The History of the Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz del Castillo

David Carrasco , Editor

Essays by Rolena Adorno, Karen Vieira Powers, Sandra Cypess, and Davíd Carrasco

The History of the Conquest of New Spain by Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a new abridgement of Diaz del Castillo's classic Historia verdadera de la conquista de Nueva España, offers a unique contribution to our understanding of the political and religious forces that drove the great cultural encounter between Spain and the Americas known as the "conquest of Mexico." Besides containing important passages, scenes, and events excluded from other abridgements, this edition includes eight useful interpretive essays that address indigenous religions and cultural practices, sexuality during the early colonial period, the roles of women in indigenous cultures, and analysis of the political and economic purposes behind Diaz del Castillo's narrative. A series of maps illuminate the routes of the conquistadors, the organization of indigenous settlements, the struggle for the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, as well as the disastrous Spanish journey to Honduras. The information compiled for this volume offers increased accessibility to the original text, places it in a wider social and narrative context, and encourages further learning, research, and understanding.

"...a welcome addition to the published primary sources on colonial history."--The Catholic Historical Review

"The combination of Díaz del Castillo's fluid narrative and the insightful essays makes for a fascinating read and not only a greater understanding of history, but also a glimpse of how individual human concerns affect the way stories are told."--ForeWord Magazine