Miguel Leo Portilla The Broken Spears Summary

The Broken Spears, a book written by Miguel Leon-Portilla, honorable Mexican anthropologist and historian that studied in the National Autonomous University of Mexico in 1956. The book The Broken Spears or Vision de Los Vencidos (original Spanish book name) has been translated into six different languages; English, German, French, Polish, Catalan, and Otomi. The book was originally published in Spanish in 1959, and presented the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire from the point of view of the natives. Mr. Miguel Leon Portilla, with the help of Angel Maria Garibay K. (in the version of the texts), and Alberto Beltran (in illustrations), known to us in his book " The Vision of the Defeated " a little better about the conquest of the whole area

of Mexico between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, long after the arrival of Hernan Cortés and his men to the territories of Mexico - Tenochtitlan. In his introduction Mr. Leon Portilla mentioned briefly what was added to the new edition (twenty-eighth edition to be exact), its new chapter entitled “What followed," which as we indicated, talks about what happened after the surrender of the Mexica and their allies against the Spaniards. In its general overview tells us what the book mainly talks and sources of information like some texts Garibay K.; "History of Tlaxcala" of Diego Muñoz Camargo; the "Codex" from informants of Sahagún; and some other codices and writings. Writer Miguel Leon-Potilla goal was to show the world that there have been always two stories for everything, he wanted to express the natives’ opinions, thoughts, frights, their journey, basing himself on indigenous books, poems and native’s stories.
The Beginning of an Agony
In the launch of the book it tells us about the eight "evil omens" that Mexico had years before the Spaniards arrived to the lands of Mexico-Tenochtitlan. Mexicans described them as: a "flame" fire in the sky; that the "house of Huitzilopochtli" burst into flames spontaneously; Xiuhtecuhtli the temple was struck by lightning; the fall of a fire divided into three parts; the wind to boil water in a lagoon; the lament of a woman (apparently Cihuacóatl, history of the "crybaby" celebration); which Motecuhzoma saw a crane bird like the sky and the stars, so I had a bad omen; and suddenly they had many deformed people. There were also some other omens in Tlaxcala.
The Spaniards Arrival
Mexicans had the first news about the arrival of the Spaniards to the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, according to the natives they described it as "towers or hills" floating in the sea.

After speaking to Motecuhzoma about what they had seen, he decided to have offerings sent to them as food and things of jewelry. Therefore, in the third chapter the messengers of Moctezuma go with the Spaniards, they deliver the things to his "king" (the Spaniards) Motecuhzoma ordered them to deliver things to the Spaniards, they scare them with their weapons, to the point that the Mexica swoon. The book tells us what they saw and Motecuzoma’s men defined them as men above a "deer" (horses), how these men were and other things that they observed. The fourth chapter explains how Motecuhzoma reacted to the news, since he thought that the Spaniards were the god Quetzalcoatl and the other gods who had returned; He commanded wizards and sorcerers, warriors and others who gave them things to eat (for both themselves and their horses), so they were satisfied. He also took captives to make sacrifices to them (which gave them disgusted the Spaniards). Upon learning that his magicians Motecuhzoma had failed, he and the Aztec people were filled with terror and anguish, to the extent that Motecuhzoma thought about running away (something he could not

do).
In chapter number five, it reports that the Spanish have been launched, with the help of a man Cempoalla called Tlacochcalcatl, he helped them in the guiding path, arriving at Tecoac (tlaxcalteca Otomi people), they had their first combat, but the other (Spanish) defeated them, dividing them and other tlaxcaltecas joined them. Initially they fought and defeated the Cholula (enemies of the Tlaxcalans and allies of the Mexica). Then, the author talks about a new sent by Moctezuma to the Spanish in the so-called "The Tajón Eagle" the vicinity of volcanoes; it also says that Tzihuacpopocatzin (which led the shipment) talked to Motecuhzoma, but did not believe him, because several of his Tlaxcalan allies and other people knew them; finally it tells us another attempt to leave the Spaniards by sorcerers and the appearance of Tezcatlipoca. The following section tells us the reaction of Motecuhzoma, if received in peace or war. After discussing with his brother and his son, he decided to receive them peacefully. The next chapter tells how the Spaniards and their allies come to the city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan by the course of Iztapalapa, major local people come to meet and saw the dialogue between Moctezuma and Cortes, with the help in translating of Malintzin.
Subsequently, the Spaniards make Motecuhzoma virtually a prisoner, preparing a massacre led by Pedro de Alvarado in Toxcatl party held in honor of Huitzilopochtli.

The reaction of the Aztecs made the Spaniards took refuge. Meanwhile Hernan Cortés was away to fight Panfilo de Narvaez, he was going to apprehend him by order of Diego Velázquez (governor of Cuba). As a result, Cortes returns to the city of Mexico-Tenochtitlan, after having defeated Panfilo de Narvaez, returning with more men and kicking such a war, it is also when the Spaniards throw the bodies of Motecuhzoma and Itzcuauhtzin. After seven days of being besieged Spaniards prepared to leave at night, the city was then that could "get even" the Mexica called it the "Noche Triste", where the Spaniards who remained alive after being thrown into the canal Toltec and keep walking, they took refuge in Teocalhueyacan. The writer talks about the attitude of the Mexica when the Spaniards attacked, they believed that they would never return. so resume their normal activities and celebrations; although its tranquility lasted them little since then there was a plague that struck the Mexica, it was then reappeared Spanish on the side of Cuauhtitlan and resume the war, now by water in the brigs, giving gunshots and moving into the city, while some Mexica took refuge in Tlatelolco tried to defend others. Unfortunately for the Aztecs, the Spaniards took over everything by end of the book. The last pages of the book talks about

how they felt the natural place after being under Spanish command, and what followed, such as claims by the Nahua to the king of Spain, Felipe II, reaching our dates, through the contribution in favor of the Indians by Emiliano Zapata, and speaking of the Nahua in our time and some research on the progress of pre-Columbian cultures, mainly the Aztec.
Subsequently, I think the book has very good sources of information, although the wording confused me at moments, as several texts were left in their original form, being previously spoke and expressed very differently. I believe the author based himself more in a religious ideology when writing the book. Therefore, Portilla used all secondary resources since the events happened a very long time ago. In my opinion, he accomplished what he stated in his thesis, he supported and made important points that showed how Aztecs and other tribes were conquered and how their culture got stolen from foreign people.
As a result, I would absolutely recommend it to others, it illustrates the basic history of part of the Mexican history and shows the point of view from the Indians in a way that will make you feel what they lived. The feeling and detail the author wrote in the book made it feel very alive, and the illustrations help the reader to follow the literature. Once again, with this book I feel that I learned more about my origin and Mexican culture. As an immigrant, I feel prouder about my origin after reading how my roots come from warriors and fighters that fought until the end to protect their land and families. Unfortunately, after a long deadly, bloody war, what the Aztecs did was not enough, and the Spaniards took over at the end. I also believe that is very important to always listen, to see, more than one point of view because it might surprise you how different they can be. Finally, history is not always what you wish it had been, just like Portillo expressed with all his might in this book how strong Aztecs/native Mexicans were, it was not enough, but again, if it wasn’t for history we would not know how it is that we are here now.