The Spanish invasion of Mesoamerica in the sixteenth century has been one of their most renowned victories. However, with a review of Restall’s work, as well as a closer look into the help that the Spanish had, reveals that the success of the Spanish was not merely their own. The Spaniards’ and natives’ common political goals, the natives’ army strength, knowledge of the land and the sharing of battle strategies and resources made the native allies a key asset to the conquest. The success of the Spanish conquest was largely dependent on the military support they received from their native allies; the Tlaxcalans especially, along with other native contributors, such as the Teocalhueycan and the Tepaneca.
Matthew Restall, author of Seven Myths …show more content…
Food is especially important in order to keep armies from starvation. In a native account written by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, it describes the meeting between the Tlaxcalan and the Spanish, and the Tlaxcalans provision of food. “Thereupon the Tlaxcalan rulers went to meet them, taking along food: turkey hens, eggs, white tortillas, fine tortillas.” This is important because without the provisions that the natives provided the Spaniards, they would not have been able to keep their numbers up to sustain a conquest. If the natives had not provided the Spaniards with the ability to feed their army, the Spaniards would have been at a loss to try and feed themselves. The conquistadors were not very familiar with agricultural practices as they were aristocrats, not farmers. The native allies also provided Spaniards with materials so as to clean and repair their wounds. Infection in the sixteenth century was more harmful than the wound itself so these medicinal provisions were especially important. The Spanish conquistador, Bernal Diaz, says, “There we at once treated our wounds with oil and bandaged them with native cloth...” This describes that not only did the native allies give the Spaniards aid on the battlefield, but off of it as well. Without native assistance the Spaniards would have been likely to have succumbed to infection not long after their first battle due to lack of
Matthew Restall, author of Seven Myths …show more content…
Food is especially important in order to keep armies from starvation. In a native account written by Fray Bernardino de Sahagun, it describes the meeting between the Tlaxcalan and the Spanish, and the Tlaxcalans provision of food. “Thereupon the Tlaxcalan rulers went to meet them, taking along food: turkey hens, eggs, white tortillas, fine tortillas.” This is important because without the provisions that the natives provided the Spaniards, they would not have been able to keep their numbers up to sustain a conquest. If the natives had not provided the Spaniards with the ability to feed their army, the Spaniards would have been at a loss to try and feed themselves. The conquistadors were not very familiar with agricultural practices as they were aristocrats, not farmers. The native allies also provided Spaniards with materials so as to clean and repair their wounds. Infection in the sixteenth century was more harmful than the wound itself so these medicinal provisions were especially important. The Spanish conquistador, Bernal Diaz, says, “There we at once treated our wounds with oil and bandaged them with native cloth...” This describes that not only did the native allies give the Spaniards aid on the battlefield, but off of it as well. Without native assistance the Spaniards would have been likely to have succumbed to infection not long after their first battle due to lack of