Picking up right after the dramatic and tense first volume, Historia de la Conquista de Mexico, Volume 2 plunges us into the consequences of Cortés's bold, reckless move. The Spanish are no longer guests in the magnificent city of Tenochtitlan; they are prisoners in a gilded cage. The atmosphere has turned from wary hospitality to seething hostility.

The Story

This volume covers the most critical and desperate phase of the conquest. The fragile peace shatters after Pedro de Alvarado's massacre during a sacred Aztec festival. The Spanish, with the captured emperor Moctezuma as their fading shield, are besieged in their palace compound. Moctezuma is killed (Solís gives the Spanish perspective on this), and all-out war erupts in the city's canals and streets. The core of the book is the legendary 'La Noche Triste' (The Night of Sorrows), the Spaniards' frantic, bloody retreat from Tenochtitlan. Solís spares no detail in describing the chaos—men weighed down by gold drowning in the lake, allies turning on them, and the staggering losses. But it's not the end. The book follows the battered survivors as they regroup, forge a crucial alliance with the Tlaxcalans, and begin their methodical, brutal campaign to isolate and strangle the Aztec capital, setting the stage for the final siege in Volume 3.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this 17th-century history so readable is Solís's skill as a storyteller. He builds incredible tension. You can almost hear the war cries echoing off the stone temples and feel the slickness of the causeway underfoot. While it's absolutely a history written from the Spanish crown's point of view (Cortés is very much the heroic protagonist here), the sheer drama transcends the bias. You're reading the foundational account that shaped the Western world's understanding of these events for centuries. It forces you to grapple with the audacity, the brutality, and the sheer improbability of it all. This isn't a neutral documentary; it's a primary source that crackles with the energy and perspective of its time.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for readers who love epic, character-driven nonfiction that feels like a novel. If you enjoyed the narrative sweep of books like Killers of the Flower Moon or The Indifferent Stars Above, you'll appreciate Solís's approach. It's also essential for anyone wanting to understand the original Spanish narrative of the conquest, before modern reinterpretations. Be prepared for a partisan view, but also for a story of survival and strategy that is utterly compelling. Just be sure to start with Volume 1 to get the full, breathtaking scope of the disaster and comeback detailed here.