Primary Source Analysis Hist 3318

Primary Source Analysis of the Conquest: The Role of Women During the Conquest.

Accounts of the Conquest of Mexico have been based on many things including the actions of the Spanish and the indigenous armies, the cultural exchange between the Spanish and indigenous people and even authority and governance. Nonetheless, the role of women during the conquest have been just as important as the conquistadors and notables during that time. Their roles varied in purpose and meaning but their significance still remained very high. The women of during the conquest play major roles in the lives of the Spanish and indigenous people, acting a wives and mistresses, and translators for the Spanish.

During the time of the conquest, a woman played a major role in the lives of the Spanish and indigenous people. In fact, the men would not have survived during this time without them. They were weavers and sempstresses, who made such a huge quantity of fine robes with every elaborate feather design. These things were generally brought from some towns in the province of Cotaxtla. In Montezuma’s palace, fine cloths were woven by those chieftans’ daughters and the daughters of other dignitaries. Women were also servers of the caciques and emperors. They would food and drinks to the Aztec Emperor Montezuma first and then everyone else will follow. Water was brought in xicales for the emperor to wash his hands

One of the most famous women during that time was Doña Marina, also known as Melinche. In Bernal Diaz’s account of The Conquest of New Spain, Doña Marina was the translator for Hernan Cortes, and he took her everywhere he went. She had been a great lady and a cacique over towns and vassals since childhood. Her father and mother were lords and Caciques of a town called Paynala. Her father died while she was young and her mother married another Cacique to which she bore a son. To avoid impediment, Don~a Marina was given to Indians of Xicalango. She was then given to the people...