Following the discovery of the New Western World by Christopher Columbus, plans were executed by the newly instated, Charles V to expand Spanish Foreign territory whilst invoking the conventions of the Spanish Reconquest of the Moors, on a broader scale, in order to install Catholicism as the dominating religion world-wide. In 1504, Castilian, Hernan Cortes, intrigued with the tales of foreign discovery and wealth, sailed from San Lucar to the island of Santo Domingo where Governor, Nicholas de Ovando received him cordially. Cortes was placed under the council of Diego Velasquez de Cuellar a key figure under Ovando in the pacification of the native Indians of Santo Domingo. He was appointed, Notary and for the successive years leading up to the Conquest, was placed in positions of equal esteem. Cortes came to be regarded by Velasquez, Ovando and Charles V as a skilled officer in all matters of military service. In 1511, Cortes accompanied Velasquez on a mission to conquer and colonize Cuba. After successfully invading and inhabiting the land, Cortes was appointed Mayor. Cuba was a prominent strategic gain for Spanish powers, its location (between the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea) acted as a fortified barricade for the colonised Central American territories so as to disable access by other threatening powers. Cuba was the centre of trade for the Caribbean and Americas and provided much economic gain for the Spanish however there was not enough land or slave labour to meet the needs of a growing European settlement. Initial expeditions sent to the Yucatan Peninsula on the Coast of Mexico, appeared fruitful with many claims of Indian tribes and entire cities forged from nothing but gold. Ovando had passed and appointed Velasquez as Governor of Cuba. Velasquez initiated an expedition in April, 1518 lead by his nephew, Juan Grijalva to explore the conceptions of settlements on the Mexican coast and colonize. Grijalva returned and further clarified the accounts of copious riches in the native tribes bringing with him gifts of gold, spices and rich cloth and new knowledge of the natives. Grijalva had sited large temples off the Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula and when confronted by the natives and their first meeting discovered that the gold and riches of the colonies were stored in great warehouses suggesting sophistication in architecture and a culture centred on a dominant religion. Grijalva also discovered that the natives were on the verge of revolt as the empire procreated on high taxation and a variation of the feudal classing system similar to many civilised colonies around the globe during this period. However Grijalva did not make any attempt at colonization. The following is the account of Grijalva’s positive interactions with the natives upon arrival in Mexico:
“On arrival the Indians and paid great respect to us all, and they brought a present of gold, consisting of four diadems and some gold lizards, and two [ornaments] like little dogs, and earrings and five ducks, and two masks with Indian faces and two gold soles for sandals, and some other things of little value. I do not remember how much the things were worth; and they brought cloth, such as they make and wear, which was quilted stuff."
Source: Díaz del Castillo, Bernal. Chap. 22-23 in The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico, 1517-1521. 1585. Translated by A. P. Maudsley. New York: The Noonday Press, 1965.
Governor Velasquez was innately displeased with this result as Charles V had commanded him to instate power and domination over the newly discovered territories. Velasquez forged an agreement in October 1518 to enlist Cortes as Captain General of the next expedition to colonize in Mexico. The knowledge Cortes had gained from so many failed expeditions into Mexico and his military expertise advised him to move quickly and within a month he had gathered 6 ships and 300 men. Velasquez was jealous of Cortes hasty movement towards building a fleet due to the fact that Cortes had began funding the expedition with his own wealth gained from his success as a Notary and respected Military leader.
