Chapter XVI
Tapia, Commissioned to Depose Cortes, is Induced to Return to Cuba—Cortes is Confirmed as Governor of New Spain—He Goes to Spain and is Ennobled—A Second Visit to Spain Discloses the Fickleness of the Court—He Vainly Begs the Emperor’s Favor—His Death
The conquest of imperial provinces shortly followed the capture of the city. One after another surrendered and their people suffered the same hard fate which the American islanders had endured for twenty years. They were enslaved and cruelly treated. Cortes in the meantime received no reply from Spain and was uncertain how his operations were regarded there. At last a vessel arrived at Vera Cruz, having on board a certain Tapia, who had been sent to depose Cortes, bring him to trial, and fill his position. Fortunately for Cortes, this man was both weak and cowardly. He cunningly interposed so many obstacles and intimidated him in so many ways that Tapia thought the safest course for him was to return home without making any attempt to carry out the object of his mission. Cortes also knew that he was a very covetous man and offered to purchase his horses, slaves, and entire outfit indeed, at a handsome price. Tapia was willing to sell and returned to Cuba with a goodly amount of gold.
The storm impending over Cortes’ head, however, soon began to gather again. In hopes of escaping it, he sent other messengers to Spain to lay before the Emperor, Charles the Fifth, a complete report of his operations and present him with his share of the booty. The brilliancy of his deeds and the greatness and importance of his conquest both rejoiced and amazed the young monarch. He not only approved of all that Cortes had done but invested him with the dignity of Governor of New Spain, and appointed a commission to investigate the pretensions of Velasquez. As might have been expected, this commission made a report in accordance with their master’s wishes. Velasquez’ complaint of Cortes’ disloyalty and his claims of governorship over the newly conquered territory were pronounced null and void, and he was declared entitled to no further compensation than the legitimate cost of the expedition. This twofold disgrace was more than the proud and passionate Velasquez could endure. It cost him his life and Cortes now found himself at the very summit of fortune’s pinnacle.
He began to raise Mexico from its ruins and to consolidate the Spanish power in the Empire. In carrying out his plans he resorted to the most cruel and arbitrary measures, which invited the Mexicans to revolt again. This revolt was speedily crushed, however, and inhuman penalties were inflicted upon caciques and nobles. Upon the mere rumor that Guatemozin had encouraged the Mexicans, that brave, magnanimous prince and also the caciques of Tezcuco and Tacuba were hanged. Some Spanish officials who had been sent to Mexico to administer the royal revenues attempted to exercise authority without recognizing Cortes. But Cortes was not in the habit of allowing his inferiors to treat him contemptuously. He laughed at their efforts to weaken his authority. The officials, however, sent to the Spanish Court a description of Cortes’ character and his administration. Their statements made such an impression that it was decided to send a commissioner to Mexico to investigate Cortes’ transactions, and if his findings warranted it, to send him to Spain. When the commissioner arrived, however, he was taken ill and died.
Cortes’ danger was not yet over. The officials continued sending unfavorable reports to Spain and a new commission was appointed with absolute power to investigate and punish him. Cortes was informed of its purposes. He was furiously indignant to find the arduous and important service he had rendered the fatherland thus requited, and his friends counselled him, in view of such shameful treatment, to meet force with force. He hesitated, however, to take a step which would conflict with the loyalty and obedience he owed his sovereign, and at last decided to suffer ungrateful and shameful treatment rather than resist the legal authority of his country. He resolved to go to Spain and entrust his fate to the mercy and justice of the King.
As he appeared before his sovereign, all eyes were turned with admiration and respect upon the man whose achievements seemed to eclipse those of the great heroes. The modesty with which he plead his cause before the high judges removed the suspicions they had entertained. The King received him with expressions of the highest respect and gratitude and showered favors upon him. He decorated him with the order of St. Iago, elevated him to the rank of count, and conferred upon him a broad stretch of territory in Mexico which would yield him a large revenue. But when they came to the confirmation of his governorship, it was clearly apparent they considered it dangerous to invest him anew with the power he might misuse. All that he received was his recognition as general and permission to make new discoveries. The entire administration of civil affairs was entrusted to a viceroy.
Cortes went back to Mexico, but from that time forward his career was marked by an unbroken series of troubles. He was so hampered by the viceroy’s strictness and so humiliated by his loss of authority that his only relief was found in the discovery and conquest of new regions. He fitted out an expedition on the west coast of Mexico for making discoveries in the great South Sea and succeeded in finding the peninsula of Lower California. Upon his return his life became so embittered that he decided to go to Spain again, appeal to the justice and former favor of the King, and lay his grievances before him in person. He little anticipated the still greater troubles he must endure. During his restless and martial life he had had little chance to know the fickleness of a court and the unreliability of the favor of the great. He was now to discover it.
He was coldly received, indifferently listened to, and his complaints and appeals dismissed as of no consequence. He had grown old. What further important service could he promise? What he had accomplished for his King and country was forgotten or it was considered as already fully recompensed. He found himself at the close of his career, like Columbus, ignominiously treated by a thankless King and his malicious ministers, and obliged to beg for justice. Six long wretched years passed in solitude and neglect but at last grief and indignation at such treatment brought his life to an end. He died October 11, 1547,[15] in the sixty-third year of his age. His body at his express desire was taken to New Spain, perhaps because he considered his ungrateful fatherland unworthy to be its burial-place.[16]
Footnotes
[1]Diego Velasquez was born at Cúellar, Segovia, in 1465—some authorities say in 1458—and died at Havana, Cuba, in 1522 or 1523. He accompanied Columbus to Hispaniola (Haiti) in 1493.