SEVEN MYTHS OF THE SPANISH CONQUESTMATTHEW RESTALL’S 2003 book

RESTALL

“TRUTH ITSELF HAS BEEN DISCREDITED AS A CONCEPT RELEVANT TO HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION.”

RESTALL

“THERE SEEMS TO BE A HUMAN IMPULSE TO PERSONALIZE THE PAST, TO RENDER COMPLEX PROCESSES INTELLIGIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE BY REDUCING THEM TO EMBLEMATIC CHARATERS AND A NARRATIVE OF THEIR ACTIONS.”

MYTH OF EXCEPTIONAL MEN

CORTEZPIZARRO

HERNAN CORTEZ

FRANCISCO PIZARRO

MYTH OF THE KING’S ARMY

CORTEZ AVOIDS USE OF WORD SOLDIER- THEY ARE “PAID MEN” SEEKING PATRONAGE AND OPPORTUNITIES TILL ABOUT 1540

MYTH OF THE WHITE CONQUISTADOR

USE OF NATIVE ALLIES AND AFRICANS (“INVISIBLE WARRIORS”) TO CONQUER

MYTH OF COMPLETION

SPANISH AS AGENTS OF PROVIDENCE AND CONQUEST AS “DIVINE INTERVENTION”

IDEA THAT ALL NATIVES SUBMITTED TO THE CONQUISTADORS QUICKLY AND WILLINGLY

PACIFICATION CONTINUED FOR DECADES ON BOTH CONTINENTS

ILLUSION OF PAX COLONIALQUESTIONS TODAY STILL

OVER “NATIONAL IDENTITY”

MYTH OF (MIS)COMMUNICATION

PROBLEMS OF TRANSLATION

ETHNOCENTRISMMYTH OF LITERACYCULTURE AND SOCIAL

CUSTOMS

MALINCHE AND CORTEZ

MYTH OF NATIVE DESOLATION

EUROPEAN INVENTION OF CULTURAL AND SOCIAL BREAKDOWN OF NATIVE AMERICAN SOCIETIES

NATIVE ADAPTATIONS TO OCCUPTION

MANY LOCAL LEADERS PRESERVED THEIR LOCAL STATUS

MYTH OF SUPERIORITY

EUROPEANS BELIEVED THE NATIVES WERE WILLING TO SUBMIT