Hernán Cortés: The Spanish Conqueror Who Toppled the Aztec Empire

The Warrior in Question

The Aztec rulers (Moctezuma II, Cuitláhuac, Cuauhtémoc) fought against the forces led by Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), Spanish conquistador.

Campaign Summary

• 1519: Landed Veracruz, burned ships, marched inland.
• Alliances: Tlaxcalans, Totonacs, others enemy to Aztecs.
• Tenochtitlan entry: Nov 1519; Moctezuma seized.
• Noche Triste (1520): Expelled, heavy losses.
• Siege (1521): 93-day blockade, smallpox, aqueduct cut. Cuauhtémoc surrendered Aug 13, 1521.

Why Cortés Succeeded

• Indigenous alliances (200K+ native troops).
• Smallpox (devastated Aztecs, not Spaniards).
• Technology: steel, guns, horses, ships.
• Political exploitation: Aztec tributaries hated them.
• Ruthless adaptability.

Aftermath

Cortés became Captain General of New Spain. Built Mexico City on Tenochtitlan's ruins. Died in Spain, wealthy but politically marginalized.

He remains the archetype of the conquistador—brilliant, brutal, world-changing.