subject: The Cortes Expedition Begins With A Bang [print this page] It's crucial to understand that Hernan Cortes nearly became a footnote in history, rather than a star. His expedition was nearly canceled, and he succeeded in conquest partly because it was his only option. Before he even began his march on the Aztec city-state, he had to get to the mainland and figure out a game plan.
Why commission a huge expedition of men and then limit them to trading with the coastal natives? Velazquez knew that the man who conquered Mesoamerica would receive glory and riches that would massively overshadow the work he'd done in Cuba. It was something that everyone was thinking about and Cortes was no exception. Being a conquistador was a dangerous job; it was quite likely that you would be betrayed by your own men, even if you did manage to outrun the Indian arrows. Greed, competition, and jealousy, were standard during the time.
Luckily, Cortes had a fairly good grasp of Spanish law and was a master manipulator; he correctly guessed that Velazquez was saving the true invasion privileges for himself. So Cortes cunningly persuaded the Governor to insert a clause into the agreement that allowed the conquistador to take emergency actions without authorization, if they were in Spain's best interest. He then prepared by getting together 11 ships, and at least 600 eager men. But he couldn't avoid the Cuban Governor's jealousy or mistrust for long.
Velazquez became suspicious that Cortes would ignore orders and take the glory of conquest for himself, as the departure date drew closer. Infuriated at the thought that he might be eclipsed, he sent another soldier named Luis de Medina--a more loyal puppet--to replace Cortes as commander. But Medina was intercepted and murdered by Cortes' brother-in-law, giving the party ample warning of the Governor's change of heart. On February 18 1519, as the expedition made final preparations, Velazquez arrived at the docks in person, demanding that Cortes step down. The Spanish conquistador shouted in return, "time presses!", ignored the orders of his superior, and set sail as the furious Governor watched from land. Cortes was actually considered a mutineer when he began his expedition; he sailed across the Gulf knowing that he would likely be imprisoned upon his return. It was an ominous start to a highly dangerous mission.
