Fall of Tenochtitlan
| Fall of Tenochtitlan | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire | |||||||||
 "Conquista de México por Cortés". An Unknown artist, second half of the 17th century. Library of Congress, Washington, DC. | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
|
Spanish Empire (Governorate of Cuba) Confederacy of Tlaxcala Tetzcoco Otomis Chalco Mixquic Iztapalapa[1] | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Hernán Cortés Gonzalo de Sandoval Pedro de Alvarado Cristóbal de Olid Xicotencatl I Xicotencatl II  Chichimecatecuhtli Ixtlilxochitl II |
Cuauhtémoc (POW) Coanacoch (POW) | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
200,000 native allies 900–1,300 Spanish infantry 90–100 cavalry 16 cannons[2] 13 lake brigantines [2] |
80,000 warriors[3] 400 war canoes[4] | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
|
450–860 Spanish[2] 20,000 Tlaxcaltecs |
100,000 killed in action[5] 300 war canoes sunk[4] At least 40,000 Aztecs civilians killed and captured,[6] other sources claim 100,000[7] to 240,000[8][9] were killed in the campaign overall including warriors and civilians | ||||||||
The Fall of Tenochtitlan was the final battle between the Aztec Empire and the Spanish Empire, led by Hernán Cortés. It happened on August 13, 1521, when the Spanish and their many native allies defeated the Aztecs and took control of their capital city, Tenochtitlan. This battle was one of the most important events in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire and marked the beginning of New Spain.
Background
[change | change source]The Aztec Empire was a powerful civilization in central Mexico. It ruled over many smaller tribes and cities. The Aztecs were strong warriors, but their way of ruling was harsh. Many people in their empire did not like them because they had to pay high taxes and provide people for human sacrifice. This made it easier for the Spanish to find allies among the native people.
In 1519, the Spanish explorer and soldier Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico. He and his men wanted gold, land, and power. The Aztec ruler, Moctezuma II, was unsure of what to do. At first, he welcomed the Spanish into Tenochtitlan, but the Spanish wanted to take control.
After some fighting, the Spanish were forced to leave the city in 1520 on a night called La Noche Triste ("The Sad Night"). Many Spanish and their allies died. However, Cortés gathered more soldiers and native allies, including the Tlaxcalans, who were enemies of the Aztecs. With these new forces, he planned to return and attack Tenochtitlan.
Siege of Tenochtitlan
[change | change source]The Spanish and their allies came back in 1521. They surrounded Tenochtitlan, cutting off food and water. The Aztecs, now led by their last emperor, Cuauhtémoc, fought bravely, but they had big problems.
One major problem was smallpox, a deadly disease brought by the Spanish. It spread quickly and killed many Aztecs, including their previous leader. The Spanish also had better weapons, such as steel swords, guns, and cannons, while the Aztecs fought with wooden clubs and stone weapons.
The battle lasted for months. The Spanish and their allies attacked from boats on the lake and destroyed the city’s bridges and causeways. The Aztecs could not get food or fresh water. Over time, they became too weak to fight.
Fall of the city
[change | change source]By August 13, 1521, the Aztecs could no longer resist. The Spanish captured Cuauhtémoc as he tried to escape. The city was in ruins, with thousands of dead Aztecs lying in the streets. Tenochtitlan, once one of the largest cities in the world, was destroyed.
Aftermath
[change | change source]After the fall of Tenochtitlan, the Spanish built Mexico City on the ruins of the Aztec capital. The Aztec Empire was gone, and the land became part of New Spain, a colony ruled by Spain.
The Spanish spread Christianity and tried to erase most aspects of the Aztec culture. However, some parts of Aztec traditions, like their language and foods, survived and are still important in Mexico today.
The fall of Tenochtitlan changed history. It marked the beginning of Spanish rule in the Americas and the end of one of the most powerful civilizations in Mesoamerica.
References
[change | change source]- ↑ Teoría de la bandera.Guido Villa.1974 "The companies portentous discovery and conquest of the New World, met under the banners of Castile incarnate". Las portentosas empresas del descubrimiento y la conquista del Nuevo Mundo, se cumplieron bajo los encarnados pendones de Castilla.
- 1 2 3 Hassig, Ross (1994). Mexico and the Spanish Conquest. New York: Longman. ISBN 0582068282.
- ↑ "PBS : Conquistadors – Cortés". www.pbs.org.
- 1 2 Clodfelter, Micheal (2017). Warfare and Armed Conflicts: A Statistical Encyclopedia of Casualty and Other Figures, 1492–2015 (4th ed.). McFarland. ISBN 978-1476625850.
- ↑ Russell, Philip (2015). The Essential History of Mexico: From Pre-Conquest to Present. Routledge. ISBN 978-1135017217.
- ↑ Paulkovich, Michael (2012). No Meek Messiah. Spillix Publishing. p. 117. ISBN 978-0988216112.
- ↑ Karin Solveig Björnson, Kurt Jonassohn. Genocide and Gross Human Rights Violations: In Comparative Perspective. Transaction Publishers. p. 202. ISBN 978-0415842785.
- ↑ "Victimario Histórico Militar: Capítulo IX" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2018-07-01.
- ↑ Singer, Gabrielle (2004). A Purple Bull page 68. Vantage Press. ISBN 978-0533148356.