Fall of Tenochtitlan

Lore & Background

He had been sent by Governor Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar of Cuba, though Velázquez revoked his mandate before departure. Cortés persisted, creating a local government at Veracruz and having himself elected magistrate, theoretically responsible only to the King of Spain. He encountered polities resentful of Aztec rule, including the Totonac and Tlaxcalan, and after battles and negotiations secured Tlaxcalan allies. La Malinche translated from Nahuatl to Chontal Maya, and Gerónimo de Aguilar from Chontal Maya to Spanish. Miscommunications occurred, as La Malinche's primary objectives were to avoid war and obtain gold.

Reader's Guide

The fall of Tenochtitlan marked a critical stage in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The siege directly caused the collapse of the Aztec civilization, followed by widespread sacking and violence. The indigenous population was devastated by a smallpox epidemic, which killed much of its leadership; the Spanish, having acquired immunity from centuries of endemic smallpox in Spain, were affected relatively little. Cortés's coalition relied heavily on thousands of indigenous allies, especially Tlaxcaltec warriors. The event demonstrated how European diseases, military technology, and local political divisions combined to enable conquest. The capture of Moctezuma and subsequent tensions led to the eventual destruction of the city. The conquest reshaped the region's political and demographic landscape, establishing Spanish colonial rule.

Did You Know?

• Cortés was aided by La Malinche, his interpreter and companion, and by thousands of indigenous allies, especially Tlaxcaltec warriors.
• A smallpox epidemic devastated the indigenous population, killing much of its leadership, while the Spanish were relatively unaffected due to acquired immunity.
• Moctezuma sent emissaries bearing golden jewellery and the symbolic headdress of Quetzalcoatl to Cortés.