Memories of Conquest

“A welcome addition to the classroom and to the field. [Memories of Conquest] significantly advances our understanding of New Conquest history.”—The Americas

“An impressive scholarly study.”—Journal of Historical Geography

“Skillful. . . . Reinforces our understanding of the Spanish practice of forming alliances with native groups for the purpose of conquest.”—The Historian

“A unique perspective on the history of the conquest of Guatemala, and as such is a welcome addition to the colonial history of Latin America. Highly recommended.”—CHOICE

“This fine-grained study of a Mexican indigenous immigrant community in Guatemala breaks new ground. Ranging widely over central Mexico and Oaxaca, history and anthropology, Laura Matthew deftly shows how Mexicano identity in colonial Guatemala was shaped both by the Mesoamerican past and by European colonization. This is a work of prodigious scholarship that challenges the longstanding — and problematic — dichotomies of conquerors versus conquered and pre-Hispanic versus colonial eras. Matthew’s portrayal of the self-ascribed Indian conquistadors exposes the shortcomings of the Eurocentric 'conquest paradigm' and points the way to an alternative Mesoamerican-centered timeline. This original and provocative book will be a touchstone for understanding colonial Mesoamerica for a long time to come.”—John K. Chance, professor emeritus of anthropology, Arizona State University

“Built upon her impressive expertise in the field, and supported by an original and thorough analysis of archival documents, Laura Matthew’s book makes significant contributions to our understanding of the Spanish Conquest, the colonial histories of Mexico and Guatemala, and the nature of the Guatemalan nation.”—Matthew Restall, author of The Black Middle: Africans, Mayas, and Spaniards in Colonial Yucatan