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The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire was one of the most significant events in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. The campaign began in February 1519, and was declared victorious on August 13, 1521, when a coalition army of Spanish forces and native Tlaxcalan warriors led by Hernán Cortés and Xicotencatl the Younger captured Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire. Moctezuma was convinced that Cortés was a god, as the Spanish brought horses and guns, which the Aztecs had never seen before. During the campaign, Cortés was offered support from a number of tributaries and rivals of the Aztecs, including the Totonacs, and the Tlaxcaltecas. In their advance, the allies were tricked and ambushed several times by the peoples they encountered. After eight months of battles and negotiations, which overcame the diplomatic resistance of the Aztec Emperor.
On 8 November 1519 after the fall of Cholula, Cortés and his forces arrived at the outskirts of Tenochtitlan, the island capital of the Mexica-Aztecs. It is believed that the city was one of the largest in the world at that time Of all the cities in Europe, only Constantinople was larger than Tenochtitlan. The most common estimates put the population at around 60,000 to over 300,000 people. The largest city in Spain, for example was Seville, which had a population of only 30,000.
When Cortés returned to Tenochtitlan in late May, he found that Alvarado and his men had attacked and killed many of the Aztec nobility (see The Massacre in the Main Temple) during a religious festival. Alvarado's explanation to Cortés was that the Spaniards had learned that the Aztecs planned to attack the Spanish garrison in the city once the festival was complete, so he had launched a preemptive attack. Considerable doubt has been cast by different commentators on this explanation, which may have been self-serving rationalization on the part of Alvarado, who may have attacked out of fear (or greed) where no immediate threat existed. In any event, the population of the city rose en masse after the Spanish attack. Fierce fighting ensued, and the Aztec troops besieged the palace housing the Spaniards and Moctezuma. At one point, Moctezuma was able to arrange something of a truce, but sporatic fighting was continuing when Cortés and his new army returned from the coast.
While the Flower Wars had started as a mutual agreement, the Tlaxcala and the Aztecs had now become entangled in a true war, a battle to the end. The Aztecs had conquered almost all the territories around Tlaxcala, closing off all commerce with them. The Tlaxcalteca knew that the Aztecs would try to conquer Tlaxcala itself. Therefore, most of the Tlaxcalan leaders were receptive when Cortés, once his men had the chance to recuperate, proposed an joint campaign to conquer Tenochtitlan. Xicotencatl the Younger, however, opposed the idea, and instead connived with the Aztec ambassadors in an attempt to form a new alliance with the Mexicas, since the Tlaxcalans and the Aztecs shared the same language and religion.
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How did Napoleon's conquest of Spanish colonies in the Americas?
He didn't have a conquest in North America.
What did the Spanish conquest of the new world result in?
The biggest "result" of Spanish Conquest in the America's was the formation, for the first time, of "International Law." The Spanish Conquest was found to violate international law, and the first formations of these laws was discussed by the "School of Salamanca."
How did the Spanish conquest effect the people and the land of Aztecs?
This is easy. When the Spanish came to America in conquest, everything was peaceful until the Aztecs started to get diseases that they were immune yo and they realized that the conquestadors came to CONQUEST, not to make peace. Hope this helps.
When did Alexander the great start his conquest?
His first conquest began in the spring of 335 BC.
What was the Inca population decline at spanish conquest?
ALABAMA27 LSU21
Where did the Spanish conquest start?
I believe that it started in Central America -- Granada, Nicaragua (95% positive)
When did Spanish conquest of Yucatán happen?
Spanish conquest of Yucatán happened in 1546.
When did Spanish conquest of Sardinia happen?
Spanish conquest of Sardinia happened in 1717.
When was Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest created?
Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest was created in 2003.
What was the incas language after the Spanish conquest?
spanish
How many pages does Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest have?
Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest has 218 pages.
What is a Spanish conquest?
victory
How would you compare the conquest of the Americas by the Spanish to the conquests of other rulers in Europe and Asia?
spanish conquest brought diseases
What is the ISBN of Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest?
The ISBN of Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest is 0-19-516077-0.
How did Napoleon's conquest of Spanish colonies in the Americas?
He didn't have a conquest in North America.
What did the Spanish conquest of the new world result in?
The biggest "result" of Spanish Conquest in the America's was the formation, for the first time, of "International Law." The Spanish Conquest was found to violate international law, and the first formations of these laws was discussed by the "School of Salamanca."
What Spanish conquistador led the conquest of the Aztec?
Hernán Cortés led the conquest of the Aztec.
