Cortés, after reasserting his position and reestablishing…

1532 CE

Cortés, after reasserting his position and reestablishing some sort of order, has retired to his estates at Cuernavaca, about thirty miles (forty-eight kilometers) south of Mexico City.

Here he concentrates on the building of his palace and on Pacific exploration.

The site of the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca was originally a tribute gathering place, first for Tlahuica rulers, then for the Aztecs after they conquered what is now Morelos in the fifteenth century.

After the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, Cortes had the pre-Hispanic building destroyed and a palace for himself built in its place in 1526.

Cortés chose Cuernavaca as one of his residences because of the fertility of the lands surrounding it.

The initial structure was built as a fortress, although it was much smaller than what currently stands.

What is now the central part of the structure, marked by the use of arches on the balconies, corresponds to the original Cortés structure.

This structure was built with thick walls, merlons and other defensive elements, as well as a well-supplied armory with arquebusiers, muskets, cannons and other weapons of the era.

However, most of the building was designed as a residence with its own mill, stables, gardens, ovens and more.

The main body of the palace was built with two galleries on the west side containing four arches in each of its two levels, and living quarters were built on the north and south sides.

The watchtower was added when Cortés was named the Captain General and Governor of New Spain.

As the residence of the conqueror of Mexico and the Marquis of the Valley of Oaxaca, the palace is richly decorated.

Its walls are covered with twenty one tapestries, and its chapel contained crosses and other religious paraphernalia in gold and silver.

Cortés’ need for protection against the newly conquered peoples is real.

During one of his visits to the palace, Cortés was attacked by Tlahuica warriors who wanted to kill him.

The place where this occurred is called the Callejón del Diablo or Devil’s Alley.

The attack is documented, but the legend also states that Cortés reached safety by jumping a five meter wide crevice on his horse named Rucio.

This portion is not supported by the records.

Cortés has brought his second wife, Juana Zúñiga to live at the palace, where she stayed until after Cortés death.

Their son, and Cortés heir Martín is born at this palace.

However, Cortés himself does not spend much time here.

He spends most of his time after the Conquest organizing expeditions, building ships on the Pacific coast, touring his lands as Marquis and introducing crops such as sugar cane with success.

Cortés has three haciendas in the Cuernavaca area, and will eventually spent most of his time in Morelos at one of these, especially Atlacomulco.

As Cortés' residence, the importance of the building reached is at its highest in the 1530s, when Cortés visits it frequently.

The first expansion is done between 1531 and 1535, with Cuernavaca is made the administrative center of Cortés’ domains.