The Spaniards start their trip

Despite the efforts of the messengers of Moctezuma to prevent the Spaniards from approaching Mexico-Tenochtitlan, the people of Cortez decided to start the trek. The two native texts transcribed in this chapter, first of the native informants of Sahagún and second of the History of Tlaxcala by Muñoz Camargo, tell about the arrival of the Spaniards to Tlaxcala and Cholula.

The section of the native informants tells of the first combat of the Spaniards with a group of otomies coming from Tecoac. It then tells about how the tlaxcaltecas decided to receive the foreigners peacefully. When the Spaniards arrived, immediately the tlaxcaltecas began to intrigue against the people of Cholula and the Mexicas.

It is interesting to see the double version about the reasons for the slaughter perpetrated by the Spaniards in Cholula that we have, on the one hand the informants of Sahagún and on the other one the author of the History of Tlaxcala. According to the first, it all was because of the intrigues of the tlaxcaltecas "whose hearts burned against those of Cholula". However, the version of the History of Tlaxcala is different: it says that the Cholultecas provoked their own destruction, for not submitting to the Spaniards and assassinating Patlahuatzin, the tlaxcalteca ambassador, that urged the Cholultecas to ally with the Spaniards. This version, invented perhaps by the Tlaxcaltecas to excuse their participation in the slaughter of Cholula, has no corroboration, neither in the History of Bernal Diaz Del Castillo, nor in the Letters of relation of Cortez.

Then finally they come, the Spaniards are coming here.

A man of Cempoalla, called the Tlacochcalcatl, also first picked up by the Spaniards when they came to land, also came speaking nahuatl. This one comes preparing the way, this one comes making shortcuts for them, this one comes giving them the true way. He guided them, he brought them, leading them.

And when they arrived at Tecoac, in territory of the Tlaxcaltecas, some Otomies were settling there. Then those Otomies came to their encounter armed and warlike; with shields and lances they welcomed them.

But they ruined the Otomies of Tecoac very well, totally defeated them. They divided them in bands. They shot at them with cannons, they surrounded them with swords, they shot them with their bows. And not just a few, but all of them perished.

And when Tecoac was defeated, the Tlaxcaltecas heard about it, they knew it, they were told. They were very intimidated, a great fear came upon them, and were filled with terror.

Then they congregated, in assembly met. The chieftains met, the captains met. They told the fact to each other, and said: "How will we be? We go to their encounter? Very brave and very warrior is the Otomi: as nothing they had them, as nothing they saw them!"

Then now, we go to their side; let's become their friends, we are their friends. Those below are ruined!

Then immediately they go to them, the lords of Tlaxcala. They took food with them: Earth hens, eggs, white tortillas, fine tortillas.

They said to them:
"You have tired yourselves, our lords."

They responded:
"Where is your house? From where have you come?"

They said:
"We are from Tlaxcala. You have tired yourselves; you have arrived and you entered your land: Tlaxcala is your house. The City of the Eagle, Tlaxcala, is your house.

Because in the old days it was called Texcala: "On the cliffs", and its inhabitants were called Texcaltecas.

They lead them, they took them, they guided them. They had them enter their royal house.

They honored them much, provided everything to them that was necessary to them, they were in union with them and soon they gave them their daughters.

Then they asked:
"Where is Mexico? How far is it?"

They responded to them:
"It is not far. Perhaps in three days it you can arrive, it is very good place. And very brave, very warriors, conquerors. They walk and conquer every place."

The slaughter of Cholula

When they arrived, there were shouts, the word spread: the guards, and also the people.

There was a meeting in the hall of the God.

Then when all had met, the entrances were closed.

Soon there is fighting, there are deaths, there are blows - Nothing in their heart feared those of Cholula!

With no swords, with no shields they faced Spaniards.

Very badly they died, like blind men they died, without knowing it they died.

And while all this happened, everything got to him, was said to him, was heard by Moctezuma.

As for the envoys, they come here, and they go away; they are coming and going. In many ways it is heard, the story is known.

On the other hand, the poor people are full of fright. They do nothing more than feel worry. It was as if the Earth shook, as if the Earth turned around. All was admiration.

And after the slaughters of Cholula happened, they started again, or they go towards Mexico. They go in circle, go in are of conquest. They go raising the dust of the ways. Their lances, their banners, that resemble bats, move like shining. Thus they also make an uproar. Their mail coats, their iron helmets, they sound as they march.

Some are wearing iron, adorned of iron, are shining. This is why they were seen with great fear, are instilling fright in everything: they are very frightful, are horrible.

And their dogs go in front, are preceding them; they have their noses high, they race ahead, drooling as they go.

So from then on, there was no other talk (among the Spaniards) than to raise people against the Mexican Culhuas, which happened in very brief time so as not to give them time to confederate with the Tlaxcaltecas. And to avoid bad thoughts and other new occasions and intentions, Cortez decided not to let go the hand of his new friends and allies, making use as always of his cleverness of astute captain, making good of the good occasion that presented itself.

Once gathered his people they began to march and to move their Spanish and tlaxcalteca armies with much order of his military, number and enough copy of people and provisions for so great company. With very famous captains experienced in war according to their use and old way. They had as captains Piltecuhtli, Acxoxeatl, Tecpanecatl, Cahuecahua, Cocomitecuhtli, Quauhtotohua, Textlipitl, and many others that being so many and so much the variety of their names, are not mentioned, only the most famous and that had deep fidelity to Cortez until the end of his conquest.

The first entry was made by one side of Cholula, where two lords called Tlaquiach and Tlalchiac governed and reigned, and always those that held these positions were called by these names, that mean Mayor of the top and Mayor of the Bottom of the Ground.

Having entered through the province of Cholula, it was destroyed swiftly, with very great heroics that the natural ones of that city showed. This entrance was destroyed and a great crowd of cholultecas died, the word spread all over the land and all the way to Mexico, where it caused horrible fright, and more when they saw and understood that the Tlaxcaltecas had allied with the "Gods", as they called our people (the Spaniards), without being able to give them another name.