A popular misconception is that the Spanish conquest of the Americas was one of ease and expediency, made possible by technological superiority. However, as the authors state on page 104, \u201csecuring Spanish rule in the Americas was a protracted process, one exacerbated by indigenous resistance and Spanish rivalries.\u201d Indeed, the impediment of internal Spanish conflict (Egerton, 86), the tug of war that was the Fall of Tenochtitlan (Egerton, 100), and the difficulty of subduing the Incans (Egerton, 104) all provided a significant hindrance to the establishment of New Spain.<\/p>\n
As Columbus was consolidating his rule over the Isle of Hispaniola, he weathered frequent challenges to his authority by dissatisfied mutineers and classist dissenters who frowned upon his lowly birth status (Egerton, 86). Some rebels even made the voyage back to the Spanish royal court to voice their grievances (Egerton, 86). Ultimately, Columbus was relieved from being chief administrator and replaced by a more competent bureaucrat: Nicolas de Ovando (Egerton, 87). Further on, in 1519, we learn true nature of Hernan Cortes’s historic visit to Tenochtitlan. He came not as a royally sanctioned conqueror, but rather, as a treasonous outlaw (Egerton, 99). After fending off a challenge from Panfilo de Narvaez (who was sent to arrest him), Cortes mounted an offensive against the Aztec rulers of Tenochtitlan (Egerton, 99). In the ensuing battle, a contingent of outnumbered contingent of Spaniards was forced into full retreat by an angered swarm of Mexicas (Egerton, 99). Technological superiority clearly granted only a modest advantage in warfare (Egerton, 100). Just as the Aztecs, the Incans also forced the Spaniards into a bitter stalemate. Initially, the Spanish in Peru remained on the periphery of the Incan Empire, divided by infighting between pizzarista<\/em> and amalgrista<\/em> factions (Egerton, 103). 40 years elapsed before the Spaniards could finally assert control over the remnants of the Incan Empire (Egerton, 103).<\/p>\n This chapter refutes a long-standing narrative that the Spanish conquest of the Americas was cohesive, relatively straightforward, and overwhelming. However, upon closer inspection, we see inner power struggles and stiff indigenous resistance greatly hamper Spanish ambitions.<\/p>\n