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The Sixteenth Century
Montezuma
A note at the front tells how an old book was found on a market stall in Spain. On examination it was found to be the diary of one of the advisers to Montezuma, the Aztec King or Great Speaker. This particular adviser had the task of looking into the future to foretell what was going to happen.
When the diary was translated it told of the arrival of Hernan Cortes and the first Spaniards to the Aztec world.
Many of the Lost Diary series are written in a modern, jocular style with many puns, witticisms and deliberate anachronisms.
It must be said at once that that is not the case with this particular diary. By and large it is a straight account of the coming of Cortes as seen from the viewpoint of the soothsayer. True, there is the odd anachronism, as in the case of the clothes catalogue and there is also a modern touch in the way in which the soothsayer refers to Montezuma as Monty and to Cortes as Caught-out. (He does not catch the name Cortes). There is also a comic touch about the soothsayer's name, Guessalotl.
But these cases apart, this is more or less a straightforward, clearly written, fictionalised account of the coming of the Spaniards to Central America.
The book starts with Guessalotl listing some omens or portents of doom - such as the bright star or comet which appeared ten years ago.
Then a messenger comes to the city of Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) and tells of mountains in the sea and the arrival of pale, hairy faced gods. Guessalotl is sent with some nobles to meet these gods. When he reaches the coast he finds that the "mountains" are huge ships. He is able to speak to the gods because they have an interpreter, an Indian woman, Dona Marina. Then Guessalotl returns to Tenochtitlan.
The army of the gods march through Mexico. At the head of the army are some half-man, half-deer monsters. The army is swelled by thousand of Indians from the countries which used to send tributes to Montezuma.
When Cortes (or Caught-Out) finally reaches Tenochtitlan, Guessalotl is given the task of showing him around. Guessalotl gradually comes to realise that Cortes is not a god, but just a man who is mainly interested in gold and silver. But he does not tell Montezuma because he is afraid that would mean a one way climb up to the top of a pyramid.
The Spaniards stay in Tenochtitlan for six months and eventually the people revolt. Montezuma is killed and, although suffering heavy losses, the Spaniards manage to escape.
This is the end of the diary but there is a note at the end explaining that the Aztecs succumbed to the deadly disease of smallpox. Thus weakened they were unable to defend their city when Cortes returned with a larger army.
In 1520 the Aztec empire became part of the Spanish empire.
There is a further note denouncing the diary as a hoax.
While giving this account Guessalotl paints a vivid picture of Tenochtitlan. The island city is clearly described and we are shown how the Aztecs made fields out of the lake and what crops they planted. We are also told that they did not have sheep or cows. There is also a section on Aztec schools. Such mundane matters as food and clothes are not neglected.
One subject which Guessalotl keeps coming back to is the huge number of sacrifices made by the priests at the top of the pyramids. He mentions the horror of the Spaniards when they are given food sprinkled with human blood.
This is a very readable, interesting account of the last days of the Aztec empire. Illustrated throughout in black and white.
10+
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