Rhetorical Conquests: Cortés, Gómara, and Renaissance Imperialism (review)

This volume examines how the representation of Hernán Cortés, first in his own Cartas de relación (1519–26) and later in Francisco López de Gómara's Historia de la conquista de México (1552), defines and justifies Spain's conquest of Mexico. The study is divided into five chapters, preceded by an introduction and followed by a conclusion as well as one appendix.

Carman opens the first chapter, "Approaching the Conquest," with a summary of the events that make up Cortés's operations in Mexico. By means of this brief account, the author intends to convey the historical context that caused the conquest as well as to highlight "some of the problems associated with the interpretation and presentation of that background" (28), thereby projecting his theoretical approach and "authoritative objectivity" (32). Carman also tackles how Renaissance humanistic understanding of history writing and its close relationship to rhetoric grows from classical inventio and distinguishes itself from modern historiography in its notion of truth and decorum. For both classical and Renaissance historians, historical truth embraces not only facts but also what might or could have happened. History writing represents therefore a virtuous effort to [End Page 563 bestow meaning to one's action as well as to conveniently contextualize it for purposes of a political or religious agenda.

In "The Means and Ends of Empire in Hernán Cortés's Cartas de relación," Carman explores how Cortés employs his Cartas de relación as one way of establishing authority in his actions by means of characterizing himself as a loyal vassal, a brilliant and daring captain, and as an artful manipulator of men. Such self-representation invites succeeding Spanish and Italian historians between 1521 and 1552 to its further development, which Carman reevaluates subsequently in chapter 3. While most authors such as Peter Martyr of Angleria, Lucio Marineo Siculo, Hernán Pérez de Oliva, Francisco Cervantes de Salazar, Gonzalo Fernández de Oviedo y Valdés, and Bartolomé de las Casas celebrate the conqueror's military bravery and linguistic capacity in their works, Gómara underscores the versatility of Cortés's persona, complementing idealized strengths with flaws. As a result, he succeeds in creating a "protean" and therefore more verisimilar hero. Two outstanding faults that the humanist historian provides in order to define his hero are boldness and adaptability to "self-redefine" constantly, characteristics that constitute those of pícaro, conquistador de mujeres, Castiglione's courtier, and Odysseus. Carman argues that these qualities represent not so much detours from the character's life as a hero, but rather a valuable preparation and key for Cortés's success as the conqueror of Mexico. The difference that distinguishes Gómara's Cortés from these other characters, as Carman judges, is his Christian purpose of conquest, and the nature of such purpose justifies the means.

Based on three speeches by Cortés to his dispirited troops and to the Aztec priests and nobles, chapter 4 further explores the hero's rhetorical capacity to represent his actions and role in conformity to situations and audience. The final chapter demonstrates how both Cortés and Gómara — heedful of heated debate of his time over the ethics and regia protestate of the conquest — aptly incorporate Moctezuma's speeches in their writing as a compelling strategy to legitimatize Spanish right over Mexico, whose leader has voluntarily conceded his authority to Charles.

Finally, in the first part of the appendix, readers find extracts, together with their English translation by Carman, of the Aztec emperor's speech mimicked by various authors of the sixteenth century. "Cortés on Idolatry," on the other hand, includes fragments as well as translations into English of the Spanish explorer's condemning words, voiced by the same authors, about Aztec religious ceremonies and rituals. Indices of titles cited and of commentators...