The Conquest of Mexico

1519 - 1521
 Potonchan, 1519
A voyage led by Hernán Cortés (which had
departed from Cuba in November of the
previous year) landed near Potonchan, an
indigenous town. The indigenous people of
the area were defeated easily by the
Spanish.

The lord of Potonchan, seeking peace,

gifted the invaders 20 enslaved girls and
women. One of these girls would come to
be called Malinche, and would play a
significant role in the fall of the Aztec
Empire.
MALINCHE
Malinche, originally known as Malinali, had been
sold into slavery by her mother. She would act as
an invaluable interpreter for Cortés, due to her
knowledge of both Nahuatl and a Mayan dialect
which one of Cortés’ men spoke. Eventually, she
learned Spanish and was baptized as “Doña
Marina”.

Beyond literal translation, she helped Cortés

understand the cultural and political context of the
Aztec empire, aiding him in his conquest of the
region.
TLAXCALAN ALLIANCE
After leaving Potonchan, Cortés stopped in Veracruz to found a small
settlement and establish tentative allegiances with some local
communities before heading inland, where they would enter Tlaxcalan
territory.
After some weeks of fighting, the Tlaxcalans (impressed with Spanish
weapons and warfare) made an alliance with the Conquistadors, hoping
to finally be able to overthrow the Mexica/the Aztec Empire, which to
them was an oppressive regime with which they were perpetually at
war.
Tlacalan warriors played a large role in Cortés’ success in the
colonisation of Tenochtitlan.
 Cholula Massacre
Later, in the same year (1519), Cortés and
his allies passed through the holy city of
Cholula, dedicated to the god Quetzalcoatl.
After a fortnight in the city, a plot was
discovered to ambush the Spanish as they
were leaving, which led to Cortés rounding
up all of the Cholulan nobility in a city
square before slaughtering thousands of
them, while they were unarmed.
The Cholula Massacre sent a message to
the Empire itself that the Spanish were
truly ruthless and dangerous.
Spanish Entry into Tenochtitlán
Soon after leaving Cholula, the Spanish entered
Tenochtitlán (the capital of the Aztec Empire).
Tlatoani Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin, also known as
Moctezuma II, treated the Spaniards as honoured
guests, but soon Cortés had essentially arrested
Moctezuma, who put up little opposition to the
restrictions placed on him.
The Aztecs grew increasingly discontent with Spanish
presence in their holy city, restless to rid themselves of
Cortés and his men. This collective Aztec rage would
eventually lead to the “Night of Sorrows” in 1520.
The Battle of Cempoala, 1520
Governor Velasquez of Cuba sent a force
led by Panfilo de Narvaez to rein in
Cortés’ expedition in 1520; the two
Spanish armies clashed on May 28 in the
town of Cempoala, and Narvaez was
completely overwhelmed by Cortés’
forces.
Narvaez was jailed. His supplies and men
were integrated into Cortés’ existing
expedition, strengthening it rather than
establishing Velasquez’s goal.
In Cortés’ absence, Pedro de Alvarado was left in power in Tenochtitlán.
During this time, there were rumours of an Aztec uprising to take place
at the Festival of Toxcatl. As Cortés had done in Cholula, Alvarado
responded to these rumours with a massacre of unarmed citizens,
including various important Mexica leaders, at the festival itself. Of
course, the slaughter prevented an uprising at the time, but only
aggravated the Spanish-Aztec tensions in the city.

By the time Cortés returned to Tenochtitlán, the Aztecs were already

fighting to expel the Spanish. Moctezuma was sent out to plead for
peace and consequently stoned to death by his own people. His brother
Cuitláhuac inherited the position of Aztec leader (but was not yet named
Tlatoani).
 La Noche Triste and the Battle of Otumba
On the night of June 30th, the Spanish attempted
to sneak out of Tenochtitlán, but were discovered
and subsequently attacked by Mexica warriors.
Cortés and most of his captains survived the attack,
but his manpower was significantly diminished,
and most of the treasure collected thus far in the
expedition was lost.
As the Spanish continued to flee, Cuitláhuac sent an army in pursuit, resulting
in the Battle of Otumba. At first, the battle went well for the Aztecs, but
Cortés was able to slay the general Matlatzincatzin, and the Spaniards were
then able to escape.
The Siege of Tenochtitlán, 1521
The Spanish returned to their allies in Texcala to
regroup. They rested, gathered supplies and
reinforcements, and prepared to take
Tenochtitlán. While they rested, an outbreak of
smallpox ravaged the indigenous people of the
continent, claiming thousands of lives, including
that of Tlatoani Cuitláhuac.
In early 1521, the Spanish laid siege to the city,
using brigantines, soldiers (both Spanish and
Tlacalan) and raiding parties to block off the city.
Enough men surrounded Tenochtitlán to prevent
other city states to come to their aid.
 Siege, continued
The superiority of Spanish weaponry, along with
the dwindling numbers of Mexica due to the
smallpox outbreak, made it impossible for the
Aztecs to triumph in battle against the
Conquistadors. For three months, brutal warfare
and the blockade made the people of
Tenochtitlán increasingly desperate. Starvation
and desperation ran rampant in the city.
On August 13th, 1521, the new Tlatoani,
Cuauhtemoc, was captured trying to flee the
city. This signified the end of Aztec resistance,
and the city fell into Spanish hands.
Aftermath
The fall of Tenochtitlán was essentially the fall of the Aztec Empire
itself.

The Spanish established “New Spain” and colonial rule in Central

America. They would impose their language, culture, religion and
practices upon the indigenous peoples who had survived their conquest.

The population of the Aztec Empire is estimated to have fallen from

around 25 million in 1519 to around 2 million by the 1600s.