500 years ago, two worlds met: utterly alien, unknown, unsuspected to one another. Three men decisively shaped that encounter and its legacy for succeeding generations. In this second of three lectures, Cortes and conquest of the Aztecs are explored.

Conquest was justified in the name of God, impelled in pursuit of glory yet revelled in greed for gold and slaves. Cortes fought Aztecs and Spanish alike, often simultaneously. Superior arms of a few hundred Spanish were critical, but not decisive, against armies of hundreds of thousands. Exploiting Aztec enmity and credulity, Cortes was daring, ruthless, cunning, and cruel. His mistress, Malinche, proved as essential as the spread of mysterious diseases to final victory. Gambling for the highest stakes, he won and then lost everything, only to chance all again and win.
Who was Cortes and how did he succeed against seemingly impossible odds? Famed and wealthy beyond measure, he died disappointed. (This lecture can be taken independently of Dr. Gooch’s other summer lectures.)

Dr. Herbert Gooch is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at California Lutheran University. He formerly served as Director of the Masters in Public Policy and Administration program and Assistant Provost for Graduate Studies at Cal Lutheran. A graduate of U.C. Berkeley in History, he holds a M.B.A in Management and both masters and doctoral degrees in Political Science from U.C.L.A. He has written extensively and is a frequent commentator on political affairs locally and statewide. He has been at Cal Lutheran since 1987 and lives in Newbury Park with his wife. His interests include politics, film and travel.

Fifty and Better was designed to offer university-level courses and lectures (no tests, no homework) taught by experts in the field, and to host social engagement activities for individuals age 50 and older.