Latin

2004 · A0801 — 364 pages with maps and bibliography. Royal octavo 9" x 6 1/4" bound in original wrappers. First edition limited to 1000 copies.<br /><br />After hearing about the fall of the Aztec Empire cazonci Tangáxuan II sent emissaries to the Spanish victors. A few Spaniards went with them to Tzintzuntzan where they were presented to the ruler and gifts were exchanged. They returned with samples of gold and Cortés' interest in the Tarascan state was awakened. In 1522 a Spanish force under the leadership of Cristobal de Olid was sent into Tarascan territory and arrived at Tzintzuntzan within days. The Tarascan army numbered many thousands perhaps as many as 100000 but at the crucial moment they chose not to fight. Tangáxuan submitted to the Spanish administration but for his cooperation was allowed a large degree of autonomy. This resulted in a strange arrangement where both Cortés and Tangáxuan considered themselves rulers of Michoacán for the following years: the population of the area paid tribute to them both. When the Spanish found out that Tangáxuan was still de facto ruler of his empire but only supplied the Spanish with a small part of the resources extracted from the population they sent the ruthless conquistador Nuño de Guzmán who allied himself with a Tarascan noble Don Pedro Panza Cuinierángari and the cazonci was executed. A period of violence and turbulence began. During the next decades Tarascan puppet rulers were installed by the Spanish government but when Nuño de Guzman had been disgraced and recalled to Spain Bishop Vasco de Quiroga was sent to the area to clean up. He rapidly gained the respect and friendship of the natives who ceased hostilities towards the Spanish hegemony.<br /><br />Condition:<br /><br /> Light edge wear else a near fine copy. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM) paperback