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The Lienzo de Tlaxcala: A Conquered People's Visual Chronicle
Description
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Lienzo de Tlaxcala, a sixteenth-century pictorial manuscript created by the Tlaxcalan allies of Hernán Cortés. Unlike Spanish accounts, this document offers a rare indigenous perspective on the conquest of Mexico, depicting battles, alliances, and the crucial role of Tlaxcalan warriors. The hosts discuss how the Lienzo was commissioned, its unique artistic style blending Mesoamerican and European conventions, and its political purpose: to argue for Tlaxcalan privileges and rewards from the Spanish crown. They also examine specific scenes, from the alliance with Cortés to the siege of Tenochtitlan, and consider the challenges of interpreting an indigenous source that was both a record and a plea for justice. This episode sheds light on how the conquered people actively shaped the narrative of their own history.