Just finished a fascinating book You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrique, fiction about Cortés and his group being invited to the palace by Moctezuma, and ending with the Aztecs succumbing primarily due to disease. I always thought it was the combined forces of Cortés with another Mexica group who Moctezuma had overpowered. But disease also plays a part in the non-fiction work I read a while back, Apocalypse-How Catastrophe Transformed Our World, and of course, disease is included in that synopsis. I am seeing more about DNA testing on bones, teeth (that surprised me in convo today) and how the lives of everyone, not just monarchs, are being dissected, so interesting.
Very interesting conversation. Looking forward to hearing, in time, how epidemics affected society after the invasion.
Thanks Jeanine! Yes, one of many fascinating aspects of this project - will be following up on it for sure!
Just finished a fascinating book You Dreamed of Empires by Álvaro Enrique, fiction about Cortés and his group being invited to the palace by Moctezuma, and ending with the Aztecs succumbing primarily due to disease. I always thought it was the combined forces of Cortés with another Mexica group who Moctezuma had overpowered. But disease also plays a part in the non-fiction work I read a while back, Apocalypse-How Catastrophe Transformed Our World, and of course, disease is included in that synopsis. I am seeing more about DNA testing on bones, teeth (that surprised me in convo today) and how the lives of everyone, not just monarchs, are being dissected, so interesting.