Episode 22: Malintzin/La Malinche: The Complex Life and Legacy of an Indigenous Woman. Slave, Traitor and Symbol.

About this episode

This episode explores the complex life and legacy of Malintzin/La Malinche, an Indigenous woman who played a significant role in the Conquest of the Mexica and her evolving legacy over the centuries.

The story of Malintzin/La Malinche. Her life, role in the Conquest of the Mexica (Aztecs) and her evolving legacy in Mexico and beyond across centuries. Episode Icon: Lámina del Lienzo de Tlaxcala donde se demuestra qué hizo Hernán Cortés, 1581, Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain. Recommended further reading… Lyall, Victoria I. Romo, Terezita (eds.), Traitor, Survivor, Icon, The Legacy of La Malinche , (New Haven and London, 2022). Restall, Matthew, Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest , (Oxford, 2003). Restall, Matthew, When Montezuma Met Cortés, The True Story of the Meeting that Changed History, (New York, 2018). Townsend, Camilla, Fifth Sun, A New History of the Aztecs , (Oxford, 2019). Townsend, Camilla, Malintzin's Choices, An Indian Woman in the Conquest of Mexico (Albuquerque, 2006). Break audio: 'Mother Moon' by Soul Driver from PremiumBeat.com (Purchased with Standard License on the 25/02/2026). Opening and closing theme, 'Classical Orchestral Dvorak Serenade Waltz Strings Music, provided by mrgwertz on https://www.pond5.com (Purchased with license on the 01/06/2024).

Topics covered

• Malintzin
• La Malinche
• Conquest of the Mexica
• Indigenous history
• Mexican legacy

Keywords

• history
• Aztecs
• Hernán Cortés
• colonialism
• feminism

Mentioned in this episode

Products: PremiumBeat, Pond5

Books & works: Malintzin/La Malinche, The Legacy of La Malinche, Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest, When Montezuma Met Cortés, Fifth Sun, A New History of the Aztecs, Mother Moon, Classical Orchestral Dvorak Serenade Waltz Strings Music

Places: Mexico, New Haven, London, New York, Albuquerque

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