The lecture of Matthew Restall called “When Cortés Met Malinche, and Montezuma Met Cortés: Alternative Facts and Disturbing Truths” is another example of history being written by the victors. The main idea is centered around unveiling the truth regarding the “surrender” of Aztec through its leader Montezuma. Restall focuses on a wide range of facts and pieces of art to demonstrate a more accurate context of Cortes and Montezuma’s interaction. The traditional narrative of the Aztec leader being coward and weak was debunked by the professor, where it became more prominent that conquistadors were mere invaders. He brings diseases, slavery, and violence as the supporting evidence, which were a more realistic manifestation of Spanish and Aztec interaction.
One of the most interesting and surprising moments was based on Montezuma’s cunning in being polite and welcoming to Cortes to trick him and add the guest to the zoo collection. Although it was destroyed during the invasion, one should be aware that the entire illustration by the professor shakes and destroys the contemporary narrative of Aztec people being savages and brutes. It is important to understand that Cortes’s version of the events was highly misleading and non-factual because he was a liar. The transition of power from the Aztec empire to the Spanish was not as peaceful and smooth as the Cortes depicted. It was not a mere arrival of enlightened people in barbaric land, but rather one hostile civilization conquering another equally sophisticated one. Another interesting subject, which sounds more accurate, is the notion that Malinche was not a traitor. As with many things in life, the occurrence was far more complex and intricate, which fits with the overall theme of the lecture.