For the past couple of years or so, I’ve become obsessed with massive biographies. I’m talking about tomes stretching seven hundred or even a thousand pages, diving into every nook and cranny of a person’s life. These authors tend to unearth every detail, shedding light how that person came to be known as how they’re known nowadays.
This obsession of mine, started when I first watched Patton (1970). It was a damn good film, but I found myself wondering just how accurate it was – seeing as how he was portrayed as a half-deluded, war-crazed maniac. Not long after, I opened my wallet and ordered the splendid biography, “Patton: A Genius Of War.” And as I delved into that biography, puzzle pieces started falling into place. It revealed how Patton’s family history was crucial for understanding the man… and how he spent his entire life preparing for his role in history.
The introduction of the book even clarifies how the 1970 film presents a twisted view of the general. The truth is, he wasn’t some attack dog frothing at the mouth all day long. But hey, in a film, you only have a couple of hours to work with. Details often get left out (or tweaked) in an effort to give you the big picture and keep you entertained.
So now you know where my obsession with biographies comes from, let me introduce you to one of the best I’ve read lately: Conquistador by Buddy Levy.
You’ve probably received the same spiel about the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés as I did back in school: driven by gold, Cortés set off for Tenochtitlan, where he swiftly decimated the Aztecs—with a little help from Western technology and a handful of infectious diseases. Maybe you’ve heard a bit more, but that’s about the gist of it, right? Looking at it from this perspective, it’s the tale of a villain obliterating an entire civilization, mostly fueled by greed.
But lately, I started feeling that this story (and how it was presented) was just a tad too simplistic. And, hey, no surprises there. This is the version we tell children. It’s technically accurate, sure, but it strips it of all details and complexity, rendering it lifeless. It turns real people into completely unrelatable, two-dimensional figures.
In any case, I started feeling curious. See, if you asked someone to list villains from history, there’s a good chance Cortés would be on that list. But what can you really tell about him, aside from what I’ve just laid out? What about his background? That might be a bit too tricky. Let’s stick to the basics, shall we? What were his motives? What was he after? If you can answer these questions for other historical villains, surely you should be able to for this one too, right?
Was it solely about wealth? ‘Cause that’s what I used to think… until I read in the book that he was already quite well-off before starting his conquest. You see, Cortés had been granted a plot of land by the governor of Cuba, along with a few slaves. To me, that bit of information changes the whole story.
I’m not saying wealth didn’t matter to him. Cortés became extremely rich after his conquests… and you don’t get there by accident. But based on what I’ve read in Conquistador, I’d say his primary motivation was power and control first, with wealth coming in second. Read the book and draw your own conclusions.
Another revelation to me, is that I’m now convinced he was a genuine Christian (not just pretending) and that his drive to convert other peoples to his religion was sincere. Beware, I’m not saying that it was the right thing to do, but I am saying he truly believed in what he was doing. Converting the Aztecs wasn’t some calculated strategy to subjugate them and destroy their culture, as many have suggested.
Now, the point I’m trying to make here, isn’t that Cortés was some misunderstood nice guy. He was as Machiavellian as they come, entirely self-centered… and he caused death and suffering – in the order of tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of lives lost. What I’m getting at, is how crucial details are in truly understanding a story. Without the right detail, the puzzle doesn’t quite fit together as it should and you’ll have a tough time seeing the whole picture. So follow your curiosity and keep looking, because if there’s one thing this world desperately needs, it’s deeper understanding. Food for thought.
Regards
Vincent