Bernal Diaz del Castillo (1492-1584) was a foot soldier in the army of Mexico's conqueror Hernan Cortes, and participated in the campaigns that led to the fall of the Aztec empire in 1521. This 1928 translation of his journals by Alfred P. Maudslay derives from the 1904 edition by the Mexican historian Genaro Garcia - the first edition based on the original manuscript. Written as a corrective to accounts that overemphasised Cortes' exploits, Diaz's epic includes the experiences of the common soldier: hardship, thirst, long marches and unexpected attacks by rebels. The fullest surviving eyewitness account of the Mexican conquest, this important historical document is also a captivating adventure narrative that combines factual accuracy with a wealth of dramatic anecdotes. It covers the period 1519-1522, from Diaz's first visit to Yucatan to the defeat of the Aztecs and the establishment of Spanish rule.

Translated by: Alfred Percival Maudslay