First contact between the Spanish and the Maya occurred in the year 1511. This was 19 years after Columbus discovered the Bahamas in 1492. The first contact between the Spanish and the Maya occurred after a shipwreck had brought the survivors to Maya shores. The written account of the shipwreck and of the events that followed are written in Bernal Díaz's, “Verdadera Historia de la Conquista de Nueva España” (in english: True History of the Conquest of New Spain).[50]
Many of the details written by Díaz differ than the accounts given from other 16th century chroniclers, such as Cervantes, Gómara, and Martyr. All of whom differ in their accounts of the number aboard the ship, how many survivors had reached the shore, and the ultimate fate …show more content…
Eventually there were only two men left. The two remaining survivors were Gerónimo de Aguilar and Gonzalo Guerrero. Aguilar had managed to escape from his captor and found refuge with another Maya ruler. Gonzalo Guerrero managed to win over some prestige among the Maya for his bravery. Guerrero achieved the standing of a ranking Maya warrior and granted the status of a noble.
These two men would later play two very different roles in future conflicts between the Spanish and the Maya people. Gerónimo de Aguilar would become Hernán Cortés' Mayan translator and an adviser in assisting Spain conquer the Maya states. Gonzalo Guerrero would remain with the Maya people, serving as a tactician and as a warrior fighting with them against the Spanish.
The next contact between the Spaniards and the Maya happened in the year 1517, when the Spanish conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba sailed to the Yucatán from Cuba in search of slaves to replace the native Cuban slaves that were dying off in great numbers. The Spaniards were surprised to see stone cities along the coast of Yucatán. Córdoba and his men landed at several locations. Some of the Maya greeted the Spaniards with friendship and offered to trade goods with them. The Spaniards were lucky to acquire a few pieces of gold ornaments by
Many of the details written by Díaz differ than the accounts given from other 16th century chroniclers, such as Cervantes, Gómara, and Martyr. All of whom differ in their accounts of the number aboard the ship, how many survivors had reached the shore, and the ultimate fate …show more content…
Eventually there were only two men left. The two remaining survivors were Gerónimo de Aguilar and Gonzalo Guerrero. Aguilar had managed to escape from his captor and found refuge with another Maya ruler. Gonzalo Guerrero managed to win over some prestige among the Maya for his bravery. Guerrero achieved the standing of a ranking Maya warrior and granted the status of a noble.
These two men would later play two very different roles in future conflicts between the Spanish and the Maya people. Gerónimo de Aguilar would become Hernán Cortés' Mayan translator and an adviser in assisting Spain conquer the Maya states. Gonzalo Guerrero would remain with the Maya people, serving as a tactician and as a warrior fighting with them against the Spanish.
The next contact between the Spaniards and the Maya happened in the year 1517, when the Spanish conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba sailed to the Yucatán from Cuba in search of slaves to replace the native Cuban slaves that were dying off in great numbers. The Spaniards were surprised to see stone cities along the coast of Yucatán. Córdoba and his men landed at several locations. Some of the Maya greeted the Spaniards with friendship and offered to trade goods with them. The Spaniards were lucky to acquire a few pieces of gold ornaments by