Chronicle of the Narvaez Expedition

Coming across other Spanish conquistadores ended Cabeza de Vaca’s long and extensive peregrinations through the American Southwest and northern Mexico. However, his missionary work continued, and he became a mediator and diplomat between the Spanish and Indigenous peoples. Unfortunately, the promises of peace between the two groups proved fragile, as many Europeans saw the Indigenous people as just another resource to be exploited in the Americas. We see hints of this in Cabeza de Vaca’s chronicle when a Spanish enslaver promises that he will make no further raids, UNLESS the governor of the viceroy “ordained something better adapted to the service of God and of His Majesty” (101)—making it clear from the start that his promise could easily be rescinded.

Cabeza de Vaca spends the last chapters repeating over and over the need for peaceful and honest dealings with the Indigenous people. He even directly admonishes the king of Spain to do just that, “because it will not be at all difficult” (102). As a part of Cabeza de Vaca’s diplomatic entreaties for humane treatment, he notes that “nowhere did we come upon either sacrifices or idolatry” (102). The barbarity of human sacrifice and ritualized cannibalism came as a shock to European explorers and provided arguments for conquerors to subjugate Indigenous people; therefore, Cabeza de Vaca makes certain to mention that he never witnessed such rites in support of his argument. His testimony here is plausible, though the Karankawa were later recorded to have participated in human sacrifice and cannibalism of defeated enemies, and Cabeza de Vaca lived among subgroups of the larger Karankawa people, like the Capoques and Deaguanes. The term “idolatry” is intended to speak specifically to his Christian readers, characterizing Indigenous people as faithful in a way that would appeal to European sensibilities, reinforcing Cabeza de Vaca’s argument that the Indigenous people he came across were peace-loving and eager to become Christians to become subjects to the Spanish crown.

Spanish colonial expansion from Mexico City into the American Southwest proceeded slowly. After Cabeza de Vaca left for Spain in 1539, a small expedition was launched into northern Mexico by Friar Marcos de Niza, in search of the “Seven Cities of Cibola” (fabled cities of gold), with Estevanico as guide. Estevanico did not return. Soon after, Vázquez de Coronado led his famous expedition into northern Mexico and the American Southwest. This expedition nullified Cabeza de Vaca’s request for peaceful engagement with Indigenous people, as it was founded on military conquest. In fact, Spain would only establish missions in Texas nearly 100 years after Cabeza de Vaca’s death in 1557.

Cabeza de Vaca’s course back to Spain reveals an interesting aspect of European history. The kingdoms of France and Spain had been at war with one another off and on for the last several decades. One cause of the disputes was Italy, in which both kingdoms had an interest. Since circumstances in Europe during the colonial era affected events in the Americas. For example, fighting between European kingdoms often transferred to their American colonies, in turn affecting the lives of the Indigenous people.