The Conquest of Mexico & The Translators That Made It Possible

Malinche did nothing wrong

The conquest of Mexico was of course, a pivotal chapter in human history, where the fusion of military prowess, cultural exchanges, and linguistic intricacies shaped the destiny of civilizations. Beyond the narratives of guns, germs and steel, the role of languages might be the most critical aspect of all. Most of history severely leaves out that, none of the groups of people indigenous to Mexico…Spoke Spanish at the time of the Spanish arrival, and none of the Spanish spoke any of the 68 languages alive at the time.
The question becomes…Who helped them?

The Arrival and the Capture of Melchorejo (1517)

In 1517, Spanish explorers set foot on the Yucatán's shores. Led by the enigmatic Córdoba, the expedition embodied a blend of curiosity and ambition, the allure of the gold driving them forward. Initial encounters with the Maya revealed apparent warmth, but tensions that turned into an unexpected ambush were buried beneath the veneer of hospitality.

Caught in the crosshairs of this fight was a Mayan warrior named Melchorejo, captured during the ambush. Melchorejo's capture, which was initially a consequence of the ambush, eventually led to an important linguistic partnership with the Spanish. His proficiency in Mayan languages positioned him as the first Mayan translator, bridging the gap between the Spanish and the indigenous inhabitants.

The Emergence of Malinche (1513-1519)

In 1513, a young Nahuan girl named Malinalli, from the Gulf Coast, was swept into the history books. Tascoob, the leader of the current state of Tabasco, led an army of 20,000 soldiers to Xicalango, where they defeated the islanders. It was a Maya custom to give the leader a large number of slaves. Malinalli was one of them. Malinalli’s fluency in both Nahuan and Chontal Maya would become the key to the Spanish’s success.

Fast-forward to 1519, and the arrival of Hernán Cortés marked a turning point. The expedition's mission was clear: unravel the mysteries of this new world and find as much gold as possible. Cortés's initial interactions led him to seek assistance from Melchorejo to track down two shipwreck survivors, Aguilar and Guerrero. While Aguilar's loyalty aligned with Spain, Guerrero has gone local. That’s where Malinalli's linguist skills came at hand. Her linguistic skills propelled her into the role of Cortés's interpreter. Over time the translation of the name Malinalli was changed to Malintzin and, further Malinche.

The Complex Role of Malinche

As the narrative progressed, Malinche's role became more intricate. While her linguistic skills aided communication between the Spanish and the indigenous peoples, her allegiances are debated. She was seen as a traitor by some, to others her actions were out of of survival, agency, and the collision of cultures. Either way her relationship with the Spanish evolved into one that even places her in the history books as a sort of royalty, as she became the “head of communications” for the conquistadors.

The Poetic Discourse of Moctezuma

In the heart of the Aztec Empire, the city Tenōchtitlan ( Mexico City) stood as a symbol of power. But in November of 1519, Cortés and his entourage arrived, ushering in a change between two worlds. Moctezuma, the Huēyi Tlahtoāni, emerged to greet the visitors, while the Spanished plotted.

Moctezuma's speech was infused with poetic subtlety, veiling layers of meaning within his words. His choice of language and metaphor transcended the literal, revealing his strategic prowess. A particularly noteworthy line is, "in mātzin in motepētzin," which translates to "your water, your hill." This seemingly simple phrase held symbolic weight, with elements mirroring the formal address to Malinche. It was as if he was symbolically offering the city to Master Malinche rather than Cortés.

The Conquest of Tenochtitlan (1519-1521)

The arrival in Tenōchtitlan marked a phase of complicated diplomacy and strategic maneuvers. Tensions escalated, and an uprising eventually happened. The war eventually kicked off when Cortés's men attacked Aztec warriors during the holiday of Tōxcatl. The uprising triggered a chain of events leading to the fall of Tenōchtitlan.

Read this tweet to understand ( Hint, the Tlaxcallans played a large role) https://twitter.com/bowtiedpassport/status/1647650496071745541

The siege, lasting through the summer of 1521, concluded with the city's fall. The last Hueyi Tlahtoāni, Cuauhtemōc, was eventually captured and executed. Malinche's indispensable contributions were lauded,

Legacy

Xicotencatl II, a Tlaxcalan warrior and military leader, almost turned the tide against the Spanish. When Cortés and his forces entered Tlaxcala with the intent of forming alliances, Xicotencatl II saw through their intentions and perceived the Spanish as a potential threat to Tlaxcalan sovereignty. Xicotencatl II gathered a substantial army of Tlaxcalan warriors and ambushed the Spanish. They exploited their knowledge of their terrain and led guerilla tactics to almost eliminate the Spanish. Their attack was only called off when the elder Xicotencatl I decided that the enemy of their enemy was better an ally than dead. This negotiation could only have been made through Malinche’s fluency in both languages.

In the end, the legacy of the conquest is full of misconceptions and embellishments, but one thing that stands is that Malinche's characterization as both a traitor and a hero is what made the conquest a success. What is left off of history is that Cortes spent years building relationships with the indigenous around Mexico before eventually helping the Tlaxcalans topple the Aztecs. Without translators like Melchorejo bridging the gap between the Spanish and the Mayans and Malinche bringing the gap between the Aztecs the campaign may have been an utter failure.