Victors and Vanquished: Spanish and Nahua Views of the Conquest of Mexico

Using excerpts primarily drawn from Bernal Diaz's 1632 account of the Spanish victory and from testimonies--many recently uncovered--of indigenous Nahua survivors gathered by Bernardino de Sahagun, Victors and Vanquished clearly demonstrates how personal interests, class and ethnic biases, and political considerations can influence interpretation of events. A substantial introduction is followed by 9 chronological sections that illuminate the major events and personalities in this powerful historical episode and reveal the changing attitudes toward European expansionism.