Dr. Teofilo F. Ruiz, University of California, Los Angeles

Website: http://www.history.ucla.edu/people/faculty?lid=869

Dr. Ruiz, who interestingly enough grew up in Cuba across the street from Ernest Hemmingway, presented on the historical background in medieval Spain which set the tone for the arrival of settlers and conquerors in the "new world." Here are a few highlights of the points Dr. Ruiz made:

• Castile, during the period leading up to and after 1492, was a "monolithic religious society." The key events during this period were the conquest of Grenada, the expulsion/conversion of Jews, and the so called "discovery" of the "new world".
  
• "Columbus was crazy!" He was obsessed with prophecy and his own role in it. Also, no one with knowledge of the ocean at Columbus's time believed the Earth was flat.
  
• The conflict between the Spanish and Aztecs was the result of a mutual misunderstanding.
  
• Many Spanish conquerors wanted to conceive of the Natives as other than human to assuage guilt at conquering them. However, the prevailing idea was that the Spaniards conceived of the Natives as humans without advanced civilization, thereby giving a mandate to the Spaniards to civilize them. (Prof. Ruiz compared this to similar actions in the 19th century and even contemporary events like the attempt to bring democracy to Iraq).
  
• There is no way that Tenochtitlan was conquered by the Spaniards. Instead, the Spanish counted on large numbers of Native allies.
  
• The name Mexico (and New Mexico) comes from the term that the Aztecs called themselves (Mēxihcah). Also, the Aztecs originated from what is now the Southwestern United States.
  
• This violent encounter was also a place of creation for a combination of cultures, as in Acoma, where both Native culture and Spanish culture combined to form something that is both new and vibrant.

Labels: 2008 Spring Lecture Series: Medieval New Mexico, Campus

This week, we will be making blog posts about each of the presentations at the conference "Medieval New Mexico: A Celebration of Tradition and Cultural Interaction in the Land of Enchantment." We will be listing the titles of the presentations, the speakers, and a brief summary of the content in order to encourage discussion on the blog.

Labels: 2008 Spring Lecture Series: Medieval New Mexico, Campus Events

Today marks the beginning of UNM’s Institute for Medieval Studies’ 2008 Spring Lecture Series. This year’s theme is “Medieval New Mexico: A Celebration of Tradition and Cultural Interaction in the Land of Enchantment.” The lectures have been held annually as a public service since 1989. This year the speakers are from the University of California, Los Angeles; Brown University; and the University of New Mexico, as well as from the local Indian Pueblo Center. Also featured are esteemed scholars who have formerly held the positions of New Mexico State Historian and Director of the National Hispanic Cultural Center.

All the lectures will be held in Woodward Hall, Room 101; Monday night there will be only one lecture, held at 7:15 PM, but Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, there will be two lectures, one at 5:15 and one at 7:15 PM.

Tonight’s opening lecture will be given by Dr. Teofilo F. Ruiz of UCLA and is titled: “The Old World and the New: Sites of Encounters and Cultural Production.”

Keep an eye on our weblog for posts about the different lectures later this week.

Link to 2008 SLS Program Schedule.

Link to UNM Campus Map.

Link to Past Lecture Series’ Programs.

Link to 2006 Lecture Series available for viewing online. The Lecture Series was videotaped and archived, and can be accessed freely online by the public. Its theme was “Medieval Innovations: How the Middle Ages Changed Western Culture,” and featured lectures by the following scholars Michelle P. Brown, Virginia Chieffo Raguin, C. Stephen Jaeger, Michael T. Davis, and John H. Van Engen.

Labels: 2008 Spring Lecture Series: Medieval New Mexico, Campus Events

MEGSE is pleased to annouce that, barring unforseen circumstance, our website will launch this Monday. In the meantime, feel free to have a look around the site!

Labels: Announcements, Site Updates