The Spanish Conquest of the Aztecs

Without the tale of Hernan Cortes and Montezuma relationship the story of Spain’s assault on Mexico would not be complete.

Montezuma, a proud and glorious king of the Aztec people; and Hernan Cortes, a devious and resourceful man trying to prove himself to his country. Their relationship controlled the fate of an entire people and culture. When they first met Montezuma personally addressed Cortés with flowers from his own garden, giving him highest honor he could give; yet Cortés didn’t understand the significance of the gesture.[i] It is thought that Cortés’ arrival coincided with an Aztec prophecy about a white-skinned god arriving from the east[ii], which explains why Montezuma and the Aztec people welcomed Cortés and gave him such lavish gifts. Montezuma welcomed the Spanish into their home not knowing that they’re plan was to seize the large amounts of gold the Aztecs possessed, and spread they’re diseases (such as small pox) which would kill all but 25% of the Aztec people.

When Cortes arrived he pretended to be a courteous guest due to the sheer size of Tenochtitlan. Tenochtitlan was an urban island settlement that housed 200,000 Aztec inhabitants at its height.[iii] It was one of the largest cities in the world at the time of the Spanish conquest. So there is no doubt that Cortes was in awe of the city along with a fear that he only had 600 men to take the city along with the natives he had coursed. After the official greeting between Cortes and Montezuma, Montezuma had the palace of his father Axayacatl prepared to house Cortes and his troops along with his 3000 native allies.[iv] Cortés later then asked Montezuma to provide them with more gifts of gold to demonstrate his fealty as a vassal of Charles the fifth; Montezuma agreed. Then Cortes demanded that the two large idols be removed from the main temple in the city, the human blood be scrubbed off, along with the shrines to the Virgin Mary and St. Christopher be set up in their place.[v] Montezuma continued to meet all his demands.

The people one the other hand were not ok with the Spanish any longer. Since they were paying the price, by being taxed heavily to pay for the gold that Montezuma gave the Spanish.[vi] Along with the destruction and disrespect of their holy places from the Spanish. Cortés fearing revolt from the people seized Montezuma in his own palace and made him his prisoner as insurance against Aztec revolt.[vii] He later demanded an enormous ransom of gold, which was duly delivered. Knowing that their leader was in chains and being required to feed not just a band of Spaniards but thousands of their Tlaxcalteca allies, the populace of Tenochtitlan continued to feel a strain weighing upon them.[viii] Which eventually caused an uprising.[ix]

In April 1520, Velázquez (the man who originally authorized Cortes mission then tried to stop Cortes before he left) sent an expedition to capture Cortés. Cortes was trapped he could not fight the Aztecs and the Spanish at the same time. So Cortés left Tenochtitlan to fight the Spanish expedition, an Aztec revolt later began in Tenochtitlan.[x] Cortés then returned and obliged Montezuma to face the crowd, but the Aztec leader was then struck by a stone and died. Which caused a surge of anger from Aztecs. The Spanish were then driven out of the city, by the angry mobs, incurring heavy losses. Cortés then re-organized his forces and in 1521 returned to Tenochtitlan, which fell after a three-month siege.[xi] A new settlement, Mexico City, was built on the ruins and settled with Spanish colonists, becoming the center of Spanish America.[xii] Cortés secured control over Mexico, inflicting great cruelty on the Aztecs population.

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[i] Mark, Richard L. Cortes. New York: New York, 1993.

[ii] Mark, Richard L. Cortes. New York: New York, 1993.

[iii] Turid Tangen, “The Conquest of the Aztecs” Then Again. http://www.thenagain.info/webchron/americas/cortes.cp.htm

[iv] Thomas, Hugh. Conquest. New York: New York, 1993.

[v] Thomas, Hugh. Conquest. New York: New York, 1993.

[vi] Mark, Richard L. Cortes. New York: New York, 1993.

[vii] Thomas, Hugh. Conquest. New York: New York, 1993.

[viii] Gibson, Charles. The Aztecs under Spanish rule. California, Stanford, 1964.

[ix] Mark, Richard L. Cortes. New York: New York, 1993.

[x] Gibson, Charles. The Aztecs under Spanish rule. California, Stanford, 1964.

[xi] Gibson, Charles. The Aztecs under Spanish rule. California, Stanford, 1964.

[xii] Benson, Elizabeth P. The Maya World. California: Los Angela’s, 1834.