The first complete account of the conquest of the Itzas to appear since
1701, this book details the layers of political intrigue and action that
characterized every aspect of the conquest and its aftermath. The author
critically reexamines the extensive documentation left by the Spaniards,
presenting much new information on Maya political and social
organization and Spanish military and diplomatic strategy. This is not
only one of the most detailed studies of any Spanish conquest in the
Americas but also one of the most comprehensive reconstructions of an
independent Maya kingdom in the history of Maya studies. In presenting
the story of the Itzas, the author also reveals much about neighboring
lowland Maya groups with whom the Itzas interacted, often violently.