Hernan Cortes Case

Hernan Cortes

After evaluating the murder of Moctezuma II, the following conclusions are deducted. The jury ruled that Hernan Cortes was innocent in the charges of premeditated murder out of jealousy of Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II. Hernan Cortes was innocent because there was the lack of murder. Without hard evidence connecting him and the Spanish army to the murder. Without the presentation of hard evidence and the extreme ambiguity as to what happened on the day of death of Moctezuma II and the Aztec rebellion it is unfair to consider Hernan Cortes guilty. The prosecutor in his opening statement asserted that it was Hernan Cortes greed for power that resulted to the tragic death of Moctezuma II. The prosecutor referred the power as Moctezuma

god-like leadership in the Aztec empire. Apparently, Hernan Cortes was a respected leader of Spanish Armies for a long period and therefore was an entrusted with his role of conquering the new world by King James V. The prosecutor sought to prove that Hernan Cortes was guilty for the murder of Moctezuma to take over Aztec Empire control, by through the argument that he was to receive riches in form of gold and that power to satisfy the thirsty for power as a divine king. However, the claims by the prosecution side were not possible back in Spain. The evidence produced by the prosecutor Hernan Cortes murders Moctezuma II through the use of bloody confusion of war to veil his jealous to rule the great empire of the Aztecs. However, the prosecutor presented a vague argument and unclear depiction as to how Moctezuma II sustains injuries during the war and ways in which Hernan Cortes could have killed or made an order to kill him.
At the time of Moctezuma II’s death, Bernal Diaz del Castillo was a veteran of Spanish expedition and assisted Hernan Cortes for the conquest of Mexico. Bernal Diaz del Castillo in the book entitled, The True History of The Conquest of Mexico, he describes the interaction between the Aztecs and Spanish, as well as he events that led to the death of Moctezuma II. The account of Bernal Diaz del Castillo actions were right and were corresponding to the argument presented by the defense team during the trial. According to the argument raised by the defense team, is that Moctezuma was killed by his people when he was addressing them to stop the hostilities. According to the book, The True History of the Conquest of Mexico, describes the events that follow at the time Moctezuma was killed. The chief and men of nobility in Aztec Empire saw Moctezuma coming towards their direction and called the troop to be silent and desist for the purpose of raising their issue to the King and enable him address them in an orderly manner. After the leader they had appointed finalized his speech, a shower of arrows and stone were thrown toward the spot where Moctezuma sat. The king was wounded and refused any form of assistance and was reported death after the incidence (Díaz 64).
From the evidence brought by the defense it was apparent that the Aztecs were annoyed and against Spaniards and after taking a vow to their gods to destroy them, there was no way they could be convinced them to stop fighting. At the point of killing Moctezuma, it was clear that Aztecs were making push in beating Spanish, and the act of desperation made Spanish to appear weak and make Moctezuma, a soft leader. From the evidence presented by the defense, it is clear that Aztecs stoned Moctezuma to death. There were doubtless men in the crowd that perceive the conduct of Montezuma as disgusting and thought they disrespected him to not deserve a pardon.
Historical account for the event challenges each other to the jury, to make the best decision possible during the trial.

The most important point during the trial was omitted, where Hernan Cortes was not in the city the day Moctezuma was stoned to death. Contrary, the Hernan Cortes letters to King James V has a different account for the event. The letter asserted that Moctezuma in the company of his son and chiefs were held in captivity. Moctezuma requested the captain to allow him address his people in the effort of persuading them to stop the fight. As he was standing on the roof to address the crowd, he received a blow of the stone. The lived for three days before dying from the injuries (Cortés, Pagden, and Elliott 154). The letter indicates that the fight escalated each day. It was apparent that Hernan Cortes admitted to being present in the city the day Moctezuma was injuries, and he had order Moctezuma to address the crowd as the captain of the army. Hernan Cortes changed the direction of the story creating suspicion that he was hiding something. Several sources revealed that Hernan Cortes was present at the tragic scene that led to the death of the king of Aztec empire. Hernan Cortes hurried to the capital after Narvaez defeat to assist in the besieged garrison and ordered the king to address warriors in an attempt to cease an assault on Spanish. It appears that Moctezuma got the injuries resulting to his death. Multiple sources indicate that Hernan Cortes was

present at the scene and the reason for the covering up was to support prosecution team’s argument. The prosecutor did not raise any point during the trial regarding his present at the scene when Moctezuma died, apart from the argument that Hernan Cortes was not present during the event. The omission of the argument by the prosecutor that he was present during the time of Moctezuma’s death provided the defense team the chance to prove Hernan Cortes innocence (Green 102).
Cuitlahac, a brother to Moctezuma, was brought to the stand and provided the court with informative and powerful testimony during the trial of Hernan Cortes.

He argued that Moctezuma petitioned Hernan Cortes to release him with the notion that the release could suppress the rebellion. He stage that Hernan Cortes led the army against the Spanish and understood his motive, but barely knew its impact on king’s life. Cuitlahac continued and argued that Moctezuma did not was not want peace and wanted Spanish to lose their lives during the fight. Moctezuma ruled Aztec empire for a period of 18 year and was considered as the most powerful and civilized Latin American. Therefore, it was hard for him to accept Spanish with all their disrespectful and rude ways. Spanish has insulted Aztec gods and forced Christianity in their society. Therefore, Moctezuma had to trick Hernan Cortes to release the next king of Aztec Empire because there was likelihood that his life was about to end. He has to convince Hernan Cortes release his bother to take charge of the empire and lead people to victory. Cuitlahac stated that Spaniards driven from the metropolis and fortified the city to recruit armies. From the evidence presented by Cuitlahac, it was clear that he rejuvenated the humiliated Aztecs after their leader was held in captivity and slaughtered during the dance ritual calendar (Koestler-Grack and Goetzmann

91).
There are uncertainty in the trial and a substantial lack of evidence against Hernan Cortes to connect him or his solder to the killing of Moctezuma II. Therefore, the jury decision to rule in favor of Hernan Cortes innocence in the charge of premeditated murder as a result of jealousy. The prosecutor failed to present argument and evidence that was beyond reasonable doubts on the way Hernan Cortes caused the death of Moctezuma II.

Conclusion
Hernan Cortes was innocent because there was the lack of murder. Without hard evidence connecting him and the Spanish army to the murder. Without the presentation of hard evidence and the extreme ambiguity as to what happened on the day of death of Moctezuma II and the Aztec rebellion it is unfair to consider Hernan Cortes guilty. The prosecutor presented a vague argument and unclear depiction as to how Moctezuma II sustains injuries during the war and ways in which Hernan Cortes could have killed or made an order to kill him. Evidence presented by the defense, it is clear that Aztecs stoned Moctezuma to death. There are uncertainty in the trial and a substantial lack of evidence against Hernan Cortes to connect him or his solder to the killing of Moctezuma II.