The FBI returns a missing document from the 16th century signed by Conquistador Cortés in Mexico
A 16th century stolen manuscript signed by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés was found and returned to the Mexican government, the FBI announced on Thursday.
The rare article offers an overview of the Government of New Spain, which grew up to cover a large extent of land from the modern state of Washington in Louisiana and Central America.
Signed by Cortez on February 20, 1527, the document details the Pesos d’Or payments for expenses, said the FBI.
Special Agent Jessica Dittmer, with the FBI Art Crime team, said in a press release that the document “gives a lot of flavor regarding the planning and preparation of an unusual territory at the time”.
“Parts like this are considered to be protected cultural properties and represent precious moments in the history of Mexico, so it is something that Mexicans have in their archives in order to better understand history,” she said.
The FBI said that the missing document was probably stolen between 1985 and October 1993, due to a wax numbering system used by Mexican archivists.
There will be no criminal accusation linked to the case, said Dittmer, because the document had “changed hands several times” since it has disappeared.
When Cortés signed these papers, he was governor of New Spain, an experienced and rich colonist who had spread Spanish control – and a lot of violence – in the Caribbean and in continental America.
The same year saw the formation of the High Court of Spain, or Audiencia, and other royal and religious institutions which would play a role in the government of Mexico until the war of independence in 1810.
Cortés is however more famous for exploring and colonizing the Mayan kingdom in 1519 – ignoring the orders to withdraw from Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, Governor of Cuba – and shortly after having conquered the Aztecs and their emperor, Moctezuma.
The city of Tenochtitlan was taken and renamed Mexico in 1521, its temples overturned and replaced with churches.
In 1506, he participated in the conquests of Hispaniola (Modern Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba, granting him a large domain and some Aboriginal slaves from Taino.
This is the second corted document that the FBI repatriated to Mexico: in July 2023, a letter from the conquistador authorizing the purchase of sugar was found and returned.
“We know how important it is for the United States to keep one step ahead, to support our foreign partners and to try to have an impact on the trafficking of these artistic works and antiques,” said Bezdikian, the special FBI supervision agent, who supervises the FBI-NYPD Major Theft Task Force.
But the search for several other missing pages from the same collection continues. The FBI calls on anyone with information to manifest and contact nyartcrime@fbi.gov or submit a tip at 1-800-Call-Fbi (1-800-225-5324) or by visiting advice.fbi.gov.
