The Essential Díaz

Ideally suited for use in swift-moving surveys of World, Atlantic, and Latin American history, this abridgment of Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke’s 2012 translation of the True History provides key excerpts from Diaz’s text and concise summaries of omitted passages. Included in this edition is a new preface outlining the social, economic, and political forces that motivated the European “discovery” of the New World.

From reviews of the unabridged edition:

“Bernal Díaz’s True History of the Conquest of New Spain, the chronicle of an ‘ordinary’ soldier in Hernando Cortés’s army, is the only complete account (other than Cortés’s own) that we have of the Spanish conquest of ancient Mexico.
    “It makes for consistently fascinating reading, and Ted Humphrey and Janet Burke have provided the best, and the most engaging, translation ever to have appeared in English.”
    —Anthony Pagden, UCLA

“[Humphrey and Burke’s] translation takes full advantage of the best scholarship of the last fifty years, providing useful context and interpretation for the non-specialist. The result is a highly readable, engaging book that will prove a valuable teaching tool in a variety of classroom settings.”
    —Lyman Johnson, University of North Carolina Charlotte

"In addition to their outstanding translation, the scholarly duo [of Humphrey and Burke] also brings expert analysis of Diaz del Castillo’s life. Their introduction and epilogue provide deeper analysis of [Diaz's] role in the Spanish conquest of Mexico. They place Diaz del Castillo’s The True History of the Conquest of New Spain in the historical context provided by the latest scholarship. In addition to the historical analysis, the new translation also includes various images such as maps and depictions of Aztec warriors from the Codex Mendoza, which bring a new perspective to the autobiography. 
    "Overall, the new translation . . by Burke and Humphrey makes a classic Spanish source accessible and engaging to an English-speaking audience. [It] brings an old story to a new audience and is highly recommended for both scholars and history buffs alike. Additionally, this translation would be a superb primary source to use in classes devoted to Latin American and world history."
     —Timothy C. Hemmis, University of Southern Mississippi, on H-Net Reviews

Contents:

Preface

Introduction: The Conquest in Context
Figures Prominent in Bernal Díaz del Castillo's True History
Timeline for the Conquest of Mexico
Map of Cortés's Route
Sources and Further Reading

THE TRUE HISTORY OF THE CONQUEST OF NEW SPAIN
[Bracketed Roman numerals refer to chapters in the Guatemalan manuscript of the True History.]

Chapter 1: Bernal Díaz del Castillo, an Introduction [I–XVIII]
Chapter 2: The Captain, Hernando Cortés [XIX–XXVI]
Chapter 3: Jerónimo de Aguilar, the Lost Spaniard [XXVII–XXIX]
Chapter 4: Doña Marina, Interpreter [XXXVI–XXXVII]
Chapter 5: First Encounters with Montezuma's People, San Juan de Ulúa [XXXVIII–XLVIII]
Chapter 6: The Tlaxcalans: Hard-Won Allies [LXI–LXXVII]
Chapter 7: The Incident at Cholula [LXXIX–LXXXIII]
Chapter 8: The Great Montezuma [LXXXVII–XCI]
Chapter 9: Montezuma Imprisoned [XCII–XCV]
Chapter 10: Diego Velázquez Seeks to Regain Control: Pánfilo de Narváez [CIX–CXXII]
Chapter 11: La Noche Triste, the Night of Sorrows [CXXV–CXXVIII]
Chapter 12: The Battle of Otumba and the Return to Mexico [CXXVIII–CLII]
Chapter 13: The Fall of Tenochtitlan [CLIII–CLVI]

Epilogue

About the Authors:

Janet Burke is Associate Dean in Barrett, the Honors College, and Lincoln Fellow for Ethics and Latin American Intellectual History in the Lincoln Center for Ethics, at Arizona State University.

Ted Humphrey is President’s Professor, Barrett Professor, and Lincoln Professor of Ethics and Latin American Intellectual History at Arizona State University.