Cortes’ second letter to Charles V details Tenochtitlan almost in minutia. This letter is considered a primary source because it is a first-hand account of what Cortes witnessed during his discovery and conquering of the people. It might also be considered a secondary source due to Cortes’ reference to human sacrifices that he had not witnessed. His detailed account of the architecture, infrastructure, economy, and social structure paint a celestial picture for the Charles V.
Cortes’ goal was to influence Charles V to claim rule of Tenochtitlan, and thereby obtain position and wealth for himself. After all, he was the one who discovered and conquered Tenochtitlan.Cortes was smitten with this wonderful land. He expresses his adulation for the “many rare and wonderful objects” the city contains. He is overcome with admiration for the beautiful city, “I am fully aware that the account will appear so wonderful as to be deemed scarcely worthy of credit; since even we who have seen these things with own eyes, and yet so amazed as to be unable to comprehend their reality”. Their religious rituals also amazed Cortes.
He describes how they have many gods, conduct human sacrifice and have a celibate priesthood, much like his own belief system, Catholicism.Cortes found the human sacrifice and polytheism to be distasteful and contrary to his own beliefs. He toppled their primary deities and replaced them with icons of Mary and the Saints. The people were upset at first, but after Cortes explained to them about his belief system they reasoned that they had been separated from their forefathers for a long time and they might possibly have blurred their original beliefs with those of the native population that existed when they arrived in Tenochtitlan.
