Malintzin has gone down in history as responsible for all the misfortunes of her time, her only sin: being a woman. Sadly, she has been the scapegoat of Mexico’s history, where many have unloaded their historical frustrations.
In recent years a term has been used that for Mexicans means to despise the national and exalt the foreign: “malinchismo”. But where does this word come from?
Malinchismo comes from the name Malintzin, which in turn is derived from “malinalli”, which in the Nahuatl language means “herb”, because that was the name of the consort of Hernán Cortés, who was given as a tribute for having won the natives the Battle of Centla, in Tabasco.
Malintzin, with an approximate age of 16 years and to survive a war between Mexicans and Spaniards, had to become the ally that Cortés needed and that is why today on his name lies the worst of the titles, that of traitor. Traitor to his race, his culture, his people (although the Mexica were not his people). History has been responsible for stoning it. However, I believe that Malintzin was not a traitor, because for traitors are those that I will list below
Moctezuma
It was the huey-tlatoani ( revered orator ) that reigned in Tenochtitlan when Hernán Cortés’s army landed on the coasts of present-day Mexico.
Having all the economic and military resources of the empire at his disposal to prevent an invasion, establish alliances or defeat the Spaniards, he chose to welcome the Europeans in his city, which earned him the resentment of his main men and that gave step to the fall of his empire.
Moctezuma did not believe that Cortés was a god and Cortés himself said it
Xicotencatl
It was of the four lords of Tlaxcala, who had a vote in favor of the alliance with the Mexica to end the invading army and, nevertheless, preferred to imprison their own son for being in favor of such an alliance. This was how, together with the other three lords of the kingdom, they opted for alliances with the Spaniards, which, although it was profitable for the nobles of their time, did not benefit their descendants and future generations.
Xicohtencatl, the prince of Tlaxcala who wanted to ally with Tenochtitlan
Coztemexi
It is the name of the informer who warned Hernán Cortés about Cuauhtémoc’s plan to send a message from the jungles of Guatemala to Tenochtitlan to put an end to the Spaniards. If that message had arrived, perhaps the Mexica army would have reorganized, the alliances would have been formed and today we would have a different chapter in the history of Mexico.
The message of Cuauhtemoc that had arrived, Cortés would have been defeated
Ixtolinque
Lord of Coyoacán and loyal servant to the Spaniards, although it was Hernán Cortés who ordered the death of his father and brother. Such was his loyalty and his gratitude for allowing him to remain as governor of Coyoacán, which even saved Cortés’ life in a battle in Quauhnahuac, which you now know as Cuernavaca. He even accepted to be called Juan Guzmán de Ixtolinque.
As you can see, Malintzin has loaded with a title that does not correspond to him and that would go better to the previous four that I told you. They did have enough experience to know what was happening and who betrayed.
Do you think “la Malinche” was traitorous? Wait to meet Ixtolinque
Ixtlilxochitl
Stripped of the throne of Texcoco by Moctezuma, he joined the Spaniards in an act of vengeance and served as a key element that determined the fall of Tenochtitlan, it is even said that he is the true conqueror, because without his tactical help the fall of the Mexica capital would not have been possible.
History mentions little, but the reality is that his knowledge of the city and its surroundings, in addition to the contribution of men of work and soldiers, was a key element that defined the course of history.
Ixtlilxochitl, the true conqueror of Tenochtitlan
Do you notice anything strange in all this? Malintzin has gone down in history as responsible for all the misfortunes of her time, her only sin: being a woman. Sadly, she has been the scapegoat of the history of Mexico, where many have unloaded their historical frustrations, their ignorance and their marked machismo to make it the symbol of the worst defects of a Mexican: betrayal and indifference to the his. For more than 500 years, being a woman is a daily struggle, even against history books.
Source: tuul.tv
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