A Nahua slave who became the interpreter, intelligence chief, and mistress of Cortés. Known to the Spanish as "Doña María", La Malinche became the interpreter, intelligence chief, and mistress of Cortés. Originally a Nahua slave sold to another indigenous group, and later to the Spanish, she maneuvered herself into a position of power and authority with the conquerors. Reviled by most modern Mexicans as a betrayer of her people, La Malinche possibly sought to revenge herself on the Mexica who sold her into captivity. She remains a very enigmatic figure.