A 16th-century manuscript, once lost and bearing the signature of Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, was discovered and repatriated to Mexico, the FBI announced on Thursday.
This rare document provides insights into the governance of New Spain, which spanned vast regions from what is now Washington State to Louisiana and Central America.
Signed by Cortez on Feb. 20, 1527, the document details payments in pesos of gold for expenses, the FBI said.
Jessica Dittmer, a Special Agent with the FBI’s Art Crime Team, noted in a press release that the manuscript “offers valuable insights into the planning and exploration of uncharted lands at the time.”
“Such artifacts are considered part of protected cultural heritage and hold significant historical value for Mexico, aiding in the deeper understanding of its history,” she emphasized.
The FBI said the missing document was likely stolen between 1985 and October 1993, due to a system of wax numbering used by Mexican archivists.
No criminal charges will be pursued, Dittmer mentioned, as the manuscript had “passed through numerous hands” since its disappearance.
At the time Cortés signed these documents, he was the governor of New Spain, and a powerful colonist known for extending Spanish dominance — often through violence — in the Caribbean and mainland America.
The same year saw the formation of New Spain’s High Court, or Audiencia, and other royal and religious institutions that would play a role in the government of Mexico until the war of independence in 1810.
Cortés is more famous, however, for exploring and colonizing the Mayan kingdom in 1519 — ignoring orders to stand down from Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar, Cuba’s governor — and soon after conquering the Aztecs and their emperor, Moctezuma.
The city of Tenochtitlan was taken and renamed Mexico City in 1521, its temples knocked down and replaced with churches.
In 1506, he took part in the conquests of Hispaniola (modern-day Dominican Republic and Haiti) and Cuba, granting him a large estate and some indigenous Taino slaves.
This is the second Cortés document the FBI has 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 stay ahead of this, to support our foreign partners, and to try and make an impact as it relates to the trafficking of these artistic works and antiquities,” said FBI Supervisory Special Agent Veh Bezdikian, who oversees the FBI-NYPD Major Theft Task Force.
But the search for several other missing pages from the same collection continues. The FBI is appealing for anyone with information to come forward and contact nyartcrime@fbi.gov or submit a tip to 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or by visiting tips.fbi.gov.
