Cartas de relación

The Cartas de relación are a series of letters addressed to Emperor Charles V during the years of the Conquest of Mexico (1519–1526). They constitute a primary source of exceptional value for understanding the fall of the Aztec Empire and the early years of New Spain. Cortés recounts in the first person military, political, and diplomatic events, as well as his personal difficulties and rivalries with other conquistadors. The letters were not only informative: they were conceived as a tool to legitimize his actions, with strong apologetic and rhetorical traits, and represent one of the most significant examples of 16th-century conquest literature.^[1]

Cortés' expedition departed from Cuba in February 1519 without the definitive approval of Governor Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar. From the beginning, Cortés' position was ambiguous and potentially illegitimate. To gain recognition from the Crown of Castile and avoid accusations of rebellion, he began writing detailed letters to Charles V, often accompanying them with valuable gifts, including gold, precious stones, and artifacts from the newly conquered lands.^[1] The letters, while rich in geographic and ethnographic descriptions, had a primarily political purpose: to present Cortés as a loyal servant of the king, highlight the progress of indigenous Christianization, and request official confirmation of his governorship.^[1]

• The first letter, which Cortés would have written shortly after the founding of Veracruz (summer 1519), has never been found. Some chroniclers report that it was suppressed or confiscated by the Council of the Indies due to Velázquez's pressure. In the absence of the original, a letter from the Veracruz cabildo dated 10 July 1519 is considered a substitute document: it describes the foundation of the city and the decision to appoint Cortés as "captain general" with the consent of the settlers.^[1]
• The second letter, written on 30 October 1520, narrates the events from Cortés' arrival in Veracruz to his first entry into Tenochtitlan, including the meeting with Montezuma II. It then describes the increasing tensions and the Night of Sorrows, during which the Spaniards were forced to flee with heavy losses. Printed in Seville in 1522 by Jacobo Cromberger, it was the first to circulate widely in Europe and helped spread an epic image of the conquest.^[1]
• The third letter, dated 15 May 1522 from Coyoacán, was written shortly after the fall of Tenochtitlán (August 1521). It describes the capture and death of Montezuma, the destruction of the capital, and plans for territorial reorganization. The letter accompanied a rich shipment of gold and jewels intended for the emperor, much of which was lost to French corsairs.^[1]
• The fourth letter, dated 15 October 1524, deals with the difficulties of governing New Spain. Cortés describes the reconstruction of Tenochtitlán, relations with indigenous peoples, and the founding of new cities. In this document, he defends his actions against attacks from rivals and seeks to demonstrate the legitimacy of his deeds. It was printed in Toledo in 1525 and reprinted in Zaragoza in 1526.^[1]
• The fifth letter, written in 1526 during the expedition to the Gulf of Hibueras (present-day Honduras), is a lengthy account of the difficult march through unknown lands, hostile populations, and harsh terrain. It contains valuable ethnographic information on Central American peoples, such as the Itza, and describes new geographic explorations. Long considered lost, it was rediscovered in the 19th century in a manuscript of the Imperial Library of Vienna and published by Pascual de Gayangos.^[1]

The relaciones had an early editorial circulation. The second and third letters were printed in Seville in 1522, the fourth in Toledo in 1525. In the 18th century, they were collected by Andrés González de Barcia in the series Historiadores primitivos de las Indias Occidentales (1749). In 1770, the Archbishop of Mexico Francisco Antonio de Lorenzana republished them with an extensive set of notes. The first modern critical edition was prepared by Pascual de Gayangos in Paris in 1866.^[1] Beyond their documentary value, the Cartas de relación are considered works of great literary importance. Their sober and direct style has been compared to Commentarii de Bello Gallico by Julius Caesar. The prose combines concrete observations with political rhetoric, presenting the conquest as a divinely sanctioned act beneficial to the monarchy.^[1]