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A crucifix sits high above Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz where the face of Christ seems to be looking down as if averting his eyes from the native settlement of the Tlaxcala altepetl known as Quiahuiztlan on the far hillside. The peaceful vista belies the tumultuous history that unfolded here, where European Christianity confronted indigenous belief systems and the Spaniards' thirst for gold changed the course of history. In this very bay in 1519, Cortés made the fateful decision to scuttle his ships, eliminating any possibility of retreat for his men and irrevocably setting in motion a conquest that would topple an empire of millions with fewer than 500 Spanish soldiers and their indigenous allies.
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Jonathan Kingston
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Expedition: Lost Ships of Cortés - The Sunken Fleet That Changed Two Worlds
A crucifix sits high above Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz where the face of Christ seems to be looking down as if averting his eyes from the native settlement of the Tlaxcala altepetl known as Quiahuiztlan on the far hillside. The peaceful vista belies the tumultuous history that unfolded here, where European Christianity confronted indigenous belief systems and the Spaniards' thirst for gold changed the course of history. In this very bay in 1519, Cortés made the fateful decision to scuttle his ships, eliminating any possibility of retreat for his men and irrevocably setting in motion a conquest that would topple an empire of millions with fewer than 500 Spanish soldiers and their indigenous allies.