books about aztec "Spanish Conquest"?

[commissarmoody]

I was wondering if there were any good reads out there about the "Spanish Conquest".
I have a few of the Ospry books on it and was looking for more sources.

[Geudens]

I was wondering if there were any good reads out there about the "Spanish Conquest".
I have a few of the Ospry books on it and was looking for more sources.

Try the Foundry book on the subject: not only a background, but loads of (even the more obscure) tribes of Central and South America are covered! (with line drawings of the figures in b&w).

Rudi

[cdm]

It depends on what you require those sources to do. Most of the military system has been broken open recently or at least explained more fully, though none of this is in print. I'll assume a plain English language edition is required, better material is in Spanish.

Step 1 is surely burn your Ospreys for some winter warmth.
For a good general history with serious in depth information try Hugh Thomas' The Conquest of Mexico. He amalgamates alot of sources into a coherent narrative full of backstory details.

From the Wargame perspective, the Foundry book is the best and outshines Pohl and is far more accurate and sensible. Hassig's Aztec Warfare is adequate for a general long term history but has some issues throughout which are not going to impact significantly on the non academic, and is by far under detailed on the things wargamers like to know.

For eyewitness accounts -
The Letters from Mexico by Hernan Cortez
The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico by Bernal Diaz del Castillo
Book 12 of the Florentine Codex. Buy it direct from University of Utah as the cheapest source.
I don't recommend the Broken Spears by Leon Portilla but many do.

For a longer term central American history from before the arrival of the tenochca/mexica upto conquest, Duran's General History is by far the best primary source in English.

For uniform details or army organisation there is no coherent and complete source available. All details for these issues must be gleaned from many primary sources some of which contradict due to where the primary source was written and the perspective of the locals in relation to the various empires of the time.

For a broad understanding of the technical makeup of the empire and how the bits hung together there is no finer book than Carrasco's The Tenochca Empire of Ancient Mexico.

[poulppy]

For eyewitness accounts -
The Letters from Mexico by Hernan Cortez
The Discovery and Conquest of Mexico by Bernal Diaz del Castillo
Book 12 of the Florentine Codex. Buy it direct from University of Utah as the cheapest source.
I don't recommend the Broken Spears by Leon Portilla but many do.

For a longer term central American history from before the arrival of the tenochca/mexica upto conquest, Duran's General History is by far the best primary source in English.

For uniform details or army organisation there is no coherent and complete source available. All details for these issues must be gleaned from many primary sources some of which contradict due to where the primary source was written and the perspective of the locals in relation to the various empires of the time.

For a broad understanding of the technical makeup of the empire and how the bits hung together there is no finer book than Carrasco's The Tenochca Empire of Ancient Mexico.

I suggest you the Prescott's one. A little Old and not totally right on the Aztec and Inca  way of life, but the history of the conquest is a historical reference.

[Lowtardog]

The Ian Heath Book from Foundry is a must, much better than the osprey Pohl books (though nice eye candy)

I would recoommend Ross Hassig he has a nice easy writing style which worked well for explaining the period and politics

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aztec-Warfare-Expansion-Political-Civilization/dp/0806127732/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237224244&sr=8-5

[commissarmoody]

Thank you one and all. I have some reading to do apprantly. My bank will hate me but its all good.

[Helen]

I've been looking at this book:

"The Conquest of Mexico:"

http://www.amazon.com/CONQUEST-MEXICO-Michel-Gomez/dp/8496658058/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3UQNM8WJPJ1F2&colid=18X2R6504BBRU

I've Heath's book and that book is priceless.

Helen

[commissarmoody]

any one know any thing about this book?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/055380538X/ref=ord_cart_shr?%5Fencoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Conquistador, by Buddy levy?

[Doc Twilight]

Comissar Moody -

I second (or third) the recommendation of the Heath Books. Some very good stuff. I would avoid the Pohl books, as they are largely inaccurate, sometimes to a frightening degree, though they do have some decent eye candy.

I have also found the following site to be quite useful:

http://www.balagan.org.uk/war/iberia/1492/mexico/painting_guide_aztec.htm

Also check out the site he links to, "Meet the Aztecs", which is also pretty good.

-Doc

[archangel1]

There are several decent children's books available with lots of good artwork.  (Wish I had books like this when I was a kid!)

'How Would You Survive As An Aztec' by Fiona Macdonald (Franklin Watts) ISBN 0-531-15304-5 (pbk.)

'The Days of the Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas' by Louis-René Nougier (Silver Burdett) ISBN 0-382-09086-1 (pbk.)

'See Inside An Aztec Town' (R.J.Unstead) ISBN 0-531-09174-2

'The Aztecs' by Tim Wood (Hamlyn) ISBN 0-600-57285-4

There are even a couple of Tintin stories set in South America with some great ideas for scenery, although they are probably more Mayan than Aztec and one is particularly Incan.

[commissarmoody]

thanks agine ever one. I am looking into geting my hands on some of the books right now.

[cdm]

I've been looking at this book:

"The Conquest of Mexico:"

http://www.amazon.com/CONQUEST-MEXICO-Michel-Gomez/dp/8496658058/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3UQNM8WJPJ1F2&colid=18X2R6504BBRU

I've Heath's book and that book is priceless.

Helen

The Gomez book is about Osprey level for the overall historical perspective. It really doesn't explain alot about the military system at all but is a fairly good generic book. It has some glaring minor errors but nothing most people aren't even going to notice. Examples include stating banners come in any random colour and style instead of explaining they are purely god related devices, and that animal skins were worn by jaguar warriors instead of feather suits. Some colours are odd like the purple/violet cotton armour and some hairstyles on figures don't tally. There are many illustrations done for the book in Osprey style which are nice eye candy. Overall not bad, and a colour supplement to the Foundry book rather than anything overly wargamery about it. Also quite expensive.

[fastolfrus]

Anyone else spotted this one ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Foundry-Military-Reference-Book-Aztecs-etc_W0QQitemZ250414155972QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Toys_Wargames_RL?hash=item250414155972&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[Lowtardog]

Anyone else spotted this one ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Foundry-Military-Reference-Book-Aztecs-etc_W0QQitemZ250414155972QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Toys_Wargames_RL?hash=item250414155972&_trksid=p3911.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

I saw it the other day, that is the Ian Heath book a must have for anyone interested in the period