Ambivalent Conquests: Maya and Spaniard in Yucatan, 1517-1570

248 Pages·2003·8.769 MB·English

by  Inga Clendinnen

AMBIVALENT CONQUESTS
Mayaa ndS paniairnYd u cata5n ,7 -157 0
I I
SecoEnddi tion
INGA CLENDINNEN
CAMBRIDGE
UNIVERSITY PRESS
PUBLISHED BY THE PRESS SYNDICATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
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CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
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http://www.cambridge.org
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A catalroegc ofrodtr h ibso oiksa vailafbrlotemh Ber itiLsihb rary.
LibraorfCy o ngrCeastsa logiinPn ugb licaDtaitoan
ClendinnIenng,a .
Ambivaleconntq uest:sM ayaa ndS paniairnYd u cataIn5 1, 7 -157I0
IngaCl nedinnen.- 2nde d.
p. cm.- (CambridLgaet iAnm ericsatnu di;e6 s1)
Includbiesbi olgrpahical refereanncdein sd ex.
ISBN 0-521-8203-1I-SB6N 0-521-5273(1p-b7k .)
1.Y ucataPne nins-ulHai story2..M exic-oH isto-rCyo nques1t51, 9 -1540.
3.M exicoHistorSyp-anicsohl ony1,5 40-18104..M aya-sF irscto ntawcitt h
-
European5s..M aya-s Histo-ry16thc entur6y..M aya-s Culturasaislm ilaotn.i
7.I ndiaTnrse,a cmeonf-c Y ucataPne ninsulIa.. Tide.S er1ie1s..
F1376.c552 003
972'.6502-dc212 002191144
ISBN 0 5218 20316 hardback
ISBN O 5215 27317 paperback
Tot hmee moryo fF ranVcien tSocnh oles
When theS paniarddiss covetrheidls a ndt,h eilre adaesrk ed Itnhdei ans
uiact han,
howi tw asc alleadst; h eyd idn otu ndersthainmd, t heys aid
whichm eansw,h atd oy ous ayo rw hatd oy ous peakt,h awte don ot
understaynoduA .n d thent heS paniaorrdd erietd sdeotw nt haitt b e
Yucat.a.n. .
called
Antonidoe C iudaRde al1,5 88
Contents
Lisotfi llustrations pagxei i
Preftaoct eh see coenddi tion Xlll
Preftaoct ehfi er setd ition xv
Acknowledgments xvu
PartI :S paniards I
l Explorers 3
2 Conquerors 20
3 Settlers 38
4 Missionaries 4
5
Conflict 7
5 5
6 Crisis 72
7 Attrition 93
8 Retrospections II2
EpiloguTeh:eh alolf m irrors 127
PartI I:I ndians 129
9 Findinogu t 131
lo Connections 139
l I Continuities 1
54
12 Assent 161
EpiloguCeo:n fusiooftn o ngues 190
AppendAi xs:a mpleorfd ocuments 19
5
Diegdoe Landian'dsi ctmoefn tt he SIontduitaan s 19
5
Thec onfessions 197
GlossoafryS paniasnhdM aya terms 210
Notes 212
Selebcitb liography 230
Index 240
XI
Illustrations
1 Spaniesxhp lorceornsq,u ermoirsss,i onaartwi oersk .
AntonidoeH erreyrT ao rdesiHlilsatso,gr einae der a!lo s
hechdoes !Coass telleanln aoIsss liaT si erFriar mdee M!a r
OcianDoe,c ad4a,4 ,M adrid1,6 01. pagle 2
2 FrD.i egdoe L andaB,i shoopfY ucata1n5 71-7(9T he
BancroLfitb rary). 67
3 FrF.r ancidsecT oo raBli,s hoopfY ucatan 156(0T-h7e1
BancroLfitb rary). 86
4 Them onasteartly z ama(lf roJmo hnM cAndrewT,h e
Open-Cahiurr cohfeSs i xteenth-MceexnitcHuoary,r vard
UniversPirteys1 s9,6 5). 115
5 Mayal oridn j udgme(ndte tfariolm aw atercoblyo ur
AntoniToe jadfar,o mK .R upperett aBlo.n,a mpaCkh,i apas,
MexicPoe,a bodMyu seumo fA rchaeolaongdEy t hnogrya).p h 148
6 The' GreTarte oef t heW orldP'a,n eolft heF oliaCtreods s,
Palenq(uaef tAe.rP . M audslay). 175
7 Hearetx cisiToenm,p loeft heJ aguaCrhsi,c helnt z(aa fter
S.G .M orle1y9,5 6). 179
8 Heart excwiisticho rnu cifTorremoe f L ifsep ringing from
thec hescta vity. DCroedsedxe 3na,( aftSe.Gr . M orley,
1956). 183
Maps
Map1 Yucatant hiecn o nquepsetr iod. XVlll
Map2 Thea fflictperdo vin1c5e6s2,. 78
..
XU
Prefatcote h es econedd ition
AmbivalCeonntq ueissnt os wfi fteyeena rosl dw,h icihse lderilnty h ea ca­
demiwco rldIw. i lnlo tt ryt ol ocaittei n regtaonr edw d evelopments
inc olonsitauld iienYs u catoarne lsewhepraer,tb leyc auhsies toersyp,e ­
cialrleyg iohniaslt omroyv,e ssl owlmyo;r eb ecauistie s a d iscrsettued y
thaati metdo s heda sharlpi ghotn o nep artictuelrarri taonrdyo ,n ly
diffulsieg hbte yond.
InsteIao dff ears horhti stoorfty h et ransformoafta ig orne adte aolf
readitnhgi,n kianngdr, e thinkintgh ebi onotkoy oua rheo ldiinngy our
hands(.We k nowt ool ittalbeo utth eb iograpohfby o oksA.m)b ivalent
Conquewsatsms y firsbto okE.a cbho okt eachtehsew ritseorm ethinnegw ,
butt hefi rstte achyeosut hem ostI.tg rewo uto fa p ost-gradhuiastteo ry
thesains : inquiinrtSyop aniascht ioinncs o lonYiuacla taan c ouploef
decadaefst ceorn quewsitt,ht h ef ocus thoenf erociionuqsu isiitnitoon
Indian 'backbsyFl riadnicnigs'mc iasns ionfarrriysaa ,n dt heS panisseht ­
tlerast't empttoss toipt T.h et heseinsd ewdi tht hep rim observation
thatas ,w e haveo nlSyp anirsehc ortdosw orkf romt,h ew orlodf t he
MayanI ndiawnassa ndm ustr emaicnl osteodu sO.n eo fm y examiners,
am ano fm uchi nsigahntdf eww ordsp,e ncilltehde m ianr gi'nW:h y?'.
I wast akeanb acTkh.e nI though'tW hyi ndeedr?e'a;ad greadte al
of ClifGfeoerrdta zn do ther sealnetchtredo polorgeitsutrsnt;eo td h ose
Spanish reacnodrf,do suy;re arosfh appy thilnaktinecgro ,m plettehde
bookw itha thirsde ctidoenv otteodr econstruwchtaittn hge I ndians
mighth aveb eenu pt oS.i nce tIh heanv er oametdh rougah n umber
of different gaenodtg ermappohritaeclr rit-orAizetseM ce xicNoa,z i
Germanym,o str ecentthleye arlcyo ntahcits toorfym y ownc ountry,
Austra-lbiuat t hec entriasls ue rheamsa inceodn stahnotw:t o under­
stanfdr owmh atevseoru rcweesh appetnoh avweh att hep articipian nts
past evtehnotusg ihnt good faiwtehr uept t hoe- yw hati,n t hew idest
senshea,p pened.
Xlll
XlV Prefatcote h see coenddi tion
WritiAnmgb ivalCeonntq uetsatusg hmte thed ifficultsiuebsd uiinn g
unruleyv idenacnea,l ysainsdr, e flectiinotnao c ohereanntdr eadable
wholeI.tr ootkh ef ailuraes eorfio efas m bitiosutsr uctsucrhaelm teos
makem e seew hatI h ad beleono kiantga ltlh et imet:h atth es ources
clusteirnetdo tghoroede- faniatrhr atoifvt ehses ameev entTsh.a rte cog­
nisetdh,e booorkg aniistesdei lnfti ot tsr iple-dfeocrkme.r
Thesdea y'sn arrahtaisvb ee'c omaet rictkeyr mO.l d-fashioned histo­
riasntsi llilkt eot hintkh ey eaxrcea vatsionmge objeaccttiuvaelw ihteyn
theayr rantghee iorw nh unchreesg ardmiontgi vbeo lstebryes de lective
snippoefte sv idenicnce l ocsher onolosgeiqcuaeln nceew;- fanghliesdt o­
rianrsi dictuhlepe o ssibiolfoi btjye ctiavnidpt ryo ceteods ubjetchte ir
A
readersa thtloe dtiiscp loafys su bjectiuvnibtoyu nd.r ange of other
ingenuiitsei xeesr cibseetdw etehne stew op oleIsw .a sf ortuntaort eea d
thew ritinogfts h ep sycholoJgeirsotmB er unearta c rucisatla gienm y
thinkiHneg .t aughmte thawte alalr ea lwaycso nstructionwgn our
privantaer ratrievgeasr doiunrgo wna ndo therasc't ioannsd,t hatth ese
covenratr ratpiovweesr fuilnlflyu enwchea tw et hinakn dd o.C lifford
Geertazn do thehrasd a lreasdhyo wmne t hawte c anb esrte cognwihsaet
othepre opilnet enadn dd esifrreo mw hatt hesya ya,n de vemno ref rom
whatt hedyo ;t hatth eb esatv ailaubnldee rstanodfoi unrgs ubjeacntds
theiarn imativnigs iownislc lo mef romc losoeb servaotfit ohne igre s­
turaaln dv erblaaln guatgher oucghha ngicnogn texNtosw.a daytsh aits
consciomuys l'ym ethobdu't,I findi ta nimatiAnmgb ivalCeonntq uests
tooM.y pursuoifot b jecticvointsyio sfta cs l oastet achmteons tu rviving
recoradlso,n wgi thr ecogniotfit ohne igra pasn ds ilenacnedsi ,nc om­
mittimnygs etlofc ritiacwaalr enoefsm sy ownp redilecatnidmo anksi ng
ther eadaewra roef t hemc ooT.h ats eemtso m e mostd irecdtolnyeb y
engaging rienaa dneo rpse nd ialogrueeg ardtihneg potentainadl ities
limitatoifo ntssh oeu rcIec sl aiamr ree levant.
Thed ifficultierse aawlne dtr hee s trateignisepsi ribtuitnm gy, m ain
pleasiunrr ee searcahnidnw gr ititnhgeb ooka,n di nu rginygo ut or ead
itn ow,w ast hei llumina-ttihoe'n s erijoouyst' o,q uotaec ollea-gue
ofs eeihnogw three differenotft haewc ocroluden,at csah u thenitni c
itosw nt ermsc,o uld, when pcloaucnetde ripnor ienstui,ln ts carring
damagaen ds ubtclhea ngteo a lpll ayeIrtsi .s a,t i tcso rea, s tudoyf
unintencdoends equences.
IngCal endinnen
Prefatcote h efi rsetd ition
Soutahn dw esto fC ubaa grealti mestpoennei nstuhlrau sitnst toh e
warmw ateorfst heC aribbeTahneM. a yaI ndiawnhso l ivetdh ercea lled
it' ThLea ndo ft heT urkeayn d Defeort'rh, e tyh ougihtta r icphl acIen.
thee arlyye arosft hes ixteecnetnht uSrpya niacradmse s;o mei ns earch
ofa g oldekni ngdosmo,m et oe xtentdh eK ingdom Goofd .T heyf ound
a harsahn ds tonlya nwdh icthh ecyo nqueraendds ettlneodn etheless.
Theyn amedi t' Yucatan'.
Thiiss a s toroyfh ow tLhaen do ft heTu rkeayn dt heD eerw asm ade
intYou cataPnr.o uodf t heierx ploitthsec, o nquerroercso rdtehde mi n
detasiolt ,h et aloef e xploraatnidow na rc anb et old, ffirrosmtt ,h eir
poinotfv iewa,n di nt heitre rm-so fc ouraguen,a bashceudp idiatnyd,
thaetx traordEiunraorpye an conovfit chteiirorin g httoa pproprtihaet e
worldL.a tewre heaSrp anivsohi csetsi lblu,tS panivsohi creasi siend
confusaenddb ittceorn flicatss, e ttlaenrdsm issionfarriyaf rosu ghat
dangerous fboatrt htepl oew etro d etermitnheek indof Y ucatatnh ey
woulmda keT.h eyf oughnto to nloyv er utsheeo fl anadn dc ontroofl
laboutrh,ec onventipornoabll eomfcs o lonpioalli tbiuctso ,v ecro ntrary
accounotfst h ec onducaen d the nattuhrese u bojfen catt ive people.
Int hec ourosfet hastt ruggalbeo utth en aturoeft hea lieann do ther,
thewye res ometimfeosr cceodu nsougahntd profoudnisdqluyi eting
discovearbioeustt h emsel-vwehsi cihs a lwayasd angeirnt heh all-of­
mirrowrosr lwde m akew henw es eetko p ossetshses tranagnedm ake
itp arotf ourselves.
Thenfi,n allIy t,u rtno t heM ayat:o d iscovtehrr,o ugahn alyosfi s
deepplayr tiSspaann iaschc ounwthsa,tt hedyi da,n df rotmh eoiwrn f ew
andf ragmentwarryi tinwghsa tt hemye anbt yw hatt hey dIittd a.k es
patienacnedp ersevercaohn ecaecr h osfea inlto ng-ago Ivnodiicaaents
alls,p eaking adso f trhoemay n u nfamilwioarrl adn da nu nfamiliar
experieTnhceea .t temaplts roe quirferso mb othr eadaenrd autah or
xv
Preftaotc hfieer setd ition
XVl
toleraonfac meb iguitainedos f,i nherenctolnyt estjaubdlgem enBtust.
too ffeirn terpretwaittihoonausct k nowledtghienigur n certgarionu nd
woulbde l estsh acna ndiwdh,i lceo s taoten lwyh ati sc ertaiknnloyw n
woulbde t ol eavuen explowrheadtm attemross t.