The conquest of Mexico by Hernán Cortés took place between 1519 and 1521. In the years immediately following, the newly arrived Spanish overlords methodically searched for riches in the rugged terrain and diverse ethnic pockets of their recently acquired domains. Of particular interest to those conquerors were gold, silver, and other exploitable sources of quick wealth and lofty position. Thanks to the Spaniards’ propensity for recordkeeping—the indigenous inhabitants of Mexico were the best …