, Malinali lay quietly next to Cortez in their bedchamber.  "Fortune favors the brave," he mused to her, "but not always.  I did not know the extent of Alvarado's foolishness.  His was the spark that has set the Aztecs on fire against us.  We are in very great danger, my Lady.  We are trapped inside this island city, and we must fight our way out."

Ordaz set out the next morning[3] with over 300 men, several dozen crossbowmen and musketmen, and a few horses.  Cortez's instructions were to act peacefully and request food "without disturbance."  The command had not marched 100 paces when it was attacked by hordes of Aztec warriors coming at them from all direction, with other warriors firing sling-stones and arrows from rooftops.

Eight soldiers were killed immediately.  Ordaz desperately tried to retreat but swarms of the enemy surrounded him.  He and his men had to fight step by slow step back to their palace.  Maniacally they cut through the Aztec masses with their steel swords, firing their muskets and crossbows point blank, until they reached palace safety.  Four more men died on the way, scores were wounded.  Ordaz himself was bleeding from three separate wounds.

For the rest of the day, the shouts and war-cries of the Aztecs were incessant.  There was a constant rain of arrows and stones hurled over the walls and into the palace courtyard.  The yells and noise continued throughout the night as the Spaniards dressed their wounds, put out fires, and repaired breeches in the palace walls and defenses.

Cortez called for Martin Lopez.  It was late at night.  "Señor Lopez," he said, "there is a war machine used in sieges in Europe called a mantelete.  Are you familiar with it?"

"Yes, my Captain," Lopez replied, the Mantle.  "It is a stout wooden box under which a score of men can move protected, with apertures where they can fire muskets and crossbows."  He paused.  "How many do you want built, my Captain?"

"Three or four," Cortez answered.  "I want them to protect men hauling the Lombard guns which can destroy the homes and buildings around this palace.  It is from these places that we are being attacked.  What time do you need?"

"You shall have them before the sun sets tomorrow."

Malinali had spent the day helping the wounded men.  She had had no time to worry.  But now at this late hour, after Lopez and his men left, she looked at Cortez questioningly.

He embraced her, holding her tight.  "My Doña Marina," he whispered, "have no concern.  God did not bring us to this land to die, but to conquer the evil that curses it.  We are being tested now, but through us, His Will will be done."

He loosened his embrace to look down upon her, deep into her eyes, and say, "I love you, Doña Marina."

They were the words she had dreamed so many times to hear.  Her fears were swept away with joy, and the rest of the night spent in glorious passion

They arose before dawn.  Cortez assembled his officers.  "Gentleman," he proclaimed, "while Señor Lopez is constructing the manteletes, I propose we test the enemy's strength.  Tell your men that I shall lead whoever wishes to accompany me into the streets to kill as many of our attackers as possible.  It is only through fear of Toledo steel that we will be given safe passage from this city."

Hundreds of men quickly volunteered, and with Cortez at their helm, poured out of the palace gates.  The Aztecs attacked in human waves, climbing over stacks of their just-killed compatriots to throw themselves upon the Spaniards who methodically cut them down.  The fighting and killing went on, hour after hour, until mid-day when Cortez signaled their return to the palace.  Due to their armor and discipline, only two Spaniards were killed although many were wounded badly.  The streets around the palace were covered in Aztec corpses.

Cortez went to see Montezuma with his armor still on smeared with blood.  Several bloodily-clad officers were with him.  "Doña Marina," he said, "please tell Lord Montezuma that it is not my wish that a thousand or more of his countrymen lie dead in Tenochtitlan's streets now and that I am covered in their blood.  Yet this will happen every day from now on until we are granted safe passage from the city."

Montezuma broke down and cried.  "Malinche!" he screeched.  "What do you want of me?  I have no power to grant your wish!  I curse the day you and your people came to our land.  I no longer wish to live because of you."

Shaking his head in silence, Cortez turned and walked away.  Proceeding down the corridor to their quarters, Malinali said, "The Tlaxcalans are hearing that the Aztecs have renounced Montezuma and have elected his brother Cuitlahuac as Huey Tlatonani.  Montezuma is no longer King."

"A king betrayed by his brother?  It's a familiar tale in Europe," Cortez commented.  "That explains his disintegration.  Still – we must give him a chance to speak to his people.  Perhaps they retain enough respect for him to obey his command to let us go."

The afternoon had to be devoted to caring for the wounded men and repairing defenses.  At dusk, with the first two of Lopez's manteletes, a group of canoneers quickly sallied out and blew up a number of houses near the palace with their Lombards.  Cortez seemed pleased with the test.

At sunrise the next day[4] as Cortez stood on the palace parapet preparing another attack on the attackers, he saw on the far side of the square facing the palace a dozen elaborately dressed Aztec nobles, with high feather plumes and covered in gold and silver armbands and chestplates.  One of them was being protected by shields of gold plate by the others, who were all paying such reverence to him it was if he were… Montezuma.

"Doña Marina," Cortez called out.  "That man in gold directing and being bowed to by the others – is he Cuitlahuac?"  It was some distance away, but she was able to answer yes.  "So it is true, they have a new king."  Leaving the parapet, he said to Malinali, "The time for Montezuma to speak to his people is now."

He turned to her.  "Who among our men would Montezuma most listen to right now?  Not me.  Who most has his confidence?"

She thought for a moment.  "You also mean respect, for Orteguilla has his confidence but he is a boy."  Cortez nodded.  "Among all the others, I think Cristobal de Olid and Father Bartholomew de Olmedo.  They have a real affection for Montezuma and he knows it and trusts them."

Cortez nodded again.  "Go to them and have them convince Montezuma that he must speak to his people to end this bloodshed.  We wish to leave in peace.  I have got to prepare for fighting should it be necessary and Montezuma fails."  He turned, then stopped.  "One thing else.  They are to make sure Montezuma is well protected."

Malinali found Olid and Olmedo, explained matters to them, and accompanied them to see Montezuma.  "This is your chance to reassert your authority, to regain your throne, and to end this bloodshed," all three of them implored him.  Malinali took his hand.  "Lord Montezuma," she said looking into his eyes, "it is time for you to be Huey Tlatoani, the leader and ruler of your people, once again."

Tears welled in his eyes and he agreed.

Arrayed in his finest feather headdresses and feather robes, Montezuma was escorted to the roof of the Palace of Axayacatl by Olid, Bernal del Castillo, and two other soldiers, Leonel de Cervantes and Francisco Aguilar, all holding up their shields to protect him.  As soon as they saw Montezuma on the rooftop, all the Aztecs waiting to attack ceased their shouting.  All was quiet and very quickly a huge crowd assembled in the square below.

"My people," Montezuma called out, "you all know how much I love you and how much I grieve at the many deaths you have suffered.  There is no cause for this war, for the Spaniards have promised to leave our city, leave our land forever, and let us live in peace.  I am now commanding you to put down your weapons and end this war, to let the Spaniards go so we may be rid of them, and so no more of you need to die."

There was an unmoving silence from the crowd below.  Then four nobles came forward, one of them addressing Montezuma.  "O Great Lord Montezuma," he called up to him, "we weep for your misfortune and the disaster that has fallen upon you.  But we must tell you that we have chosen your brother Cuitlahuac to be our King.

"The Great Lord Cuitlahuac has commanded us to carry on this war until every one of the foreigners is dead.  He has told us that the gods Texcatlipoca and Huizilipochtli hunger for the hearts of the foreigners, which we must feed to them.  So we beg for your forgiveness, O Lord Montezuma, but we must refuse your command and obey the Great Lord Cuitlahuac instead."

During this reply which they did not understand, the men guarding Montezuma rested their shields, as the crowd was so quiet and seemed peaceful.  The instant the noble below finished his speech, however, the crowd erupted with a sudden shower of thrown and slung stones raining upon the rooftop.  The Spaniards protecting Montezuma could not get their shields up in time before three large stones crashed into Montezuma's head and body.

He was quickly carried below where Father Olmedo and attendants cleaned and bandaged his wounds.  Regaining consciousness, he saw around him a crowd of anxious Spaniards including Cortez.  Malinali was holding his hand.  He shook his head weakly and said to her,  "I have nothing to live for.  My own people have killed me."

Father Olmedo held up a crucifix to him.  "Will the Lord Montezuma redeem himself in the eyes of Jesus Christ and ask for his Christian salvation?"  He looked beseechingly at Malinali.  "Doña Marina, I beg you, please help me save his soul."

Montezuma understood what was being asked.  "I have but a moment to live," he told her, "and will not at my end desert my gods."

He shuddered and sighed.  With that, Montezuma, the Emperor of the Aztecs, was dead.

[1]   June 24, 1520.

[2]   Corresponds to May 4^th-23^rd.

[3]   June 25.

[4]   June 27.