The First Letter from New Spain: The Lost Petition of Cortés and His Company, June 20, 1519

A lost petition from Hernán Cortés and his company, dated June 20, 1519, has been discovered in the Archivo General de Indias in Seville, offering unprecedented insights into the early days of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. This document, titled 'The First Letter from New Spain,' provides a detailed account of the foundation of Veracruz and sheds light on the social hierarchy and trades of the conquistadores. The study employs a systematic review of the material, including facsimiles, transcriptions, and translations, to reconstruct the chronology of early events and explore the lives of the signatories, some of whom survived the infamous Noche Triste. While the source exceptionalizes the Spaniards' efforts, it also acknowledges the limitations in representing the roles of women, slaves, and indigenous auxiliaries.

Truitt, J. (2016). The First Letter from New Spain: The Lost Petition of Cortés and His Company, June 20, 1519. Hispanic American Historical Review, 96(4), 728–729. https://doi.org/10.1215/00182168-3677835