Why did the Spanish stress the cruelty and barbarism of Aztec culture?

4 answers

Was it to justify the Spanish cruelty to the Aztecs? Was it to give the priests a reason to convert them to Christianity? Was it to show that the Aztecs deserved to be conquered?
Justification to convert them to Christianity.....is this right?
I think all of the suggestions I made are correct, including converting them to Christianity.
I agree with Ms. Sue