Hernan Cortes and the Conquering of the Aztecs

After the arrival of Spanish in Cuba and the Caribbean, the next objective was to explore the shores of Eastern Mexico. Some contact had been established with some indigenous peoples, but the interior tribes were largely unknown to the Spanish. As a result, the Spanish put together an expedition, led by Hernan Cortes, to enter Mexico near modern-day Veracruz. With rumors of cities of gold and natives to baptize, the Spanish expedition left from Cuba to Mexico and began in 1519.

Cortes and his men landed and quickly made contact with some indigenous peoples. Because some of Cortes' crew was dissatisfied with events early on, Cortes scuttled the ships, thus motivating his men to obey his orders. Cortes and his men had engaged in some limited combat with some outlying tribes of Native Americans, but the Aztec capital remained a large distance away from the shores. As a result, Cortes had the opportunity to forge alliances with tribes such as Tlaxcala clan, who were enemies of the ruling Aztec elite in the capital Tenochtitlan. With his uneasy alliance, Cortes, his men, and allies headed inland to visit, or in other words conquer, the capital of the Aztec empire.

After crossing the mountains, Cortes and his followers entered Cholula, a city allied with the capital Tenochtitlan. After receiving tips from his supporters, Cortes wished to send a message to those who would disobey his authority as a representative of the King of Spain. Cortes and his men killed thousands of people in the Aztec holy city of Cholula prior to entering the capital of Tenochtitlan. This event sent a message to the Aztec Emperor Montezuma II that Cortes would not tolerate disobedience or disrespect and that he and his followers were a force to be taken seriously.

Tenochtitlan was a city that was more architecturally advanced and larger in terms of its population than any other city in Western Europe. This city was a model of human achievement in the world, during the 1500's. Interpretations vary on the exact events, but we do know that Cortes entered the city and was accepted by Montezuma II. Cortes captured Montezuma II and kept him as insurance for safety from an overall Aztec attack. Later, Montezuma II would be killed and Cortes would conquer the city for Catholicism and the King of Spain Charles V.

The conquering of the Aztecs by Cortes and his Spanish forces shaped Mexico for the next 500 years. Today, Mexico is a mixture of Spanish culture with some Native American influence. People in Mexico speak Spanish, are predominantly Catholic, and share many cultural institutions with the Spanish. Because of disease and disunity the Native American influences have less of an impact on modern-day Mexican life today.