New Spain : aspects of life in 16th-century colonial Mexico

Abstract

Limiting this research to the sixteenth century made it possible to delve into more depth. This century was loaded with aspects of continuity and change, as it was the birth of Spanish colonialism in Mesoamerica and as such, it was the start of a new era; the era where the indigenous world of Tenochtitlan began to crumble and be replaced by a sense of superiority coming from the Spanish conquistadors. Hence, the following chapters will be showcasing aspects of continuity and change. In order to understand these aspects, the first chapter will delve into several aspects. It will provide the context of the dissertation by discussing what was happening in Europe that propelled the so called ‘Age of Discovery’, a brief overview of the conquest of Mexico itself and what the Aztec Empire was. It then moves on to deal with the historiography of the subject and it provides a concise description of the type of sources that were utilised for this study. The second chapter will then look at what life in Tenochtitlan was before the arrival of the Spanish. This will serve as an introduction to the complex society and culture of the Mexica people as it will look at elements of societal divisions, the family as a unit and the warrior culture that was so strongly exhibited. The third chapter will seek to give a description of how pre-Spanish Tenochtitlan appeared visually, by examining the city as an urban space, through its layout, streets and buildings. This analysis will then be compared to the architectural transformation that the city underwent after colonial subjugation, to highlight what changed, and what remained the same. Finally, the fourth chapter will deal with both elements of change and continuity in particular cultural aspects such as the imposition of Christianity on a society that believed in several deities. The second aspect that will be analysed is the creation of a society that is multiracial and multi-ethnic, and how this changed the power dynamics of Mexica society, introduced new struggles and undermined old indigenous power. The discovery of the New World, known popularly as the Age of Exploration, or the Age of Discovery, is often depicted as a glorious era for Europeans; an era which brought fortune and fostered the creation of overseas European imperialism. Judging from its surface, perhaps one could perceive this era as something to be celebrated. After all, venturing out into the unknown oceans and discovering new lands was quite the achievement.2 However, the magnificence and wealth that these empires attained needs to be set next in parallel to the darker side of their history. The inception of European imperialism was achieved through the subjugation of thousands of people, tribes and ethnic groups and through the strong desire of eradicating non-European cultures and creating new societies that resembled European ones. This harsh reality of European imperialism of the early modern period is reflected, even epitomised, in the conquest of Mexico, and it is for this reason that this dissertation will be focusing on the effects that the collision of two different worlds, with two, extremely different cultures brought to Aztec Tenochtitlan. The overthrow of the Aztec Empire in the heart of the Valley of Mexico by the Spanish conquistadors in the first half of the 16th century is a popular narrative, and an exciting and scary one at that. Whilst the Spanish expedition and entry into the beautiful, strong city of Tenochtitlan is an incredibly engrossing narrative, the history of how that city, and its native people evolved and adjusted as a Spanish colony is one which deserves more attention. When the Spanish with Tenochtitlan as its capital.3 By the 1540s onwards, the region was commonly referred to as Ciudad de México.4 Slowly, the Valley of Mexico began to look more European and less Nahua. However, whilst there are, without doubt several aspects of change that emerge as a result of the conquest of Mexico, there are also several continuities that transpire from pre-Hispanic times. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to show the two sides of the story, to create a better, and less biased picture of Mexican history.