Common Factors in the Spanish Conquests of Mexico and Peru

Key similarities between the conquests of the Aztec and Inca empires:

• Superior technology and tactics: Firearms, cannons, organized military strategies.
• Native allies: Alliances with groups hostile to the ruling empires (Tlaxcalans in Mexico; Inca rivals in Peru).
• Internal divisions: Both empires faced political fractures at the time of Spanish arrival.
• Disease: Smallpox and measles decimated indigenous populations.
• Surprise factor: Speed and audacity caught natives off guard.
• Leadership: Cortés and Pizarro were skilled, adaptable commanders.
• Destruction of indigenous civilizations: Both empires fell, leading to Spanish colonial rule.

Differences existed in army sizes, specific tactics, and geography.