Title: The Conquest of the Aztec Empire
Headings: The Conquest of the Aztec Empire
The Conquest of the Aztec Empire
The Aztec Empire in 1519
The Arrival of Cortes
Cortes Marches Inland
The Cholula Massacre
Entry Into Tenochtitlan and Capture of Montezuma
The Night of Sorrows
The Siege of Tenochtitlan
Aftermath of the Conquest of the Aztec Empire
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Content: The Conquest of the Aztec Empire
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The Conquest of the Aztec Empire
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By
Christopher Minster
Professor of History and Literature
Ph.D., Spanish, Ohio State University
M.A., Spanish, University of Montana
B.A., Spanish, Penn State University
Christopher Minster, Ph.D., is a professor at the ​Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador. He is a former head writer at VIVA Travel Guides. our editorial process
Christopher Minster
Updated October 27, 2019
From 1518-1521, Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes and his army brought down the mighty Aztec Empire, the greatest the New World had ever seen. He did it through a combination of luck, courage, political savvy and advanced tactics and weapons. By bringing the Aztec Empire under the rule of Spain, he set events in motion which would result in the modern-day nation of Mexico. The Aztec Empire in 1519
In 1519, when the Spanish first made official contact with the Empire, the Aztecs ruled most of present-day Mexico either directly or indirectly. About one hundred years before, three powerful city-states in central Mexico — Tenochtitlan, Tlacopan and Tacuba — united to form the Triple Alliance, which soon rose to pre-eminence. All three cultures were located on the shores and islands of Lake Texcoco. Through alliances, wars, intimidation, and trade, the Aztecs came to dominate most of the other Mesoamerican city-states by 1519 and collected tribute from them. The pre-eminent partner in the Triple Alliance was the Mexica city of Tenochtitlan.