CORTES, Hernan, conqueror of Mexico was bornât Medellin, a small town of Estremadura, in 1485. He was descended from a noble family of decayed fortune, who destined him for the bar, and sent him at an early age to the university of Salamanca. But being soon disgusted with a species of study ill suited to his ardent genius, he embraced the military profession, in hopes of signalizing himself, under the celebrated Gonsalvo de Cordova. A dangerous malady, however, having prevented his embarking for Naples, his hopes were baffled; but when his health was re-established he turned his attention towards the West Indies, which were then a source of riches and glory to the Spaniards. In 1504 Cortes set out for St Domingo, where he was kindly received by Ovando, the governor. He was then only nineteen, and remarkable for a graceful physiognomy and amiable manners, as well as for skill and address in all military exercises. He remained in St Domingo, where Ovando had successively conferred upon him several lucrative and honourable employments, until 1511, when he accompanied Diego Velasquez in his expedition to the island of Cuba, where he became alcalde of St Iago, and displayed great talents on several trying occasions. To the fire and impetuosity of youth had now succeeded an indefatigable activity, united with the coolness and self-command which are so necessary for the execution of great designs. Grijalva, lieutenant of Velasquez, had just discovered Mexico but without attempting to effect a settlement. This displeased the governor of Cuba, who superseded Grijalva, and intrusted the conquest of the newly-discovered country to Cortes. The latter hastened his preparations, and, on the 18th of November 1518, he set out from St Iago, with ten vessels, six or seven hundred Spaniards, eighteen horsemen, and some pieces of cannon. Scarcely had he set sail, however, when Velasquez, repenting his choice, and apprehensive that his lieutenant would carry off all the glory as well as profit of the enterprise, recalled the commission which he had granted to Cortes, and even ordered him to be put under arrest; but the attachment of the troops, by whom he was greatly beloved, enabled him to disconcert all the designs of the governor; and on the 4th of March 1519 he landed on the coast of Mexico Advancing along the gulf, sometimes caressing the natives, and sometimes spreading terror by his arms, he took possession of the town of Tabasco. The noise of the artillery, the appearance of the floating fortresses which had transported the ∙ Spaniards over the ocean, and the horses on which they fought, all new objects to the natives, inspired them with astonishment mingled with terror and admiration; they regarded the Spaniards as gods, and sent them ambassadors with presents. Cortes here learned that the native sovereign was called Montezuma; that he reigned over an extensive empire, which had lasted for three centuries,∙∣ that thirty vassals, called caciques, obeyed him; that his riches were immense and his power absolute. No more was necessary to inflame the ambition of Cortes, who hesitated not to undertake the conquest of this great empire, which could only be effected by combining stratagem and address with force and courage. He laid the foundation of the town of Vera Cruz, caused himself to be elected captain-general of the new colony, and, like Agathocles, burned his vessels, to cut off the possibility of retreat, and l [7:7:379] show his soldiers that they must either conquer or perish. He then penetrated into the interior of the country, drew to his camp several caciques hostile to Montezuma, and induced these native princes to facilitate his progress. The republic of Elascala alone opposed him; but he routed its army, which had resisted all the forces of the Mexican empire, dictated peace on moderate terms, converted the people into powerful auxiliaries, and, surmounting all obstacles, arrived, with six thousand natives and a handful of Spaniards, in sight of the immense lake on which was built the city of Mexieo, the capital of the empire. Montezuma received him with great pomp, and his subjects, believing Cortes to be a descendant of the sun, prostrated themselves before him. The first care of Cortes was to fortify himself in one of the beautiful palaces of the prince; and he was only thinking how to get hold of the riches of so opulent an empire, when intelligence reached him that a general of the emperor, who had received secret orders, had just attacked the garrison of Vera Cruz and killed several of his soldiers. This event undeceived the Mexicans, who had hitherto believed the Spaniards to be immortal, and overturned the whole policy of Cortes. Struck with the greatness of the danger, surrounded by enemies, and having only a handful of soldiers, he conceived and instantly executed a most daring project. Having repaired with his officers to the palace of the emperor, he announced to Montezuma that he must either accompany him or perish. Being thus master of the person of the monarch, he then demanded that the Mexican general and his officers who had attacked the Spaniards should be delivered into his hands; and when this had been done he caused these unfortunate men, who had only obeyed the orders of their sovereign, to be burned alive before the gates of the imperial palace. During this cruel execution Cortes entered the apartment of Montezuma, and caused him to be loaded with irons, in order to force him to acknowledge himself a vassal of Charles V. The unhappy prince yielded, and was restored to a semblance of liberty on presenting the fierce conqueror with six hundred thousand marks of pure gold, and a prodigious quantity of precious stones. Scarcely had he reaped the fruits of his audacity, however, when he was informed of the landing of a Spanish army, under Narvaez, which had been sent by Velasquez to compel him to renounce his command. In this emergency Cortes acted with his usual decision and courage. Leaving two hundred men at Mexico under the orders of his lieutenant, he marched against Narvaez, whom he defeated and made prisoner, and then enlisted under his standard the Spanish soldiers who had been sent to attack him. On his return to the capital, however, he found that the Mexicans had revolted against the emperor and the Spaniards, and that dangers thickened around him. Montezuma perished in attempting toaddress his revolted subjects; upon which the latter, having chosen a new emperor, attacked the headquarters of Cortes with the utmost fury, and, in spite of the advantage of fire-arms, forced the Spaniards to retire, which alone saved them from destruction. Their rearguard, however, was cut in pieces, and they suffered severely during the retreat, which was continued during six days. Elated with their spccess, the Mexicans offered battle in the plain of Otumba. This was what Cortes desired, and it proved their destruction. Cortes gave the signal for battle, and, on the 7th of July 1520, gained a victory which decided the fate of Mexico Immediately afterwards, he proceeded to Elascala, assembled an auxiliary army of natives, subjected the neighbouring provinces, and then marched a second time against Mexico which, after a gallant defence of several months, was retaken on the 13th of August 1521. These successes were entirely owing to the genius, valour, and profound but unscrupulous policy of Cortes; and the account of them, which he transmitted to Spain, excited the admiration of his countrymen. The extent of his conquests, and the ability he had displayed, effaced the censure which he had incurred by the irregularity of his operations; and public opinion having declared in his favour, Charles V., disregarding the pretensions of Velasquez, appointed him governor and captain-general of Mexico at the same time conferring on him the valley of Guaxaca, which was erected into a marquisats, with a considerable revenue. But although his power was thusçonfirméd by royal authority, and although he exerted himself to consolidate Spanish domination throughout all Mexico the means he employed were such that the natives, reduced to despair, took arms against the Spaniards. This revolt, however, was speedily subdued, and the Mexicans were everywhere forced to yield to the ascendency of European discipline and valour. Guatimozin, who had been recognised as emperor, and a great number of caciques, accused of having conspired against the conquerors, were publicly' executed, with circumstances of great cruelty, by order of Cortes. Meanwhile the court of Madrid, dreading the ambition and popularity' of the victorious chief, sent commissioners to watch his conduct and thwart his proceedings; and whilst he was completing the conquest of New Spain, his goods were seized by the fiscal of the Council of the Indies, and his retainers imprisoned and put into irons. Indignant at the ingratitude of his sovereign, Cortes returned in person to Spain, to appeal to the justice of the emperor, and appeared there with great splendour. The emperor received him with every mark of distinction, and decorated him with the order of St Iago. Cortes returned to Mexicowith new titles but diminished authority, a viceroy having been intrusted with the administration of civil affairs, whilst the military department, with permission to push his conquests, was all that remained to Cortes. This division of powers became a source of continual dissension, and caused the failure of the last enterprises in which he engaged. Nevertheless, in 1536, he discovered the peninsula of California, and surveyed a part of the gulf which separates it from Mexico At length, tired of struggling with adversaries unworthy of him, whom the court took care to multiply, he returned to Europe, hoping to confound his enemies. But Charles V. received him coldly'. Cortes dissembled, redoubled the assiduity of his attendance on the emperor; accompanied him in the disastrous expedition to Algiers in 1541, served as a volunteer, and had a horse killed under him. This was his last appearance in the field, and if his advice had been followed, the Spanish arms would have been saved from disgrace, and Europe delivered nearly three centuries earlier from the scourge of organised piracy. Soon afterwards he fell into neglect, and could scarcely obtain an audience. One day, however, having forced his way through the crowd which surrounded the emperor’s carriage, and mounted on the door-step, Charles, astonished at an act of such audacity, demanded to know who he was. “I am a man,” replied the conqueror of Mexico proudly, “who has given you more provinces than your ancestors left you cities.” This haughty declaration of important services ili-requited could scarcely fail to offend a monarch on whom fortune had lavished her choicest favours; and Cortes, overwhelmed with disgust, withdrew' from court, passed the remainder of his days in solitude, and died, near Seville, on the 2d of December 1554, being then in the sixty-third year of his age. The only writings of Cortes are four letters, on the subject of his conquests, which he addressed to Charles V., and which have fortunately been given to the world. The best edition of them is that of Don Francisco Antonio[7:7:380] Lorenzana, archbishop of Mexico entitled Historia de Nzteva-España escrita por su esclarecido conquistador, Hernan Cortes, aumentada con otros documientos y notas (Mexico 1770, 4to); a work, the noble simplicity of which attests the truth of the recital it contains. The conquests of Cortes have been described with pompous elegance by the historian Antonio de Solis, and with more truth and simplicity by Bernardo Diaz del Castillo. (a.)