home.[1] To the daughters of Montezuma, whom Cortés had taken under his care at Mexico, were confirmed the estates given them by him on their marriage,[2] to the great delight of the natives, who regarded this act as a favor to the whole people. The services of the Tlascaltecs were further remembered by exempting them from being given in encomienda even to the crown.[3]
Shortly after receiving the title of marquis, Cortés was formally united to the woman already bound to him by his father,[4] the beautiful and spirited Juana Ramirez de Arellano y Zúñiga, daughter of the second conde de Aguilar, and niece of the duque de Béjar,[5] a connection which admitted him to the intimate circles of the highest society in Spain. Brilliant as the marriage must be regarded for Cortés, it does not appear to have been looked upon as a condescension on the part of the bride, for the groom ranked as one of the most famous generals of the age, the rumored possessor of untold wealth and unlimited resources, and withal a gentleman by birth, whose credit for services rendered and opportunities to render more, promised for him even greater honors and grants than he had received. All this was tempting even to the foremost of Spain's grandees, among whom wealth was not over-abundant, and the uncle the duke is said to have been quite eager for the match. Many of the grandees dated their boasted titles but
- ↑ The dress is described in a special decree to that effect, in Ternaux-Compans, Voy., série 11. tom. v. 88.
- ↑ So far one or two out of four had married it appears. Cortés' successor took away the grants, and these were now restored, chiefly as a matter of policy.
- ↑ Herrera, loc. cit.
- ↑ Béjar 'trato con mucho calor de casar le. Y assi le caso con doña Iuana . . . por los poderes que tuuo Martin Cortes.' Gomara, Hist. Mex., 284.
- ↑ The father was Cárlos Ramirez de Arellano, the mother, Juana de Zúniga, daughter of Conde de Bañares, first-born of Álvaro de Zúñiga, first duke of Béjar. Both families came of royal blood. The title of Conde Aguilar de Inestrillas was created in 1476, in favor of Arellano, first gentleman of the bedchamber. The title of the duke de Béjar was created in 1485. Siculo, Cosas Mem., 24-5; Clavigero, Storia Mess., iii. 236; Alaman, Disert., ii. 123. 'Hermana del Conde de Aguilar,' says Herrera, dec. iv. lib. iv. cap. i., from which it would appear that the father had already died.
