The 'First Letter' of Cortes: July 1519

The reasons for a letter were many. The audience and means to get it there were complex. Some had to be convinced and others tricked into allowing what happened to first take place and then allow the letter to act as a counternarrative to the one Cortes assumed the king would have heard by the time he received this one. For now there were introductions that were necessary, a brief history of what had been found and a list of treasure to be sent home. Along the way, Cortes needed a careful persuasion to allow Cortes to look as reasonable as possible in showing a clear way out of the servitude under Diego Velázquez, the governor of Cuba while always seen as the one looking to the interest of God and king, first and foremost. This is how it starts:

"The First Letter Sent to the Queen Doña Juana and to the Emperor, Charles V, Her Son, by the Justiciary and Municipal Council of the Muy Rica Villa de la Vera Cruz on the Tenth Day of July, 1519.

MOST HIGH, MIGHTY AND EXCELLENT PRINCES, MOST CATHOLIC AND POWERFUL KINGS AND SOVEREIGNS:

We have reason to believe that Your Royal Highnesses have been informed, by letters of Diego Velázquez, the admiral's lieutenant in the island of Fernandina (Cuba), of a new land that was discovered in these parts some two years ago more or less, and which was first called Cozumel and later Yucatan, without it being either the one or the other as Your Royal Highness shall see from our report. For the accounts previously made of this land to Your Majesties, as to its wealth, and the way in which it was discovered and other details which have been described, were not, nor could have been true, as in this report we are sending Your Majesties, because until now no one has known any of these things. Here we will treat of the beginning, when it was first discovered, up until its present state, so that your Highnesses may know what land it is, what people live in it, the way in which they live, their rites and ceremonies, religions and customs and what profit Your Highnesses may gain from it, or have already gained; and by whom Your Majesties have been served, so that Your Highnesses may in all things do as You see fit. This very true and trustworthy acount is as follows.

It was some two years ago, more or less, ..."

The history, of Fernando de Cordoba, that of the ambassador Gonzalo de Guzman of Velazquez and the history of the second expedition of Grijalva is described. The letter has Cortes be the next natural leader of an expedition. The participants are not named but instead, a brief overview of the places visited, encounters made, and the peace established on Cozumel is lain out.
After this, the story continues of the landing on Yucatan, the skirmishes, the negotiations, the excahnge of goods, the desire by the men to establish a town. Then the ways these discussions changed and the conclusions were listed: to make a new town, to elect Cortes as captain-general, the desire to do more for God and king.

Then a quick list of things decided by this newly incorporated town and then, a much greater list of treasure that was being sent back to Spain and the king.

This is the framework, a simple outline of this First Letter. Another more descriptive letter has been lost, if it existed. The details of the pleading, the petition for this town and the discussions that led to this decision, and as Cortes approved of them will follow.