Azteca As Is. 75-85
Navaez's Ruin Brings Unexpected Reinforcements
In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity. - Sun Tzu
INTRODUCTION
With Lord Montezuma under house arrest and tensions mounting, the Conquistadors are stalemated in the water city of Mexico - unable to leave, unable to stay, unable to go - when an old nemesis Governor Diego Velasquez of Cuba sends unwanted guests.
The modern adaptations of Conquistador life as recorded by Bernal Diaz and Pedro de Cieza fall on https://crackpot.substack.com/t/incadinca
While we conspired about how to extricate ourselves and the gold from Mexico, Diego Velasquez conspired to send a fleet of 19 ships, 1400 soldiers, 20 cannon, powder and ball, 80 horseman, 90 bowmen, 70 musketeers to bring Captain Cortes to heel as a destroyer of the Crown who had vastly over-stepped his bounds. The General Captain of this crew was Panfilo de Narvaez.
Narvaez came across the sea with his fleet to San Juan de Ulua. They picked up three men Cortes sent to find mines; they came aboard Narvaez’s ship and got drunk with him on wine.
Montezuma got to know about these ships and through his messengers Narvaez sent the message that Cortes was a traitor to the Crown and a wanted fugitive. When Montezuma heard this, he felt rescued from the fathomless depths of his lost position. One day Cortes noticed Montezuma was cheerful and inquired what was the good news.
MONTEZUMA: Malinche Cortes, word has just come. More ships have come. You can leave with them. You do not need to rebuild new ships now.
Defeat of Narvaez
Cortes pretended to be overwhelmed with joy at this news in front of Montezuma. But he knew these were likely from Diego Velasquez. Cortes gathered us, distributed gifts of gold, and asked them to stand by him in what was coming through thick and thin. Narvaez’s emissaries soon came to visit Cortes in Mexico City. Cortes received them warmly and through gifts of gold began to induce many in Narvaez’s party to come over to our side of the story.
The conquistadors met and decided to take the offensive and attack Narvaez. Pedro de Alvarado would stay in Mexico in charge of Montezuma while a force under Cortes would meet Narvaez.
Narvaez ordered his artillery, cavalry, musketeers and crossbowman to be taken out to a plain near Cempoala to wait for us. They were under order to capture or kill us all. Narvaez put a 2000 peso bounty on Cortes.
We waited. It rained for a few days. The soldiers we faced outnumbered us but were not hardened to field condition. They got tired and wet and abandoned their position in the field for warm lodging in town. We arrived at a stream near Cempoala where there were some good meadows. Cortes gave a rousing summary of our triumphs and hardships and spelled out Diego Velasquez’s motivation to seize our gold, as if it were not known. The first thing to be done was seize their artillery, 18 cannons. These were posted in front of Narvaez’s quarters. Cortes divided up the command, assigned tasks, and gave bounties for Narvaez to the first 3 persons that laid their hands on his person.
We came upon their camp and captured their artillery as planned, but not before one of their balls killed 3 of our soldiers. No sooner had the fighting started than Narvaez cried.
NARVAEZ: I’m hit! They shot out my eye!
Narvaez was soon tumbling down the steps of the pyramid he had stationed himself in. Though they outnumbered us greatly, many were ready to come over to our side after seeing and hearing about the gold we had propertied. Soon they stopped and Narvaez was brought before Cortes.
CAPTAIN NARVAEZ: Captain Cortes, you must consider your victory over me a great feat.
CAPTAIN CORTES: Actually, defeating you is just another day of the week for me.
CRISTOBAL DE OLID: Welcome to New Spain, Senor Parfino. Enjoy your stay!
The three men who betrayed us to Narvaez were beaten. Those of Narvaez’s men who wanted to join us were welcome. In this way we resupplied our provisions, weapons, manpower and had a fleet of ships now on which to leave. All thanks to Governor Diego Velasquez’s exertions. With this in hand, we promptly returned to Mexico City and our gold.
Narvaez brought a black man with him covered in smallpox, which would kill more of the natives than any of us.
Pedro Alvarado Destroys a Festival
We were all on edge all the time. There were signs that things were taking a hostile turn. Subtle warnings. Like thunder clouds before the storm. Signals that the winds had shifted. Supplicant peons at our service that would abruptly become sullen and insolent. People would avoid us or mock us from a distance. These were signs. Every ugly look could just be an annoyed servant or a tell. A tell that treachery was afoot. The surface tension of our uneasy friendly company about to erupt in violence over the affront of our presence.
Ill luck suddenly turns the wheel, and after the great fortune of Narvaez’s easy defeat on the coast, word came that Pedro Alvarado, holding down the fort with Montezuma in the City of Mexico, was under siege. We hurried to get back to the city to unite with Pedro, just having strengthened our numbers and provisions from the spoils won by vanquishing Parvino de Navaez.
Just as we were set to leave, 4 chieftains sent by Montezuma arrived. They cried and said Pedro Alvarado came out from his quarters with all the soldiers Cortes left garrisoned and fell on the chieftains and Caciques who were dancing and celebrating a feast in honor of their Idols Huichilobos and Tezcaptepuca. Pedro killed and wounded many of them. In defending themselves, six of Cortes’ soldiers were killed. Cortes, feeling frustrated with Pedro Alvarado, promised to return at once and put everything right. By forced march we returned swiftly, then Cortes sharply questioned his lieutenant about the massacre.
CAPTAIN HERNAN CORTES: What happened?
PEDRO DE ALVARADO: It was a trap.
CAPTAIN HERNAN CORTES: Explain.
PEDRO DE ALVARADO: They wanted to eliminate us, whether Montezuma lived or not. With us out of the way, they figured they could bar either your return or Narvaez’s entrance back into the city. They meant to divide and conquer us.
CAPTAIN HERNAN CORTES: Why?
PEDRO DE ALVARADO: You told them we would leave after we built our new ships. But when these ships arrived, and it was obvious we were not leaving, they felt betrayed.
CAPTAIN HERNAN CORTES: What was the reason you attacked when they were dancing and holding a festival?
PEDRO DE ALVARADO: I got word that the plan was to distract our conquistadors with Montezuma’s dancers, then fall upon us with weapons they had hidden in flags and batons.
CAPTAIN HERNAN CORTES: I believe you. But still it was badly done.
PEDRO DE ALVARADO: Their hostility began the moment you left. We’ve had to dig a well in our courtyard for water. We have to beg for food.
CAPTAIN HERNAN CORTES: I don’t fault or doubt you, Senor Pedro. You did your duty like a soldier. I trust you did what had to be done.
PEDRO DE ALVARADO: I honor your return, Captain. We have been under such strain without you, like a ship without wind.
Montezuma’s Harem
In the house of Montezuma lived all the daughters of chieftains whom Montezuma had as mistresses. They wore beautiful things. The great number of dancers kept by Montezuma for his amusement. The dancers wore stilts on their feet and others flew when they danced in the air like Fred Astaire. There was a whole district of apartments just to house all of Montezuma’s dancers.