Spanish conquistador (1485-1547) who initiated the conquest of the Aztec Empire on behalf of King of Castile and Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, and, in so doing, assumed an instrumental role in first phase of the Spanish colonization of the Americas. Rare manuscript DS, in Spanish, one page, 8.5 x 6.75, August 21, 1527. Just six years after the conquest of Mexico, Cortés authorizes Palacious Rubios, his majordomo, to make a payment of 256 gold pesos to Italian merchant Jeronimo Salmagni. In full (translated): “Palacious Rubios: From the gold pesos in your care, give and pay Messer. Jeronimo two hundred and thirty-six pesos, which are for: one hundred and eighty-nine pesos for the things sent to the South Sea [Pacific Ocean] for trading purposes, and forty-seven pesos for three and a half varas of linen cloth for a cape for the Governor, and for eight varas of satin. All the above sums are for gold pesos at the current rate. And take a receipt of actual payment on the other side of this, my payment order. Done the 20th of August 1527.” The document is signed with the earlier form of Cortés’s signature, “Hernando Cortés.” On July 6, 1529, Charles I of Spain ennobled Cortés and made him the “Marques del Valle de Oaxaca”; from that day forward, Cortés only signed as “El Marques.” The reverse bears Salmangi’s handwritten receipt: “It is true that I, Messer. Jeronimo, received from you, Palacios Rubios, the gold itemized in the payment order. Dated 8 October 1527. Jeronimo Salmangi.” Salmangi, an Italian merchant resident in Mexico, had supplied Cortés’s South Sea Fleet with 189 pesos worth of trade goods for use as barter commodities, together with two lengths of fancy cloth for the explorer’s personal use. The fleet that Cortés sent on the South Sea expedition referred to in this document included the first European ships built and launched on the West Coast of the Americas, making it the first voyage of exploration to originate from that location. The date of the present document falls after the fleet left on its shake-down cruise of July 14, but before it left for its journey on October 31. Of the three ships that set out on the voyage, two were lost at sea, but the third was successful in reaching the Spice Islands in early 1528. Intersecting folds (through signature), paper loss to both lower corners, and scattered light foxing and toning, otherwise fine condition (and remarkably so in light of its age and rarity). Autograph material from Cortés is extremely elusive in any form; only five examples have been offered at auction in the last quarter century. A superb example from a figure whose exploits changed the face of the globe—and, indeed, entire civilizations! Auction LOA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
