These five letters by the Spanish conqueror, Hernando Cortés, were written to the Emperor Charles V of Spain between 1519 and 1526. They describe the earliest discoveries of the mainland, the perilous trek into hostile country, the capture of the Aztec capital, the extension of Cortés’ power throughout Mexico, the expedition to Honduras, and the organization and ordering of the Spanish empire in the new world.

Translated by: Bayard J. Morris
Introduction by: Bayard J. Morris