This historical adventure novel follows young Roger Hawkshaw, who embarks on a secretive English trading voyage to the New World. After his ship is wrecked in a storm, Roger is the sole survivor, washed ashore on the Mexican coast. The first part of the novel details his immersion into Aztec culture; he uses his wits and European technology to befriend locals and eventually reaches the magnificent capital, Tenochtitlan, providing rich historical detail about pre-Conquest society, customs, and religion.

The narrative shifts with the arrival of Hernán Cortés. To avoid identification as an Englishman, Roger pretends to be a Spanish castaway, and his fluency in the native tongue makes him an invaluable translator for the conquistador. The novel thus presents Cortés's campaign from Roger's unique perspective, offering a nuanced view of the conflict. Henty portrays Cortés as brave and loyal to his men, while not shying away from the horrifying violence of the conquest or the Aztecs' own practice of human sacrifice. It is a classic Henty saga exploring the clash of empires and the personal growth of a young man caught in the middle of world-altering historical events.

Table of Contents:

• By Right of Conquest. Part 1

• By Right of Conquest. Part 2

• By Right of Conquest. Part 3

• By Right of Conquest. Part 4

• By Right of Conquest. Part 5

• By Right of Conquest. Part 6

• By Right of Conquest. Part 7