Malinche (Dona Marina)

Malinche, also known as Dona Marina, was a Nahua woman who played a crucial role in early Mexican history. She served as a translator, advisor, and intermediary for Hernán Cortés during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century. Fluent in Nahuatl and Mayan, she learned Spanish and facilitated communication between Europeans and indigenous peoples. Her involvement significantly influenced the conquest’s outcome. While seen by some as a traitor, she is also viewed as a complex figure navigating survival and power dynamics during a tumultuous period in Mexico’s history.