Cacalotzin

7 Acatl, 11 Tepeilhuitl

Royal Tecpan of the Huey Tlatoani Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, Tenochtitlan

Cacalotl stood stoically alongside his brothers-in-arms, dressed in the ceremonial version of his cuauhtli armor, including his striking eagle headdress. The Huey Tlatoani’s guards each held a spear in one hand and a bejeweled shield in the other, appearing proudly at the sides of the reigning Lord of the Mexica. The morning sun cast dazzling rays on the entire gathering as they watched the supplicants climb the stairs of Moctezuma Xocoyotzin’s tecpan.

Ascending the final step now was a group of pochteca with several bundles carried by servants who followed them. The Huey Tlatoani, his face expressionless, stood from his reed mat throne. Bowing to the stone floor of the raised plaza, he made a scooping motion along the ground, then raided his cupped hands to his mouth as if to drink from them. The traders reciprocated the greeting.

“Tell me,” boomed Moctezuma’s regal voice, “o noble pochteca, what you have gathered from the ends of the world to bring to this humble lord.”

The leading man of the traders gestured to one of the servants, who brought forth his bundle and opened it carefully along the ground.

“O great and noble Tlatoani of the Mexica-Tenochca, we have brought you fine treasures from Tonatiuh Iquizayanpa. In these eastern lands, we have traveled for several years, gathering what we could for our lord. We hope that this offering pleases you.”

Bundle after bundle spilled out before the Huey Tlatoani, each one containing beautiful jade, intricate scrolls, dazzling featherwork, and other goods of the eastern lands. From the last bundle, however, fell a great heap of metal. Dull gray and brown helmets, breastplates, and swords tumbled onto the plaza. They were all crafted from a metal that looked nothing like the fine silver and gold that adorned the jewelry of the Tlatoani and his warriors, but the sound it made when hitting the stone floor made it clear to all that this was indeed metal. Moctezuma cocked his head, and ordered a servant to bring him a sample. The slave grabbed a metal helmet and presented it to the Tlatoani.

“And what is this?” asked Moctezuma as he grabbed the helmet from the servant. He turned it upright, and out fell a small silver necklace in the shape of a cross.

The trader bowed his head, “It came from-”

“-the Bearded Men.” finished the Tlatoani, holding up the cross to the sun to admire its craftsmanship. “And how did you acquire such pieces?”

“We visited a village that had fought off a raid by the bearded men,” answered the pochteca. “These are the belongings of a man that the locals captured and killed.”

Cacalotl the eagle knight watched as Moctezuma pondered the strange metal objects. He’d traveled around the tribute-paying lands of the Nahuas, and fought in many campaigns, but he’d never seen such armor and weapons. Whispers of the Bearded Men had made their way to Tenochtitlan many years before, but now it was clear that such tales were more than just that.

“Very well,” said the Tlatoani after a long pause, “your lord humbly thanks you and yours for the kind offerings. I will see to it that you shall be rewarded.” He turned to his guards. “Cacalotzin, Tecolotzin, and Tpollitzin, accompany me to my chambers. The rest of you can escort this treasure to my collections.”

Cacalotl bowed to his liege, and joined his two comrades as they followed the Tlatoani to his meditation chambers. When they arrived at the door, they peered in to see nothing but pitch-blackness. Moctezuma stepped in, and they closed the door behind him.

Santo Domingo

Diego Colón’s island colony has continued to face the issue of a declining labor force, but the importation of slaves and the Crown’s issuance of the Laws of Burgos has mitigated the problem somewhat. Now, the worst excesses of the colonists are mostly curbed, and the addition of African slaves has revitalized some struggling encomiendas. Nonetheless, gold returns seem to continue declining…

Cuba

Luckily for Colón, the problems he faces on la Española have not yet arrived on Cuba’s shores. For Diego Velázquez, that famed conquistador, has formally declared victory in his conquest of the island. Sure, a few “rebel” caciques still roam the countryside, but Velázquez has managed to found cities across the southern coast of the island, from la Habana in the west, to Bayamo in the east. The rebels will no doubt cause him headaches in the coming years, but they will surely bow to him or face his now legendary ruthlessness. Meanwhile the colonists have discovered gold in the hills, triggering ever more waves of settlers.

Numerous conquistadores have risen to fame in these past years, and will surely continue gaining accolades. Among them are the Alvarado brothers, led by the charismatic Pedro, and Velázquez’s relatives Juan de Grijalva and Cristóbal de Olid, among many others. That quick-witted notary Hernando Cortés, who has been one of Velázquez’s loyal secretaries in the colony, has been granted an encomienda for his service. Most see him as a nobody, for he’s led no campaigns nor has he participated in many. Perhaps that is how history will remember him…

Santiago

Santiago has been fully established as a colony of Spain under the direct control of Diego Colón as of 1513. However, the governor’s lieutenant on the island, Juan Cerón, has seen difficulty in bringing the caciques in line. Outside of the main settlement of Santiago de la Vega, Spaniards do not venture, for fear of being ambushed by angry Taíno.

Nueva Galicia

The colony of Nueva Galicia has seen a tumultuous couple of years. In 1512, the Governor, Sebastian de Ocampo, shocked the colonists and the Crown by marrying the Queen of the Kikotan, Juaroanscua. She converted to Christianity before the wedding, and bid her people to follow suit. Afterwards, her and Ocampo embarked on a grand Expedition across the lands of Nueva Galicia where caciques swore fealty to Juaroanscua, and in turn, the Spanish Crown. The alliance appeared unbreakable, with the Spanish-Kikotan forces besting every adversary they met, until Ocampo fell ill and died suddenly in 1514. Lucas Vasquez de Ayllón, adelantado of the Christian settlement, managed to fill the power vacuum among the Spaniards, but Juaroanscua left once more to go on Expedition. Now the colonists look warily at their erstwhile native allies, wondering what the coming days will bring.

Castilla del Oro

The colony of Castilla del Oro has prospered under Pedrarias Davila’s guiding hand, and in 1513, he decided that it was time to fulfill the final part of his mission from the Crown. He ordered Francisco de Bobadilla, the famed knight commander, to journey west in search of “Tolla,” a mystical golden city rumored to lie somewhere in that direction. His Expedition was successful at first, charting a large peninsula to the southwest of la Ciudad de Panamá. On the western end of this peninsula, Bobadilla believed he was nearing the city “where the South Sea meets the North Sea again” when disaster struck. After discovering that some porters had escaped with a horse, Bobadilla had ordered the nearest town burned. The night after the conflagration, an ambush overtook the Spanish camp and Bobadilla was slain defending his men. The Spaniards of the colony buried him in la Ciudad de Panamá.

Cartagena

The years 1513 and 1514 are slow for Cartagena de Indias, as Vasco Nuñez de Balboa struggles to promote his colony as a rival to the rich lands of Cuba and Castilla del Oro.

Guajira

In the colony of Guajira, settlement of the Barí lands continues slowly, and Pedro de Heredia sets out to establish a new settlement in the Caquetío lands. He is successful, founding the city of Santa María de la Paraguaná (modern Punto Fijo). However, tensions are now strained with the Caquetío.

Costa de las Perlas

Alonso de Ojeda continues his work of settling la Costa de las Perlas, establishing small towns on several of the pearl-producing islands. He has also managed to create a “pearl fleet” to carry the precious cargo at regular intervals across the Atlantic, so as to better defend against piracy. This is still a private venture, but it is done with the Crown’s interests in mind. Notable among the fleet is an old French lieutenant, who goes by the name Alano. No one’s quite sure where he came from, but he serves Ojeda well.

Grønland

Peter Elíason’s Expedition of 1514 goes very well, meeting all of the goals set forth by him and the Crown. The settlements are established, but it will take some years before the shipments of goods become regular.

Map for 1514 (and voyage version)