John F. Schwaller

The First Letter from New Spain: The Lost Petition of Cortes and His Company, June 20, 1519 John F. Schwaller

Commendation Quotes: "An excellent piece of historical research. . . . The authors have taken a long-overlooked manuscript source that despite certain paleographic problems and physical damage still enables them to reconstruct the names of those men who were with Cortés at the very start of the conquest of Mexico. . . . The result is a fascinating example of historical reconstruction . . . and an important contribution."Table of Contents: Preface Chapter 1. Introduction John F. Schwaller Chapter 2. A Synopsis of the Conquest of Mexico John F. Schwaller and Helen Nader Chapter 3. The Veracruz Petition in Historiographical Context John F. Schwaller Chapter 4. Description of the Veracruz Petition Helen Nader and John F. Schwaller Chapter 5. Facsimile, Transcription, and Translation of the Veracruz Petition Helen Nader and John F. Schwaller Chapter 6. The Members of the Company: A Prosopographical Essay John F. Schwaller Chapter 7. Biographies of the Signatories of the Veracruz Petition John F. Schwaller Chapter 8. Conclusions John F. Schwaller Appendix. Signatories of the 1520 Segura de la Frontera Letter Notes Bibliography IndexPublisher Marketing: The founding of la Villa Rica de la Veracruz (the rich town of the True Cross) is prominently mentioned in histories of the conquest of Mexico, but scant primary documentation of the provocative act exists. During a research session at the Spanish archives, when John Schwaller discovered an early-sixteenth-century letter from Veracruz signed by the members of CortEs's company, he knew he had found a trove of historical details. Providing an accessible, accurate translation of this pivotal correspondence, along with in-depth examinations of its context and significance, "The First Letter from New Spain" gives all readers access to the first document written from the mainland of North America by any European, and the only surviving original document from the first months of the conquest. The timing of CortEs's Good Friday landing, immediately before the initial assault on the Aztec Empire, enhances the significance of this work. Though the expedition was conducted under the authority of Diego VelAzquez, governor of Cuba, the letter reflects an attempt to break ties with VelAzquez and form a strategic alliance with Carlos V, the Holy Roman Emperor and King of Spain. Brimming with details about the events surrounding Veracruz's inception and accompanied by mini-biographies of 318 signers of the document--socially competitive men who risked charges of treason by renouncing VelAzquez--"The First Letter from New Spain" gives evidence of entrepreneurship and other overlooked traits that fueled the conquest. Review Citations:

Choice 11/01/2014 pg. 511 (EAN 9780292756717, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:  Schwaller, John F John F. Schwaller is a distinguished historian of colonial Latin America. He has served as Director of the Academy of American Franciscan History at the Franciscan School of Theology in Berkeley, California; Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of Montana, Missoula; Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Dean at the University of Minnesota, Morris; and President of SUNY Potsdam. His previous books include The History of the Catholic Church in Latin America: From Conquest to Revolution and Beyond. Contributor Bio:  Nader, Helen Helen Nader is Emeritus Professor of History at the University of Arizona. She is the author of numerous books, including Power and Gender in Renaissance Spain: Eight Women of the Mendoza Family, 1450 1650 and Liberty in Absolutist Spain: The Habsburg Sale of Towns, 1516 1700.