Tools in His Second Letter to Charles I of Spain

Hernán Cortés’ Use of Rhetorical

Tools in his Second Letter to Charles I of Spain

Hernán Cortés starts his letter by expressing his concern over the allegedly false information that may have come to Charles I’s attention regarding his actions in the New World. He promises to acquaint the King with “the truth” about the happenings in New Spain in a detailed account of “all that has occurred ” in order to reassure him of his loyalty (48).  Even though this sets the reader to expect an objective chronicle, a more detached narration of the happenings, we instead are introduced to an adventure-filled narrative constructed in a very personal dimension, filled with symbolic constructions that position Cortés as the absolute protagonist and hero. He had important personal interests invested in this deposition, so he focuses on directly stressing how important New Spain is for the Crown, and, indirectly, how vital he is in achieving dominance over it. Cortés systematically uses rhetorical tools in order to best appeal to the King by carefully engaging him at ethical, emotional and logical levels.

        For most of the first half of the letter, Cortés focuses on presenting himself as the archetype of the Spanish conquistador in order to appeal to the Charles I’s ethos. He first establishes that, in true conquistador fashion, he had always acted in in his “Highness’ name”; Cortés is deeply “troubled” by the thought of not having been able to inform him of the events since the last letter sooner (48).  This way, Cortés ascertains his own morality, his commitment to serving the Crown and his rightfulness as an honest representative of the King.  He also constantly repeats that he is doing everything –founding cities, fighting battles and taking up vassals – in his Highness’s name and “Royal service”; Cortés wants to prove how his actions are benefiting the Crown (56). He assures Charles I that his concern is the prosperity of the Kingdom. Moreover, Cortés proves that he possesses another very important characteristic of a Spanish conquistador: God’s blessing. His mission -as a true Christian- is to “wage war against the enemies of the Faith”(63). Consequently, he constantly mentions God’s help in battle and His miraculous interventions; once, even “preventing a fuse from igniting” (53). Finally, he stresses his duty -as a conquistador- of bringing civilization and reason to the savages; he constantly mentions how he “pacified” villages and how he had “the most important of … idols, and the ones in whom they have most faith, … taken from their place and thrown down the steps … I had images of Our Lady put there” (106). He made the natives understand that they had misplaced their trust; there was only “one God, Lord of all things … who made all of us” (106).  This way, Cortés assured Charles I’s that he is bringing them to God and into civilization as a bearer of Faith in representation of the Crown.  What Cortés hopes to achieve by posing as a morally sound and religiously committed man is to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the King as a true representative of Spain in order to belie any rumors that he is a traitor or that he is acting for his own personal gain.