Santa María Huatulco is a town and municipality in Oaxaca in south-western Mexico . It is part of the Pochutla District in the east of the Costa Region . The meaning of Huatulco, or Guatulco Coatulco is, "where they worship the tree", referring to an ancient legend.
132-416: Hernán Cortés conquered the town of Huatulco on 8 January 1539. As of 2005, the municipality had a total population of 33,194 of which 1,119 spoke an indigenous language. The population includes many migrants from other areas drawn by the tourist business. Economic activities by numbers employed included tourism (40%), cultivation of coffee (30%), fishery (20%) and animal husbandry (10%). Tourism development
264-678: A battle against the natives. He received twenty young indigenous women from the vanquished natives, and he converted them all to Christianity. Among these women was La Malinche , his future mistress and mother of his son Martín . Malinche knew both the Nahuatl language and Chontal Maya, thus enabling Cortés to communicate with the Aztecs through Aguilar. At San Juan de Ulúa on Easter Sunday 1519, Cortés met with Moctezuma II 's Aztec Empire governors Tendile and Pitalpitoque. In July 1519, his men took over Veracruz . By this act, Cortés dismissed
396-624: A shipwreck followed by a period in captivity with the Maya , before escaping. Aguilar had learned the Chontal Maya language and was able to translate for Cortés. Cortés's military experience was almost nonexistent, but he proved to be an effective leader of his small army and won early victories over the coastal Indians. In March 1519, Cortés formally claimed the land for the Spanish crown . Then he proceeded to Tabasco , where he met with resistance and won
528-443: A 1959 article for The Atlantic Monthly , claimed that Prescott had an artificial eye, although there is no evidence to suggest this. It has been argued that Prescott's biographers have naturally been drawn to romanticize his life due to Prescott's own romantic style of history. Four biographies of Prescott have been written. In 1864, George Ticknor published a biography based on Prescott's then-unpublished correspondence, to which
660-791: A Spanish minister living in Mexico, and his wife Fanny who were able to provide source material, Prescott started research on what was to become the History of the Conquest of Mexico . He extensively read the works of Alexander von Humboldt , who had written on Mesoamerica , and started corresponding with the historian Washington Irving , the Swiss writer Sismondi and the French historian Jacques Nicolas Augustin Thierry . He also received assistance in collecting sources from
792-566: A battle in Otumba , they managed to reach Tlaxcala, having lost 870 men. With the assistance of their allies, Cortés's men finally prevailed with reinforcements arriving from Cuba . Cortés began a policy of attrition towards Tenochtitlán, cutting off supplies and subduing the Aztecs' allied cities. During the siege he would construct brigantines in the lake and slowly destroy blocks of the city to avoid fighting in an urban setting. The Mexicas would fall back to Tlatelolco and even succeed in ambushing
924-475: A broad plan of the work by February 1849. Prescott started writing the draft on July 26. At this time, Prescott was a creditor of John White Webster , the chemist and murderer, and he was subsequently involved in his trial. Prescott visited Washington D.C. in spring 1850, where he met Zachary Taylor , then President of the United States, as well as numerous other prominent figures, including Henry Bulwer ,
1056-576: A bust from Richard Saltonstall Greenough . He was not active in researching for the Conquest of Peru until spring 1844, although he had already decided to write a work concerning Inca civilization while researching pre-Columbian Mexico, and listened to Inca Garcilaso de la Vega 's Comentarios Reales de los Incas . He further studied Pedro Cieza de León 's Crónicas del Perú , the works of Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa and Diego Fernández 's Primera y segunda parte de la Historia del Piru . Prescott's progress
1188-558: A college friend, Middleton, and a Dr. Lembke. In contrast to the lengthy time spent researching the History of Ferdinand and Isabella , Prescott started drafting the History of the Conquest of Mexico in October 1839. However, Prescott faced difficulties in writing the work which he had not encountered previously. There was relatively little scholarship on Aztec civilization, and Prescott dismissed much of it as "speculation", and he therefore had to rely almost exclusively on primary sources (with
1320-429: A colony on the mainland where there was a bonanza of silver and gold, and Velázquez decided to send him help. Cortés was appointed captain-general of this new expedition in October 1518, but was advised to move fast before Velázquez changed his mind. With Cortés's experience as an administrator, knowledge gained from many failed expeditions, and his impeccable rhetoric he was able to gather six ships and 300 men, within
1452-412: A detailed description of Hernán Cortés's physical appearance: He was of good stature and body, well proportioned and stocky, the color of his face was somewhat grey, not very cheerful, and a longer face would have suited him more. His eyes seemed at times loving and at times grave and serious. His beard was black and sparse, as was his hair, which at the time he sported in the same way as his beard. He had
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#17328514766251584-484: A diplomat had been expelled from Spain, made the acquaintance of two wealthy Parisian scholars, Mignet and Ternaux-Compans, who offered him access to their manuscript collections. Furthermore, de Gayangos assisted greatly by locating important documents in the British Museum and in the collection of the bibliomaniac Thomas Phillipps , who owned around 60,000 manuscripts. He also borrowed several manuscripts from
1716-600: A dry season from November through May, and a wet season from June through October. UV radiation levels are high all year round, ranging from 8 in December to 11+ between March and September. Heat and humidity are very high all year round. The temperature of the sea is quite stable, with lows of 26 °C (79 °F) in January, and a high of 30 °C (86 °F) between June and August. Hern%C3%A1n Cort%C3%A9s Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano, 1st Marquess of
1848-551: A high chest, a well shaped back and was lean with little belly. Cortés was born in 1485 in the town of Medellín , then a village in the Kingdom of Castile , now a municipality of the modern-day province of Badajoz in Extremadura , Spain . His father, Martín Cortés de Monroy, born in 1449 to Rodrigo or Ruy Fernández de Monroy and his wife María Cortés, was an infantry captain of distinguished ancestry but slender means. Hernán's mother
1980-434: A high-ranking nobleman, Antonio de Mendoza . In 1541 Cortés returned to Spain, where he died six years later of natural causes. Cortés himself used the form "Hernando" or "Fernando" for his first name, as seen in the contemporary archive documents, his signature and the title of an early portrait. William Hickling Prescott 's Conquest of Mexico (1843) also refers to him as Hernando Cortés. At some point writers began using
2112-698: A historian. He took the place of Martín Fernández de Navarrete , who had died the previous year, after a vote was cast. He was also admitted to the Prussian Academy of Sciences in Berlin . In the summer of 1845, a collection of articles Prescott had published in the North American Review were published as Biographical and Critical Miscellanies by Bentley in octavo , and an edition was also prepared simultaneously by Harper & Brothers in New York. Prescott
2244-458: A house near the family home in Pepperell. Prescott's mother fell ill on May 17 and died soon after, which caused Prescott to fall into a bout of depression that lasted until the winter. He returned to his work, and continued at the pace that he was able through the remainder of 1852 and 1853, which passed uneventfully. Prescott started to suffer seriously from rheumatism during the former year, and as
2376-658: A hundred men in Veracruz, Cortés marched on Tenochtitlán in mid-August 1519, along with 600 soldiers, 15 horsemen, 15 cannons , and hundreds of indigenous carriers and warriors. On the way to Tenochtitlán, Cortés made alliances with indigenous peoples such as the Totonacs of Cempoala and the Nahuas of Tlaxcala . The Otomis initially, and then the Tlaxcalans clashed with the Spanish in
2508-543: A lawyer in Boston. He married Josephine Augusta Peabody on November 6, 1851, and inherited Headquarters House. William Gardiner's daughter Catherine Elizabeth Prescott married Hebert Timmins on February 22, 1887. Elizabeth (1828–1864) married James Lawrence, a distant cousin. The youngest was William Amory (1830–1867). In 1837, he was elected as a member of the American Philosophical Society . In 1845 Prescott
2640-506: A lawyer, and his wife, née Catherine Greene Hickling. His grandfather William Prescott served as a colonel during the American Revolutionary War . Prescott began formal schooling at the age of seven, studying under Mr. Jacob Knapp. The family moved to Boston, Massachusetts , in 1808, where his father's earnings substantially increased. His studies continued under Dr. John Gardiner, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church . As
2772-477: A man of substance with an encomienda to provide Indian labor for his mines and cattle. This new position of power also made him the new source of leadership, which opposing forces in the colony could then turn to. In 1514, Cortés led a group which demanded that more Indians be assigned to the settlers. As time went on, relations between Cortés and Governor Velázquez became strained. Cortés found time to become romantically involved with Catalina Xuárez (or Juárez),
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#17328514766252904-421: A month. Velázquez's jealousy exploded and he decided to put the expedition in other hands. However, Cortés quickly gathered more men and ships in other Cuban ports. In 1518, Velázquez put Cortés in command of an expedition to explore and secure the interior of Mexico for colonization. At the last minute, due to the old argument between the two, Velázquez changed his mind and revoked Cortés's charter. Cortés ignored
3036-476: A notary of the town of Azua de Compostela . His next five years seemed to help establish him in the colony; in 1506, Cortés took part in the conquests of Hispaniola and Cuba. The expedition leader awarded him a large estate of land and Taíno slaves for his efforts. In 1511, Cortés accompanied Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar , an aide of the Governor of Hispaniola, in his expedition to conquer Cuba. Afterwards Velázquez
3168-471: A number of difficulties confronted him in his study of Philip II. The principal archives of historical material were held in Simancas , but neither Lembke (who had collected materials for the Conquest of Mexico ) nor Middleton were able to gain access to them. They had been informed that the library was so disordered as to make productive research impossible, even if access had been gained. However, Lembke, who as
3300-489: A reconceptualization of the nature of pre-Columbian society, the works remain broadly historically accurate, and Prescott's elaborations on fact were due to a fundamental lack of source material. In contrast, Phillip the Second is considered essentially an inferior piece—it lacks the epic structure and literary merits of Prescott's other work, and the work has not received more critical attention than other contemporary accounts of
3432-407: A red field, in memory of the fact that you, the said Hernando Cortés, by your industry and effort brought matters to the state described above" (i.e., the conquest). The specificity of the other two quadrants is linked directly to Mexico, with one quadrant showing three crowns representing the three Aztec emperors of the conquest era, Moctezuma , Cuitlahuac , and Cuauhtemoc and the other showing
3564-569: A result he abandoned his residence at Nahant. He bought a house in the then rural town of Lynn, Massachusetts , where he was visited by Charles Lyell and his family in June 1853. On August 22, he finished the second volume of the History . The first two volumes were finished by May 1855, but not immediately published. Changes in British copyright law and a change of publishers caused Prescott to delay publication until November. Compared to his previous works,
3696-586: A second stroke, which resulted in his immediate death. He was buried with his parents in St. Paul's Church, and his funeral was attended by representatives, among others, of Harvard University , the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the Essex Institute . Prescott's work has remained popular and influential to the present day, and his meticulous use of sources, bibliographical citations and critical notes
3828-672: A series of three battles from 2 to 5 September 1519, and at one point, Diaz remarked, "they surrounded us on every side". After Cortés continued to release prisoners with messages of peace, and realizing the Spanish were enemies of Moctezuma, Xicotencatl the Elder and Maxixcatzin persuaded the Tlaxcalan warleader, Xicotencatl the Younger , that it would be better to ally with the newcomers than to kill them. In October 1519, Cortés and his men, accompanied by about 1,000 Tlaxcalteca, marched to Cholula ,
3960-617: A ship commanded by Alonso Quintero, who tried to deceive his superiors and reach the New World before them in order to secure personal advantages. Quintero's mutinous conduct may have served as a model for Cortés in his subsequent career. Upon his arrival in 1504 in Santo Domingo , the capital of Hispaniola, the 18-year-old Cortés registered as a citizen; this entitled him to a building plot and land to farm. Soon afterward, Governor Nicolás de Ovando granted him an encomienda and appointed him as
4092-406: A son around 1522 by his cultural translator, Doña Marina , Cortés knew he was capable of fathering children. Cortés's only male heir at this point was illegitimate, but nonetheless named after Cortés's father, Martín Cortés. This son Martín Cortés was also popularly called "El Mestizo". Catalina Suárez died under mysterious circumstances the night of November 1–2, 1522. There were accusations at
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4224-461: A wide range of subjects, including Italian, French, English and Spanish literature, American history , classics and political philosophy , Prescott came to focus on Italian poetry . Among the works he studied during this period were such classics as Dante 's Divine Comedy and Boccaccio 's Decameron . His first published works were two essays in the North American Review —both discussing Italian poetry. The first of these, published in 1824,
4356-834: A young man, Prescott frequented the Boston Athenæum , which at the time held the 10,000-volume private library of John Quincy Adams , who was on a diplomatic mission to Russia . In 1832, Prescott became a trustee of the library, a position he held for 15 years. Prescott enrolled at Harvard College as a second year student ( sophomore ) in August 1811, at the age of 15. He was not considered academically distinguished, despite showing promise in Latin and Greek . Prescott found mathematics particularly difficult, and resorted to memorizing mathematical demonstrations word-for-word, which he could do with relative ease, in order to hide his ignorance of
4488-552: Is concentrated in the communities of Santa Cruz, La Crucecita and Tangolunda, with nine bays (Santa Cruz, Chahue, Tangolunda, Conejos, Chacahual, Cacaluta, San Agustín, El Órgano and Maguey) and 36 beaches, as well as ecological reserves that contain diverse nesting birds and reptiles. The municipality is the home of Huatulco National Park . The area is served by Bahías de Huatulco International Airport . The municipality covers an area of 579.22 km at an average of 220 meters above sea level. The Magdalena and Cruz rivers combine in
4620-459: Is on the major political and military events as opposed to social and economic conditions. It has also been argued that Prescott partially subscribed to the Great Man theory . The Conquest of Mexico has endured more than any other of Prescott's work: it is regarded as his greatest literary accomplishment. However, modern scholarship agrees that there are problems with Prescott's characterization of
4752-406: Is our will that besides your coat of arms of your lineage, which you have, you may have and bear as your coat of arms, known and recognized, a shield ... The grant specifies the iconography of the coat of arms, the central portion divided into quadrants. In the upper portion, there is a "black eagle with two heads on a white field, which are the arms of the empire". Below that is a "golden lion on
4884-492: Is the one Cortés presents in his letters and in the later biography written by Francisco López de Gómara . However, there may be more to the picture than this. Cortés's own sense of accomplishment, entitlement, and vanity may have played a part in his deteriorating position with the king: Cortés personally was not ungenerously rewarded, but he speedily complained of insufficient compensation to himself and his comrades. Thinking himself beyond reach of restraint, he disobeyed many of
5016-549: The tlatoani (ruler) of Tenochtitlán, on August 13, 1521, the Aztec Empire was captured, and Cortés was able to claim it for Spain, thus renaming the city Mexico City . From 1521 to 1524, Cortés personally governed Mexico. Many historical sources have conveyed an impression that Cortés was unjustly treated by the Spanish Crown , and that he received nothing but ingratitude for his role in establishing New Spain . This picture
5148-522: The College of William and Mary in July 1841 and South Carolina College in December 1841. He also helped Frances Inglis find a publisher for her autobiographical work Life in Mexico . Moreover, Frances Inglis was one of Prescott's most valuable correspondents during the writing of the History of the Conquest of Mexico. She is cited by Prescott five times throughout the text, and is described by him as, "one of
5280-472: The Conquest of Peru . In March, his eyesight, which had recovered significantly, suddenly deteriorated. Prescott also had acute dyspepsia and rheumatism , and he travelled to Nahant to "benefit from the sea-air". This did not prevent him travelling to Washington, where he dined at the White House with President James K. Polk . He was also entertained by John Y. Mason , the former United States Secretary of
5412-452: The History in October 1829. At around this time, Prescott read the works of Gabriel Bonnot de Mably , including his historiographical piece De l’étude de l’histoire . He henceforth aimed to write history to de Mably's romantic ideal, and on more than one occasion expressed his indebtedness to him. Prescott also encountered Elogia de la Réina Doña Isabel , by his Spanish contemporary Diego Clemencín , which helped shape his views concerning
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5544-500: The History received little coverage in the press or in academic journals. It was suggested to him at this time that he should write a biography of Charles V, but he declined, as he regarded the work of William Robertson on the subject to be definitive. However, he wrote an appendix to Robertson's The History of the reign of Charles V in May 1855; it was published in December 1856. Previously uninterested in politics (although he had predicted
5676-548: The History of Ferdinand and Isabella in June 1839, he produced an abridgement of the work himself, which resulted in the original project's cancellation. He was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in May 1839. Prescott expressed interest in his correspondence in writing a biography of Molière , and Ticknor records that he sent Prescott "a collection of about 50 volumes" of relevant material. However, after writing to Ángel Calderón de la Barca ,
5808-561: The Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca , in a region close to the capital where he had extensive encomienda holdings. In 1529 he had been accorded the noble designation of don , but more importantly was given the noble title of Marquess of the Valley of Oaxaca and married the Spanish noblewoman Doña Juana de Zúñiga. The marriage produced three children, including another son, who was also named Martín. As
5940-568: The Whig victory in 1840 , ) Prescott supported and voted for the Republican John C. Frémont in the 1856 Presidential election . He continued to work on the third volume of the History until he had a stroke on February 3, 1858. Prescott recovered, but his health was permanently affected, and he decided to temporarily retire from writing. The third volume was therefore published in April, and its scope
6072-548: The 20th century, and that Prescott used a broader range of source material than any previous writer on the subject. However, the archeological and anthropological aspects of both works have been heavily criticized by historians since the end of the 19th century. Prescott had never visited archeological sites in Mesoamerica and his understanding of Inca and Aztec culture was weak. In defense of Prescott, it has been argued that despite advances in archeological understanding, and
6204-559: The Americas . Born in Medellín, Spain , to a family of lesser nobility, Cortés chose to pursue adventure and riches in the New World . He went to Hispaniola and later to Cuba , where he received an encomienda (the right to the labor of certain subjects). For a short time, he served as alcalde (magistrate) of the second Spanish town founded on the island. In 1519, he was elected captain of
6336-508: The Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan. Encircling the central shield are symbols of the seven city-states around the lake and their lords that Cortés defeated, with the lords "to be shown as prisoners bound with a chain which shall be closed with a lock beneath the shield". Cortés's wife Catalina Súarez arrived in New Spain around summer 1522, along with her sister and brother. His marriage to Catalina
6468-615: The British ambassador, and Daniel Webster , the former Secretary of State , who had been a friend of Prescott's father. Soon afterward, he decided to visit England. He embarked from New York on May 22, and arrived at Liverpool on June 3. There he stayed with an old friend, Alexander Smith, and became reacquainted with Mary Lyell, the wife of the geologist Charles Lyell . He traveled with the Lyells to London, where they stayed in Mivart's Hotel . Prescott
6600-454: The Conquest of Mexico (1843), A History of the Conquest of Peru (1847) and the unfinished History of the Reign of Phillip II (1856–1858) have become classic works in the field, and have had a great impact on the study of both Spain and Mesoamerica . During his lifetime, he was upheld as one of the greatest living American intellectuals, and knew personally many of the leading political figures of
6732-544: The Franciscans be sent to Mexico to convert the Indians. William Hickling Prescott William Hickling Prescott (May 4, 1796 – January 28, 1859) was an American historian and Hispanist , who is widely recognized by historiographers to have been the first American scientific historian. Despite having serious visual impairment, which at times prevented him from reading or writing for himself, Prescott became one of
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#17328514766256864-512: The Franciscans had a particularly strong alliance in Mexico, with Franciscans seeing him as "the new Moses" for conquering Mexico and opening it to Christian evangelization. In Motolinia's 1555 response to Dominican Bartolomé de Las Casas , he praises Cortés. And as to those who murmur against the Marqués del Valle [Cortés], God rest him, and who try to blacken and obscure his deeds, I believe that before God their deeds are not as acceptable as those of
6996-710: The Holy Roman Emperor Charles V , returning to London on July 29. Traveling north, Prescott visited Alnwick Castle and the ruins of Hulm Abbey in Northumbria . On his arrival in Edinburgh, he met the geologists Adam Sedgwick and Roderick Murchison , whom he accompanied to Inveraray , where he visited Inveraray Castle . Prescott then traveled south, through Staffordshire , where he was entertained by George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower . He embarked for New York on September 14, arriving on September 27. Prescott spent
7128-404: The Marqués. Although as a human he was a sinner, he had faith and works of a good Christian, and a great desire to employ his life and property in widening and augmenting the fair of Jesus Christ, and dying for the conversion of these gentiles ... Who has loved and defended the Indians of this new world like Cortés? ... Through this captain, God opened the door for us to preach his holy gospel and it
7260-638: The Navy , who informed him that a copy of Prescott's Conquest of Mexico had been placed in the library of every fighting ship. The Conquest of Peru was completed in March 1847. As with previous works, it was published by Harper & Brothers in the United States and Bentley in Britain. The original US print run was 7,500 copies, and the books were sold for $ 1 each. It was translated into Spanish, French, German and Dutch, and sold excellently. As with his previous works, it
7392-716: The Order of St. Francis and the other from the Order of St. Dominic. They should bring the most extensive powers Your Majesty is able to obtain, for, because these lands are so far from the Church of Rome, and we, the Christians who now reside here and shall do so in the future, are so far from the proper remedies of our consciences and, as we are human, so subject to sin, it is essential that His Holiness should be generous with us and grant to these persons most extensive powers, to be handed down to persons actually in residence here whether it be given to
7524-528: The Spaniards had a large army. On November 8, 1519, they were peacefully received by Moctezuma II. Moctezuma deliberately let Cortés enter the Aztec capital, the island city of Tenochtitlán, hoping to get to know their weaknesses better and to crush them later. Moctezuma gave lavish gifts of gold to the Spaniards which, rather than placating them, excited their ambitions for plunder. In his letters to King Charles, Cortés claimed to have learned at this point that he
7656-599: The United States in the same year. Prescott's first academic work, an essay submitted anonymously, was rejected by the North American Review in late 1817. After a short period of courtship, he married Susan Amory, the daughter of Thomas Coffin Amory and Hannah Rowe Linzee, on May 4, 1820. In 1821, Prescott abandoned the idea of a legal career because of the continued deterioration of his eyesight, and resolved to devote himself to literature. Although he initially studied
7788-699: The University of Salamanca. After two years, Cortés returned home to Medellín, much to the irritation of his parents, who had hoped to see him equipped for a profitable legal career. However, those two years in Salamanca , plus his long period of training and experience as a notary, first in Valladolid and later in Hispaniola , gave him knowledge of the legal codes of Castile that he applied to help justify his unauthorized conquest of Mexico. At this point in his life, Cortés
7920-456: The Valley of Oaxaca (December 1485 – December 2, 1547) was a Spanish conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire and brought large portions of what is now mainland Mexico under the rule of the King of Castile in the early 16th century. Cortés was part of the generation of Spanish explorers and conquistadors who began the first phase of the Spanish colonization of
8052-533: The age of 82 on December 8, which deeply upset him. He took a two-month break from writing to support his widowed mother and settle matters concerning his father's estate. His father left numerous stocks, shares and property that amounted to $ 343,737, almost all of which was shared between Prescott and his sister. Prescott was elected to the Institut de France in February 1845, in recognition of his accomplishments as
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#17328514766258184-719: The archives in Brussels, having received letters from the respected Belgian diplomat Sylvain Van de Weyer in London. de Gayangos became Professor of Arabic literature at the Complutense University of Madrid in late 1842, and subsequently lent Prescott rare books and manuscripts from the university library. By the summer of 1848, Prescott had over 300 works on the subject at his disposal, but he continued to have serious problems with his eyesight; an examination by an oculist confirmed that there
8316-410: The authority of the governor of Cuba to place himself directly under the orders of King Charles . To eliminate any ideas of retreat, Cortés scuttled his ships. In Veracruz, he met some of the tributaries of the Aztecs and asked them to arrange a meeting with Moctezuma II , the tlatoani (ruler) of the Aztec Empire. Moctezuma repeatedly turned down the meeting, but Cortés was determined. Leaving
8448-426: The capital, kneeling at the feet of the friars who had walked from the coast. This story was told by Franciscans to demonstrate Cortés piety and humility and was a powerful message to all, including the Indians, that Cortés's earthly power was subordinate to the spiritual power of the friars. However, one of the first twelve Franciscans, Fray Toribio de Benavente Motolinia does not mention it in his history. Cortés and
8580-485: The concluding chapter of the work in July 1836, and despite the amount of time and effort which he had spent on the work, was at first unsure about publishing it. However, his father argued that refusing to do so would amount to cowardice, and this swayed him. Prescott had previously considered publishing the work in London first, and therefore a printed draft copy of the work was sent to a Colonel Aspinwall for consideration. However, both Longman and Murray, which were at
8712-410: The conqueror's request. The document granting the coat of arms summarizes Cortés's accomplishments in the conquest of Mexico. The proclamation of the king says in part: We, respecting the many labors, dangers, and adventures which you underwent as stated above, and so that there might remain a perpetual memorial of you and your services and that you and your descendants might be more fully honored ... it
8844-413: The conquest. David Levin has argued that the Conquest shows "inadequate attention to detail" and remains a broad and general account of events. In contrast to the Conquest of Mexico , the Conquest of Peru has received relatively little modern scholarly attention, perhaps due to some key similarities in style and structure. However, it is generally thought that the work was the authoritative account until
8976-412: The day, in both the United States and Britain. Prescott has become one of the most widely translated American historians, and was an important figure in the development of history as a rigorous academic discipline. Historians admire Prescott for his exhaustive, careful, and systematic use of archives, his accurate recreation of sequences of events, his balanced judgments and his lively writing style. He
9108-579: The exception of Humboldt). In particular, he considered Edward King 's theory that the pre-Columbian civilizations were non-indigenous to be fallacious, although he was greatly indebted to him for his anthology of Aztec codices in the Antiquities of Mexico . Prescott also studied Spanish writers contemporary to the conquest, most significantly Torquemada and Toribio de Benavente . Prescott received three honorary degrees in this period—an honorary doctorate in laws from Columbia University in autumn 1840,
9240-539: The favoritism that excluded them. In 1523, the Crown (possibly influenced by Cortés's enemy, Bishop Fonseca ), sent a military force under the command of Francisco de Garay to conquer and settle the northern part of Mexico, the region of Pánuco . This was another setback for Cortés who mentioned this in his fourth letter to the King in which he describes himself as the victim of a conspiracy by his archenemies Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar , Diego Columbus and Bishop Fonseca as well as Francisco Garay. The influence of Garay
9372-440: The first-born legitimate son, Don Martín Cortés y Zúñiga was now Cortés's heir and succeeded him as holder of the title and estate of the Marquessate of the Valley of Oaxaca . Cortés's legitimate daughters were Doña Maria, Doña Catalina, and Doña Juana. Since the conversion to Christianity of indigenous peoples was an essential and integral part of the extension of Spanish power, making formal provisions for that conversion once
9504-461: The general of each order or to his provincials. The Franciscans arrived in May 1524, a symbolically powerful group of twelve known as the Twelve Apostles of Mexico , led by Fray Martín de Valencia . Franciscan Geronimo de Mendieta claimed that Cortés's most important deed was the way he met this first group of Franciscans. The conqueror himself was said to have met the friars as they approached
9636-462: The governor of Cuba sent emissaries to arrest Cortés, he fought them and won, using the extra troops as reinforcements. Cortés wrote letters directly to the king asking to be acknowledged for his successes instead of being punished for mutiny. After he overthrew the Aztec Empire , Cortés was awarded the title of marqués del Valle de Oaxaca , while the more prestigious title of viceroy was given to
9768-599: The history of Spain after his friend, the Harvard professor George Ticknor , sent him copies of his lectures on the subject. Prescott's studies initially remained broad, but he started preparing material on Ferdinand and Isabella in January 1826. His acquaintance Pascual de Gayangos y Arce helped him construct a sizable personal library of historical books and manuscripts concerning the subject. Alexander Hill Everett , an American diplomat in Spain, also provided him with material which
9900-460: The history was Leopold von Ranke 's Fürsten und Völker von Süd-Europa im sechzehnten und siebzehnten Jahrhundert , a comprehensive work which included a detailed history of the papacy . Prescott admired Ranke's empirical historical method , and considered his work to be the best of his predecessors on the subject. He had four copies of the relevant sections of the work reprinted in a large typeface so he could read it without assistance. He had made
10032-557: The home of the Bishop of Oxford , Samuel Wilberforce , who was absent because of the christening of the infant Prince Arthur . Prescott met Spencer Compton , the president of the Royal Society , who was also receiving an honorary degree. He left London for Paris, where he arrived on July 20. Two days later, he traveled to Brussels, where he stayed in Coudenberg , the site of a residence of
10164-576: The island of São Miguel in the Azores , where his grandfather and Portuguese grandmother lived. After two weeks, he left for the cooler climate of London, where he stayed with the distinguished surgeon Astley Cooper and the oculist William Adams . Prescott first used a noctograph while staying with Adams; the tool became a permanent feature of his life, allowing him to write independently in spite of his impaired eyesight. He visited Hampton Court Palace with future American president John Quincy Adams , at
10296-528: The king, Cortés pleaded for friars rather than diocesan or secular priests because those clerics were in his view a serious danger to the Indians' conversion. If these people [Indians] were now to see the affairs of the Church and the service of God in the hands of canons or other dignitaries, and saw them indulge in the vices and profanities now common in Spain, knowing that such men were the ministers of God, it would bring our Faith into much harm that I believe any further preaching would be of no avail. He wished
10428-531: The later biographers have been greatly indebted. Rollo Ogden 's 1904 account is more a stylistic modernization of Ticknor's work. Harry Thurston Peck 's 1905 account is considered academically inferior due to its essentially derivative nature. C. Harvey Gardiner's 1969 work is considered the definitive critical biography of Prescott, taking into account a wide range of unpublished documents that were unavailable to earlier biographers. The City of Prescott in Arizona
10560-532: The mendicants to be the main evangelists. Mendicant friars did not usually have full priestly powers to perform all the sacraments needed for conversion of the Indians and growth of the neophytes in the Christian faith, so Cortés laid out a solution to this to the king. Your Majesty should likewise beseech His Holiness [the pope] to grant these powers to the two principal persons in the religious orders that are to come here, and that they should be his delegates, one from
10692-576: The military conquest was completed was an important task for Cortés. During the Age of Discovery , the Catholic Church had seen early attempts at conversion in the Caribbean islands by Spanish friars, particularly the mendicant orders. Cortés made a request to the Spanish monarch to send Franciscan and Dominican friars to Mexico to convert the vast indigenous populations to Christianity. In his fourth letter to
10824-543: The monarch's life. There is a popular misconception that Prescott was completely blind, which seems to have stemmed from a misunderstanding of his comment in the preface to The Conquest of Mexico , in which he stated, "Nor have I ever corrected, or even read, my own original draft". The myth was further propagated by a contemporary New York review of the Conquest , and has been a common theme in popular accounts of his work. Other related embellishments of Prescott's disability have also occurred— Samuel Eliot Morison , writing in
10956-399: The monarchs' political roles. Due to further problems with his eyesight, it took him sixteen months to write the first three hundred pages of the History . It was largely finished by 1834, but Prescott dedicated two years to abridging and redrafting it. He was also briefly engaged in writing a biography of Charles Brockden Brown for Jared Sparks ' Library of American Biography . Prescott
11088-422: The most delightful of modern travellers." Prescott found it difficult to evaluate Mesoamerican scientific and mathematical achievements, because of his relative ignorance of those subjects. While working in Boston in 1841, he met George Howard , who was to stay a close friend for the remainder of his life. Prescott worked industriously throughout 1840–1842, and as a result, the work was finished by August 1843. It
11220-481: The most eminent historians of 19th century America. He is also noted for his eidetic memory , also called "photographic memory". After an extensive period of study, during which he sporadically contributed to academic journals, Prescott specialized in late Renaissance Spain and the early Spanish Empire . His works on the subject, The History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic (1837), The History of
11352-438: The most important European city in the Americas. Cortés managed the founding of new cities and appointed men to extend Spanish rule to all of New Spain, imposing the encomienda system in 1524. He reserved many encomiendas for himself and for his retinue, which they considered just rewards for their accomplishment in conquering central Mexico. However, later arrivals and members of factions antipathetic to Cortés complained of
11484-490: The municipality to form the Huatulco river. Its ecosystem is lowland deciduous and includes mahogany, cedar, cashew and many other species of tree. Wildlife includes squirrel, opossum, skunk, raccoon, coati, ringtail, armadillos, ocelots and white-tailed deer. Huatulco has a borderline tropical wet and dry climate / semi-arid climate ( Köppen Aw / BSh ), featuring stable, hot temperatures all year round, with two marked seasons,
11616-489: The newly appointed Governor of Hispaniola . (This island is now divided between Haiti and the Dominican Republic ). Cortés suffered an injury and was prevented from traveling. He spent the next year wandering the country, probably spending most of his time in Spain's southern ports of Cadiz , Palos , Sanlucar , and Seville . He finally left for Hispaniola in 1504 and became a colonist. Cortés reached Hispaniola in
11748-459: The newly conquered territory, dubbed " New Spain of the Ocean Sea". But also, much to the dismay of Cortés, four royal officials were appointed at the same time to assist him in his governing—in effect, submitting him to close observation and administration. Cortés initiated the construction of Mexico City , destroying Aztec temples and buildings and then rebuilding on the Aztec ruins what soon became
11880-526: The orders and, in an act of open mutiny , went anyway in February 1519. He stopped in Trinidad, Cuba , to hire more soldiers and obtain more horses. Accompanied by about 11 ships, 500 men (including seasoned slaves ), 13 horses, and a small number of cannon , Cortés landed on the Yucatán Peninsula in Maya territory. There he encountered Geronimo de Aguilar , a Spanish Franciscan priest who had survived
12012-548: The orders of the Crown, and, what was more imprudent, said so in a letter to the emperor, dated October 15, 1524 (Ycazbalceta, "Documentos para la Historia de México", Mexico, 1858, I). In this letter Cortés, besides recalling in a rather abrupt manner that the conquest of Mexico was due to him alone, deliberately acknowledges his disobedience in terms which could not fail to create a most unfavourable impression. King Charles appointed Cortés as governor, captain general and chief justice of
12144-402: The pursuing Spanish forces, inflicting heavy losses, but would ultimately be the last portion of the island that resisted the conquistadores. The siege of Tenochtitlan ended with Spanish victory and the destruction of the city. In January 1521, Cortés countered a conspiracy against him, headed by Antonio de Villafana, who was hanged for the offense. Finally, with the capture of Cuauhtémoc ,
12276-514: The rest to confront Narváez. He overcame Narváez, despite his numerical inferiority, and convinced the rest of Narváez's men to join him. In Mexico, one of Cortés's lieutenants Pedro de Alvarado , committed the massacre in the Great Temple , triggering a local rebellion. Cortés speedily returned to Tenochtitlán. On July 1, 1520, Moctezuma was killed (he was stoned to death by his own people, as reported in Spanish accounts; although some claim he
12408-481: The second-largest city in central Mexico. Cortés, either in a pre-meditated effort to instill fear upon the Aztecs waiting for him at Tenochtitlan or (as he later claimed, when he was being investigated) wishing to make an example when he feared native treachery, massacred thousands of unarmed members of the nobility gathered at the central plaza, then partially burned the city. By the time he arrived in Tenochtitlán,
12540-490: The shortened form of "Hernán" more generally. In addition to the illustration by the German artist Christoph Weiditz in his Trachtenbuch , there are three known portraits of Hernán Cortés which were likely made during his lifetime, though only copies of them have survived. All of these portraits show Cortés in the later years of his life. The account of the conquest of the Aztec Empire written by Bernal Díaz del Castillo , gives
12672-411: The sister-in-law of Governor Velázquez. Part of Velázquez's displeasure seems to have been based on a belief that Cortés was trifling with Catalina's affections. Cortés was temporarily distracted by one of Catalina's sisters but finally married Catalina, reluctantly, under pressure from Governor Velázquez. However, by doing so, he hoped to secure the good will of both her family and that of Velázquez. It
12804-787: The sources on which the History of Ferdinand and Isabella was to be based. In spring 1828, Prescott visited Washington, where he and Ticknor dined with John Quincy Adams at the White House , and saw Congress in session. Due in part to his own condition, Prescott was interested in aiding the blind and partially sighted. The Perkins School for the Blind , then known as the New England Asylum, had been founded in Boston, Massachusetts by Samuel Gridley Howe , Thomas Handasyd Perkins and John Dix Fisher and 28 others in 1829. Prescott involved himself from
12936-529: The subject. Prescott's eyesight degenerated after being hit in the eye with a crust of bread during a food fight as a student, and it remained weak and unstable throughout the rest of his life. Prescott was admitted to the Phi Beta Kappa Society as a senior, which he considered a great personal honor, and graduated from Harvard in 1814. After a short period of rheumatic illness, he embarked on an extended tour of Europe. Prescott first traveled to
13068-671: The task. However, this could only be a temporary arrangement, and he was replaced by a man named Hamilton Parker, who held the position for a year. Eventually George Ticknor, who was by then in charge of the department of modern literature at Harvard University, found James L. English, who worked with Prescott until 1831. Among the books studied by Prescott in this period, Ticknor lists Juan Antonio Llorente 's Historia crítica de la Inquisición de España , Historia de los Reyes Católicos don Fernando y doña Isabel by Andrés Bernáldez [ es ] , Voltaire 's Charles XII and William Roscoe 's Life of Lorenzo de' Medici , which were to be
13200-452: The third expedition to the mainland, which he partly funded. His enmity with the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar , resulted in the recall of the expedition at the last moment, an order which Cortés ignored. Arriving on the continent, Cortés executed a successful strategy of allying with some indigenous people against others. He also used a native woman, Doña Marina , as an interpreter. She later gave birth to his first son. When
13332-607: The time a diplomat in London, where they saw the Raphael Cartoons . In August 1816, Prescott traveled to Paris, but later moved on to Italy, where he spent the winter. He returned to Paris in early 1817, where he chanced to meet the American Hispanist George Ticknor , and made another visit to England. Prescott spent some time in Cambridge , where he saw the manuscripts of Isaac Newton 's works, and returned to
13464-525: The time that Cortés had murdered his wife. There was an investigation into her death, interviewing a variety of household residents and others. The documentation of the investigation was published in the nineteenth century in Mexico and these archival documents were uncovered in the twentieth century. The death of Catalina Suárez produced a scandal and investigation, but Cortés was now free to marry someone of high status more appropriate to his wealth and power. In 1526, he built an imposing residence for himself,
13596-519: The time the leading British publishers, refused the work, and Prescott decided to postpone. The History of Ferdinand and Isabella was published on Christmas Day, 1837 by the American Stationery Company, Boston , with a print run of 500 copies. It was dedicated to his father. To the surprise of Prescott and the publisher, the book sold very well—the original print run was insufficient to adequately supply Boston's bookshops, let alone
13728-524: The very start of the project, becoming a trustee in 1830. He published an article in support of education for the blind in the North American Review of July 1830, and helped to raise $ 50,000 for the organization in May 1833. His work was disturbed in February 1829 by the unexpected death of his eldest daughter Catherine, who was only four years old. This led him to reconsider his position on religion—previously an agnostic , his interest in Christianity
13860-622: The whole nation's. It was first published in London by Richard Bentley in early 1838. The work received excellent critical reviews, both in America and in Britain, where Henry Vassall-Fox and Robert Southey expressed their admiration of the work. It was also noticed in France, despite the fact that a French translation was not available at the time. Prescott was adamant that his work should not be altered by anyone other than himself, and when he heard that his publishers were considering an abridgement of
13992-401: The winter in Boston, and returned to the composition of his work. He gradually changed the focus of the History , deciding that he was a better writer of history than biography and worked solidly for the next two years, alternating between Boston and Nahant. This period was interrupted only by the marriage of his daughter Elizabeth in early 1852. Her husband was James Alexander; they settled in
14124-690: The work included George Hillard in the North American Review , George Ticknor Curtis in the Christian Examiner , Joseph Cogswell in the Methodist Quarterly , as well as the Dean of St. Paul's , Henry Hart Milman in the Quarterly Review . However, the Mexican author José Fernando Ramírez was a critic of the work. In 1844, Prescott was painted by Joseph Alexander Ames , and also commissioned
14256-533: Was Catalína Pizarro Altamirano. Through his mother, Hernán was second cousin once removed of Francisco Pizarro , who later conquered the Inca Empire of modern-day Peru, and not to be confused with another Francisco Pizarro, who joined Cortés to conquer the Aztecs . (His maternal grandmother, Leonor Sánchez Pizarro Altamirano, was first cousin of Pizarro's father Gonzalo Pizarro y Rodriguez.) Through his father, Hernán
14388-526: Was also well-received critically. Shortly after the publication of the Conquest of Peru , Prescott turned his mind to writing a history of Philip II of Spain , which he had been contemplating for several years. John Lothrop Motley , who planned to write an independent work on the subject, was aided by Prescott, who gave him access to his library. Although the two corresponded, there seems to have been little collaboration on their respective works. Prescott had started searching for sources as early as 1842, but
14520-473: Was appointed Governor of Cuba . At the age of 26, Cortés was made clerk to the treasurer with the responsibility of ensuring that the Crown received the quinto , or customary one fifth of the profits from the expedition. Velázquez was so impressed with Cortés that he secured a high political position for him in the colony. He became secretary for Governor Velázquez. Cortés was twice appointed municipal magistrate ( alcalde ) of Santiago . In Cuba, Cortés became
14652-403: Was at this point extremely awkward, since she was a kinswoman of the governor of Cuba, Diego Velázquez, whose authority Cortés had thrown off and who was therefore now his enemy. Catalina lacked the noble title of doña, so at this point his marriage with her no longer raised his status. Their marriage had been childless. Since Cortés had sired children with a variety of indigenous women, including
14784-649: Was considered by the Aztecs to be either an emissary of the feathered serpent god Quetzalcoatl or Quetzalcoatl himself—a belief which has been contested by a few modern historians. But quickly Cortés learned that several Spaniards on the coast had been killed by Aztecs while supporting the Totonacs, and decided to take Moctezuma as a hostage in his palace, indirectly ruling Tenochtitlán through him. Meanwhile, Velázquez sent another expedition, led by Pánfilo de Narváez , to oppose Cortés, arriving in Mexico in April 1520 with 1,100 men. Cortés left 200 men in Tenochtitlán and took
14916-400: Was described by Gómara as ruthless, haughty, and mischievous. The 16-year-old youth had returned home to feel constrained life in his small provincial town. By this time, news of the exciting discoveries of Christopher Columbus in the New World was streaming back to Spain. Plans were made for Cortés to sail to the Americas with a family acquaintance and distant relative, Nicolás de Ovando ,
15048-461: Was effectively stopped by this appeal to the King who sent out a decree forbidding Garay to interfere in the politics of New Spain, causing him to give up without a fight. Although Cortés had flouted the authority of Diego Velázquez in sailing to the mainland and then leading an expedition of conquest, Cortés's spectacular success was rewarded by the crown with a coat of arms, a mark of high honor, following
15180-543: Was elected an honorary member of the Massachusetts Society of the Cincinnati . In January 1859, Prescott decided to resume his work on Philip II, with the goal of writing a final fourth volume History of the Reign of Phillip II (1856–1858) which was completed only up to the year 1568 featuring the deaths of Phillips son Carlos, Prince of Asturias and of Phllips 3rd wife Elisabeth of Valois . On January 28, he had
15312-563: Was greeted in London, as in Washington, by the most important members of society—he dined with the Foreign Secretary and future Prime Minister Henry Temple , the former Prime Minister Robert Peel , as well as the elderly Duke of Wellington . He went to the races at Ascot , and was presented at court to Queen Victoria . On June 22, he traveled to Oxford to receive an honorary doctorate in law. In Oxford, he stayed at Cuddesdon Palace ,
15444-688: Was he who caused the Indians to revere the holy sacraments and respect the ministers of the church. In Fray Bernardino de Sahagún 's 1585 revision of the conquest narrative first codified as Book XII of the Florentine Codex , there are laudatory references to Cortés that do not appear in the earlier text from the indigenous perspective. Whereas Book XII of the Florentine Codex concludes with an account of Spaniards' search for gold, in Sahagún's 1585 revised account, he ends with praise of Cortés for requesting
15576-432: Was more limited than Prescott had originally planned. He worked on the Spanish translation of the Conquest of Mexico , which had been prepared by José Fernando Ramírez and Lucas Alamán . William H. Prescott and Susan Amory Prescott (c. 1799–1859) had four children; the first, Catherine Prescott (1824–1829) died of a childhood illness. William Gardiner Prescott (1826–1895) attended Harvard from 1841 to 1844 and worked as
15708-573: Was murdered by the Spaniards once they realized his inability to placate the locals). Faced with a hostile population, Cortés decided to flee for Tlaxcala. During the Noche Triste (June 30 – July 1, 1520), the Spaniards managed a narrow escape from Tenochtitlán across the Tlacopan causeway, while their rearguard was being massacred. Much of the treasure looted by Cortés was lost (as well as his artillery) during this panicked escape from Tenochtitlán. After
15840-572: Was named in his honor, as was the William H. Prescott House (Headquarters House), which was designated a National Historic Landmark for its association with him. Colegio Anglo Americano Prescott , a school in Arequipa, Peru , also bears his name. Prescott Street, two blocks from Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is named after him. Historian Richard Kagan has identified "Prescott's Paradigm" as
15972-416: Was not familiar with American literature, and he based the work on other contemporary biographies of Brown. As a result, the biography has had little academic impact. In 1835, he took residence in the rural town of Nahant, Massachusetts , due to concerns about his health. He was here accustomed to riding his horses for the purpose of exercise, and he persevered even in sub-zero temperatures. Prescott finished
16104-467: Was not until he had been almost 15 years in the Indies that Cortés began to look beyond his substantial status as mayor of the capital of Cuba and as a man of affairs in the thriving colony. He missed the first two expeditions, under the orders of Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and then Juan de Grijalva , sent by Diego Velázquez to Mexico in 1518. News reached Velázquez that Juan de Grijalva had established
16236-512: Was primarily focused on political and military affairs, largely ignoring economic, social, intellectual, and cultural forces that in recent decades historians have focused on. Instead, he wrote narrative history, subsuming unstated causal forces in his driving storyline. William H. Prescott was born in Salem, Massachusetts , on May 4, 1796, the first of seven children, although four of his siblings died in infancy. His parents were William Prescott Jr. ,
16368-476: Was published by Harper & Brothers , New York in December, Bentley issuing the British edition. His elderly father had had a stroke in October, which resulted in temporary paralysis, so Prescott spent most of the winter attending him in Pepperell . The History of the Conquest of Mexico was received extremely well, both critically and by the general public, despite Prescott's fears to the contrary. Those praising
16500-473: Was related to Nicolás de Ovando , the third governor of Hispaniola . His paternal great-grandfather was Rodrigo de Monroy y Almaraz, 5th Lord of Monroy . According to his biographer and chaplain, Francisco López de Gómara , Cortés was pale and sickly as a child. At the age of 14, he was sent to study Latin under an uncle in Salamanca. Later historians have misconstrued this personal tutoring as time enrolled at
16632-448: Was renewed, and having read the Bible , the works of the theologian William Paley as well as more skeptical works such as Hume 's Of Miracles , he came to acknowledge the "moral truth" of the gospels, while remaining opposed to the doctrines of orthodox Christianity. Despite this personal tragedy, and his own continued ill health, Prescott had gathered sufficient material to begin drafting
16764-453: Was stalled by the unexpected death of his brother Edward at sea. His daughter Elizabeth was seriously ill, so Prescott and his family traveled to Niagara , which he considered a more healthy environment for her. After her recovery, they returned to Nahant in the summer, where Prescott started drafting the Conquest , and, as was his custom, spent the autumn in Peperell. Prescott's father died at
16896-556: Was titled Italian Narrative Poetry , and became somewhat controversial after it was heavily criticized in an Italian review by Lorenzo Da Ponte , the librettist of Mozart 's Don Giovanni . Prescott wrote a succinct reply to Da Ponte's fifty-page argument in the North American Review of July 1825. Da Ponte published the criticisms as an appendix to his translation of Dodley 's Economy of Human life , which resulted in Prescott noticing them rather late. Prescott first became interested in
17028-439: Was unavailable to Prescott in Boston. However, progress was stalled almost immediately, due to a sudden deterioration in Prescott's eyesight. Unable to find a reader fluent in Spanish, Prescott was forced to work through Spanish texts with an assistant who did not understand the language. When Alexander Everett heard of this situation, he provided Prescott with the services of George Lunt , who had adequate knowledge of Spanish for
17160-420: Was unprecedented among American historians. As the work of an amateur historian, the History of Ferdinand and Isabella was an outstanding achievement, and it arguably was the best English-language work on the subject published until then. The major problems with the work to the modern day historian are not related to the quality of the research or Prescott's understanding of the period, but rather that his focus
17292-542: Was untreatable damage to his retina. Prescott had been commissioned by the Massachusetts Historical Society to write a biography of the scholar John Pickering in 1848, which he wrote for publication later in that year. Prescott was invited to write a history of the Mexican–American War , but declined, as he was uninterested in writing on contemporary events. Prescott's main secondary source for
17424-484: Was writing 12 pages of the work per day in the summer of 1845, and completed the first two chapters of the Conquest . He used the inheritance from his father to buy a house on Beacon Street in Boston. The building is now a National Historic Landmark , and is also known as the William Hickling Prescott House. Prescott moved into the house during December 1845, and set himself a year to finish
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