The first relation of Chimalpahin’s Diferentes Historias Originales. Its sources and the author’s intention

Abstract

The First Relation is the introductory part of an extensive work treating the history of the aboriginal population of the Valley of Mexico. It was written by the native author Chimalpahin in his mother tongue, Nahuatl. He fits the indigenous history into the framework of Universal History, an unmistakably European concept of historiography proving that the Indians have and always had a share in God’s plan to redeem mankind. His argumentation is exclusively based on philosophical, theological and historical writings from the Old World ranging from the Bible, works of philosophers of the Classical World, Fathers of the Church as well as mediaeval and Renaissance theologians.