Título: La Malinche
Seção: Role of La Malinche in the Conquest of Mexico
Background: La Malinche (Spanish pronunciation: [la ma'lintSe]; c. 1496 or c. 1501 - c. 1529), known also as Malinalli [mali'nal:i], Malintzin [ma'lintsin] or Dona Marina ['dona ma'rina], was a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, who played a role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, acting as an interpreter, advisor, and intermediary for the Spanish conquistador, Hernan Cortes. She was one of 20 women slaves given to the Spaniards by the natives of Tabasco in 1519. Later, she gave birth to Cortes' first son, Martin, who is considered one of the first Mestizos (people of mixed European and indigenous American ancestry). The historical figure of Marina has been intermixed with Aztec legends (such as La Llorona, a ghost woman who weeps for her lost children).

Conteúdo: For the conquistadores, having a reliable interpreter was important enough, but there is evidence that Marina's role and influence were larger still. Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a soldier who, as an old man, produced the most comprehensive of the eye-witness accounts, the Historia Verdadera de la Conquista de la Nueva Espana ("True Story of the Conquest of New Spain"), speaks repeatedly and reverentially of the "great lady" Dona Marina (always using the honorific title Dona). "Without the help of Dona Marina," he writes, "we would not have understood the language of New Spain and Mexico." Rodriguez de Ocana, another conquistador, relates Cortes' assertion that after God, Marina was the main reason for his success.  The evidence from indigenous sources is even more interesting, both in the commentaries about her role, and in her prominence in the codex drawings made of conquest events. Although to some Marina may be known as a traitor, she was not viewed as such by all the Tlaxcalan. In some depictions they portrayed her as "larger than life", sometimes larger than Cortes, in rich clothing, and an alliance is shown between her and the Tlaxcalan instead of them and the Spaniards. They respected and trusted her and portrayed her in this light generations after the Spanish conquest.  In the Lienzo de Tlaxcala (History of Tlaxcala), for example, not only is Cortes rarely portrayed without Marina poised by his side, but she is shown at times on her own, seemingly directing events as 

user: What was the role of La Malinche in the conquest of Mexico?

assistant: Although to some Marina may be known as a traitor, she was not viewed as such by all the Tlaxcalan.

user: How did the other Tlaxcalan view her?

assistant: an alliance is shown between her and the Tlaxcalan

user: Was she Tlaxacan?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: How did she help the conquistadors?

assistant: Had La Malinche not been part of the Conquest of Mexico for her linguistic gift, communication between the Spanish and the Indigenous would have been much harder.

user: How many languages did she speak?

assistant: La Malinche knew to speak in different registers and tones between certain Indigenous tribes and people.

user: DId she have other aptitudes that made her helpful to the Spanish?

assistant: For the Nahua audiences, she spoke rhetorically, formally, and high-handedly.