When was the manuscript stolen?
It is believed to have been stolen between 1985 and 1993.
News / Culture
Nearly five centuries after Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés signed it, the FBI returned a priceless manuscript page to Mexico on August 13, 2025. The document, believed to have been stolen from Mexico’s national archives between 1985 and...
The recovery of the Hernán Cortés manuscript highlights the ongoing efforts to protect and repatriate culturally significant artifacts. The document, signed in 1527, offers insights into the colonial era following Cortés's conquest of the Aztec empire in 1521. Its theft from Mexico's National Archives underscores the challenges in safeguarding historical documents. The FBI's Art Crime Team, along with other agencies, played a crucial role in locating the manuscript in the United States and ensuring its return to Mexico. This event follows a similar repatriation in 2023, when the FBI returned another 16th-century letter from Cortés. These actions demonstrate a commitment to preserving Mexico's cultural heritage and fostering international cooperation in combating art crime.
It is believed to have been stolen between 1985 and 1993.
It is an original document signed by Hernán Cortés and represents a valuable piece of Mexico's history.
The FBI’s Art Crime Team located the document in the United States with help from the New York City Police Department, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the Mexican government.
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