Primary sourceLetter15 May 1522

Third Narrative Letter of Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés · 15 May 1522

Cortés's 1522 letter to Emperor Charles V describing the siege and destruction of Tenochtitlan and the capture of Cuauhtémoc.

Cortés's own report to the king narrating his conquest and destruction of Tenochtitlan.

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Title page of a 1523 Latin edition of Cortés's letter, in black-letter type within a woodcut ornamental border. Title reads Praeclara Ferdinandi Cortesii de Noua maris Oceani Hyspania Narratio, with printer's date Anno Domini MDXXIII and Cum Gratia & Priuilegio at the bottom. — Hernán Cortés, Third Letter of Relation to Charles V, 1522. Latin edition, Nuremberg, 1524.

About this source

What it is

This letter was written and signed by Hernán Cortés in Coyoacán on 15 May 1522, addressed to Emperor Charles V. It recounts events from 1520 to 1522, including the building of brigantines, the siege of Tenochtitlan, and the capture of the Mexica ruler Cuauhtémoc.

Why it matters

As one of Cortés's own reports to the Spanish crown, it is a firsthand account of the final conquest of the Aztec empire, written to justify and glorify his actions. It also mentions the smallpox epidemic that devastated the Mexica population. A map of Tenochtitlan was later printed with the letter.

Look closer

Why would Cortés want to describe his own actions in such detail to the emperor?
What parts of the story might be left out or shaped to make Cortés look good?
What does the inclusion of a map suggest about the letter's purpose?

This letter is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Hernán Cortés on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.