NATIONAL TREASURE

FBI Recovers Stolen Conquistador Documents From 16th Century Mexico

The document was believed to have been stolen between 1985 and 1993, and passed hands “many times” before its recovery.

The FBI has recovered a stolen 16th-century manuscript signed by Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés and returned it to the Mexican government, the agency announced on Thursday. The document, an expense form signed by Cortés, offers a rare glimpse into life in New Spain, a vast territory controlled by the Spanish Empire which covered Washington State, Louisiana and much of Central America. The document was believed to have been stolen between 1985 and 1993, and passed hands “many times” before its recovery, making it impossible to file criminal charges against the original thief. “Pieces like this are considered protected cultural property and represent valuable moments in Mexico’s history, so this is something that the Mexicans have in their archives for the purpose of understanding history better,” FBI Agent Jessica Dittmer said in a press release, adding that the document “really gives a lot of flavor as to the planning and preparation for unchartered territory back then.” This is the second Cortés-related document recovered by the agency in recent years—a similar letter from the conquistador authorizing the purchase of sugar was found and received by the FBI in July 2023.