The historic city of Tenochtitlán, the heart of the Aztec Empire, is comparable to today’s New York City. It was the biggest city in all of Mesoamerica at its height in the 16th century boasting over 200,000 inhabitants. Yet in just a matter of years, the entire city as well as the whole Aztec Empire fell into ruin. How did such an impressive empire fall? The answer is a combination of factors. The Aztec Empire collapsed due to the lack of resources within the capital city of Tenochtitlán and the Aztecs’ belief that the conquistadors working to destroy their culture were part of a prophecy involving the return of a god.
The Aztecs ruled a large empire which is now in present day central and southern Mexico. They settled on the islands of lake …show more content…
He then sailed to Cuba where he took part in the conquest of Cuba in 1511, there he accepted a large land grant where he raised cattle and married a woman from a wealthy spanish family named Catalina Juárez.
Montezuma II was born in 1466 on the island of Tenochtitlán, he was the son of the great leader Axayacatl (1469-1481). On the death of Ahuitzotl, Montezuma assumed the highest position in Aztec society and he became the undisputed religious and political leader or tlatoani in 1502.
The fall of Tenochtitlán took place about two years following Hernando Cortés’ arrival in Aztec territory. Cortés’ expedition had arrived in Mexico in the early part of 1519 with around 500 men, 16 horses and 11 ships, and by the end of the same year the Spanish had laid their eyes on Tenochtitlán for the first time. When the Spanish arrived in Tenochtitlán, it was one of the largest cities in the world. It has been estimated that during the 16th century, only a handful of cities could match its …show more content…
Word arrived that another group of Spaniards had arrived on the coast; Cortés feared that these other men would try and take over the Aztecs so he left the capital to deal with them. While away, his soldiers killed 600 nobles and priests during a religious procession, when Cortés came back successful, the Aztecs were eager for war. What happened next is still unclear, Spanish writers say that Cortés ordered Montezuma to commanded the people back to their homes, but Montezuma could not control them. The Aztecs threw stones and shot arrows at Montezuma. Badly wounded, Montezuma died three days later. The Aztecs say that the Spanish murdered Montezuma in a dungeon cell then dumped his body in a canal. The truth may never be known about his
The Aztecs ruled a large empire which is now in present day central and southern Mexico. They settled on the islands of lake …show more content…
He then sailed to Cuba where he took part in the conquest of Cuba in 1511, there he accepted a large land grant where he raised cattle and married a woman from a wealthy spanish family named Catalina Juárez.
Montezuma II was born in 1466 on the island of Tenochtitlán, he was the son of the great leader Axayacatl (1469-1481). On the death of Ahuitzotl, Montezuma assumed the highest position in Aztec society and he became the undisputed religious and political leader or tlatoani in 1502.
The fall of Tenochtitlán took place about two years following Hernando Cortés’ arrival in Aztec territory. Cortés’ expedition had arrived in Mexico in the early part of 1519 with around 500 men, 16 horses and 11 ships, and by the end of the same year the Spanish had laid their eyes on Tenochtitlán for the first time. When the Spanish arrived in Tenochtitlán, it was one of the largest cities in the world. It has been estimated that during the 16th century, only a handful of cities could match its …show more content…
Word arrived that another group of Spaniards had arrived on the coast; Cortés feared that these other men would try and take over the Aztecs so he left the capital to deal with them. While away, his soldiers killed 600 nobles and priests during a religious procession, when Cortés came back successful, the Aztecs were eager for war. What happened next is still unclear, Spanish writers say that Cortés ordered Montezuma to commanded the people back to their homes, but Montezuma could not control them. The Aztecs threw stones and shot arrows at Montezuma. Badly wounded, Montezuma died three days later. The Aztecs say that the Spanish murdered Montezuma in a dungeon cell then dumped his body in a canal. The truth may never be known about his