Exploiting Divides (Ep 4)

02/08/22 • 38 min

In Episode 4, Cortes digs in and settles on the coast. He encounters a new people, the Totonacs, and discovers their conflict with the Aztec Triple Alliance.

Part 1 – The Totonacs

Cortes learns of the Totonacs, who invite him to meet Xicomecoatl, leader of the town of Cempoala. Cortes learns of their subjugation by the Aztecs, and the anger they hold for Moctezuma.

Part 2 – Cempoala

Cortes passes through Cempoala on his way North. The Spaniards are stunned by the beauty of Cempoala. They stay a few days before moving on.

Part 3 – Quiahuitzlan
Having spotted a mountain town from a coastal exploration, Cortes marches for the town, called Quiahuitzlan.

Part 4 – Worry in the Capital

With Cortes suddenly established on the coast and allied with their Totonac subjects, the Lords of th Triple Alliance began to feel the severity of these foreigners intent.

Part 5 – Building of Villa Rica

Under the command of the new Chief Justice and Commander Cortes the foundations of the town of Villa Rica de la Veracruz were laid.

Part 6 - Loyalty to the Totonacs

Cortes strikes a deal with the Totonacs to support them in independence from the Triple Alliance in exchange for indigenous support of food, labor and intelligence.

Part 7 - Sinking Ships and Shipping Traffic

The most legendary sub-plot of the "Conquest of Mexico" is Cortes sinking his ships. See below, Episode 4 Breakdown - Sinking Ships, for more historic outtakes for this famous incident.

Part 8 - Garay

A rival arrives off the coast and a confrontation occurs as Cortes seizes several men from the Garay Expedition, out of Jamaica.
Episode 4 Credits
Written, researched, performed and produced by Jeremy Lipps.
~ Music ~
Intro Coda, acoustic guitar by Valentin Sosnitskiy
Fourth Imaginary City by cryptic scenery
Daniel Birch, www.danielbirchmusic.com
Early Morning Breakup
Sustained Light
The Gates Are Locked
Meydän, https://meydan.bandcamp.com/
Away
Surreal Forrest
intro by lost dream
guitar percussion by bangcorrupt
~ Sound Effects ~
jungle-tropical-birds-and-insects by mikeypme
marching by webbfilmsuk
walk on dirt road by mikeypme
water-lapping by ceivh93
mercado 05 by dobroide
timber tree falling by matt_beer
big bad dogs 5 by robinhood76
horse whinny by inspectorj
ocean waves relaxing waves tranquil geo by davidgtr1
canadian horse running by vero marengere
horses whinnying by leandiviljoen
horse snort by bruno auzet
foley natural water jump mono by nox-sound
Splashing footsteps by soundmary

In Episode 4, Cortes digs in and settles on the coast. He encounters a new people, the Totonacs, and discovers their conflict with the Aztec Triple Alliance.

Part 1 – The Totonacs

Cortes learns of the Totonacs, who invite him to meet Xicomecoatl, leader of the town of Cempoala. Cortes learns of their subjugation by the Aztecs, and the anger they hold for Moctezuma.

Part 2 – Cempoala

Cortes passes through Cempoala on his way North. The Spaniards are stunned by the beauty of Cempoala. They stay a few days before moving on.

Part 3 – Quiahuitzlan
Having spotted a mountain town from a coastal exploration, Cortes marches for the town, called Quiahuitzlan.

Part 4 – Worry in the Capital

With Cortes suddenly established on the coast and allied with their Totonac subjects, the Lords of th Triple Alliance began to feel the severity of these foreigners intent.

Part 5 – Building of Villa Rica

Under the command of the new Chief Justice and Commander Cortes the foundations of the town of Villa Rica de la Veracruz were laid.

Part 6 - Loyalty to the Totonacs

Cortes strikes a deal with the Totonacs to support them in independence from the Triple Alliance in exchange for indigenous support of food, labor and intelligence.

Part 7 - Sinking Ships and Shipping Traffic

The most legendary sub-plot of the "Conquest of Mexico" is Cortes sinking his ships. See below, Episode 4 Breakdown - Sinking Ships, for more historic outtakes for this famous incident.

Part 8 - Garay

Previous Episode

Along the Coast (Ep 3)

Episode Three – Along the Coast
Cortes departs Maya country and heads north, to Triple Alliance (Aztec) territory. A messenger spots the ships, and this begins a year long political dance between Moctezuma and Cortes. Despite Moctezuma's attempts to curtail the Spanish push inland, Cortes discovers divides among the people.
Part 1 – Closing out Business in Potonchan

Following his victory at the Battle of Cintla, Cortes spent two weeks in the regional capital Potonchan, which he had named Santa Maria de la Victoria. In that time he prepared to sail north to San Juan de Ulua, where Captain Grijalva had met with Aztec representatives the year before.

Part 2 – Aztec Territory

Cortes sails north from Maya country to San Juan de Ulua where the Aztec sentries are on guard for another Spanish expedition. The Aztec representatives Tentlil and Cuitlalpitoc are sent to greet the new arrivals and the beginning of a months-long negotiation between the Mexica and the Spanish begins.

Part 3 – Marina Reveals Herself

A slave girl given to Cortes by the Maya chief Tabscoob, reveals a hidden skill: her ability to speak both Nahuatl and Maya. Her given name, Malintzin, is changed to the Christianized Marina and she takes her place at the side of Cortes for the next two years as his chief translator, advisor and eventually the mother of his child.

Part 4 – Report to Moctezuma

Tentlil meets with Cortes in the dunes and offers the Spanish supplies. An Aztec messenger is sent to Tenochtitlan with the report of the meeting.

Part 5 – The Great Treasure

Commissioned the year before for Grijalva, the legendary Great Treasure of Moctezuma is sent to Cortes on the coast. This treasure would be sent on to Spain as property of Charles V. Included in this original shipment it is believed, was the now famous green feathered headdress now housed in Vienna.

Part 6 – Discontent and Political Maneuvering

Hunger, mosquitoes and boredom had eaten at morale and Cortes soon found a group of men in revolt. He would emerge from the political strife as the Chief Justice and Commanding General of the new town of Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz.

Episode 3 Breakdown – The Great Treasure of Moctezuma

One of the most famous parts of the “Conquest of Mexico” is the treasure sent by Moctezuma to Cortes while he was on the coast. Most of the European accounts, and some of the codices, mention the treasure and the golden sun disc and the silver moon disc. Visit the Episode webpage to read more.

Next Episode

The March to Mexico (Ep 5)

In Episode 5, Cortes marched inland toward Tenochtitlan and passes through difficult terrain and battles on his way to finding a new and powerful ally.

Part 1 - Departing Cempoala

Cortes and his men depart the Totonac town of Cempoala and head into the lush highlands of the Sierra Madre.

Part 2 - Deserts, Valleys and Volcanoes

The Spanish expedition reaches the desert highlands and the men suffer from hypothermia, dehydration and hunger.

Part 3 - The Fight to Tlaxcala

Several local people, including the Otomi, attack the Spanish.

Part 4 - New Allies in Tlaxcala

Cortes makes a powerful new ally.

Part 5 - Staying in Tlaxcala

The Spanish stay in Tlaxcala for two weeks, recuperating, eating and learning of another Aztec enemy in the four cities of the Tlaxcala Federation.
Episode 5 Credits

Written, researched, performed and produced by Jeremy Lipps.

~ Music ~
Intro Coda, acoustic guitar by Valentin Sosnitskiy
Fourth Imaginary City by cryptic scenery
Daniel Birch, www.danielbirchmusic.com
Early Morning Breakup
Sustained Light
The Gates Are Locked
Away by Meydän
intro by lost dream
~ Sound Effects ~
jungle-tropical-birds-and-insects by mikeypme
marching by webbfilmsuk
walk on dirt road by mikeypme
mercado 05 by dobroide
timber tree falling by matt_beer
big bad dogs 5 by robinhood76
horse whinny by inspectorj
canadian horse running by vero marengere
horses whinnying by leandiviljoen
horse snort by bruno auzet
soft wind by florianreichelt
walk on dirt road by laurent
army marching by craigsmith
cold breeze ambiance by siyamahlobo
campfire sound by sterckxs
forest stream between mekhanizatorov settlement and akhtyrka vilage moscow region by halfofthesky

Mexica: A History Podcast - Exploiting Divides (Ep 4)

Transcript

Episode 4 - Exploiting Divides

Last time in Episode 3: The Aztec ambassadors met the Spanish at San Juan de Ulua and Marina, the Indigenous translator, revealed her bilingual abilities. Cortes established a town government and schemed to have himself elected Captain General.

April, 1519: Another group of people had been seen lingering on the outskirts of the Spanish camp on the distant dunes, gawking, huddled and talking. In the