Stephanie Jane recenzis Conquistadores de Fernando Cervantes
Well researched, but a slog to read
3 steloj
I was drawn to read Fernando Cervantes new history of the early Spanish conquistadores because, other than Moctezuma, Christopher Columbus and Hernan Cortes, I knew very little about the leading men involved in this period of central American history. It turns out that I didn't know much about the three I could already name either! Cervantes details the years from just prior to Columbus' famous first voyage in 1492 through the reign of Emperor Charles V. I liked that he tried to explain how the political and religious motivations determined actions on both sides and he is obviously very well versed in the the contemporary documentation of the time. From the synopsis I had thought more original letters and diaries would be quoted whereas in fact they are more of simply referred to or described. I didn't feel that Conquistadores actually challenged my perceptions of the conquistadores though. I expected …
I was drawn to read Fernando Cervantes new history of the early Spanish conquistadores because, other than Moctezuma, Christopher Columbus and Hernan Cortes, I knew very little about the leading men involved in this period of central American history. It turns out that I didn't know much about the three I could already name either! Cervantes details the years from just prior to Columbus' famous first voyage in 1492 through the reign of Emperor Charles V. I liked that he tried to explain how the political and religious motivations determined actions on both sides and he is obviously very well versed in the the contemporary documentation of the time. From the synopsis I had thought more original letters and diaries would be quoted whereas in fact they are more of simply referred to or described. I didn't feel that Conquistadores actually challenged my perceptions of the conquistadores though. I expected some ground-breaking insights, whereas what I actually felt I read was almost, at times, an apology for their behaviour. That the Spanish expeditions were driven in seemingly pretty equal parts by blind faith and greed isn't exactly news and sums up most imperial expansions throughout human history! What most disappointed me about this book though is how dryly Cervantes renders such a potentially fascinating an exciting period of history. As I found with the biography Francis I by Leonie Frieda, an examination of the French king's life through roughly the same period, I need more to engage with history than just lists of names engaging in endless battles. There are moments in Conquistadores where suddenly a person or scene sprang vividly to life for me, but unfortunately these were few and far between so, while this book is undoubtedly brilliantly researched and very informative, I found it a real slog to actually read.