Born c. 1501
Possibly in the village of Jaltipan, Isthmus
of Tehuantepec, Mexico
Died c. 1550
Mexico City, Mexico

Translator and interpreter

Malinche (pronounced mah-leen-CHAY; also known as Doña Marina; Malinalli; and Malintzin) was a young woman living as a slave or concubine (mistress; a woman who lives with and has a sexual relationship with a man but is not married to him) among the Mayas (pronounced MY-uhs) in 1519. She suddenly became a major player in the history of Mexico when she was awarded as a "gift" to a group of Spanish conquistadores (Spanish word for "conquerors"). Led by Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), the conquistadores were on a mission to conquer the Aztecs, and they brought Malinche along with them.