A. The Reception in Tenochtitlan

Monteczuma II, the Aztec emperor, initially welcomed Cortés and his men, reportedly treating them with respect and caution.

B. Cultural Misunderstandings and Prophecies

Some accounts suggest Montezuma believed the Spaniards might be divine or fulfill prophecies, although historians debate this interpretation.

C. Cortés’s Strategy

Cortés used diplomacy to buy time and consolidate his position, while secretly plotting to seize control of the city.

 The Conquest: Violence, Siege, and Collapse

A. Capture of Montezuma

In November 1519, Cortés took Montezuma hostage, attempting to control the empire through its ruler.

B. The "Noche Triste"

Tensions escalated, culminating in the Aztecs revolting against the Spaniards in June 1520, forcing them to flee Tenochtitlan with heavy losses.

C. Return and Siege of Tenochtitlan

Cortés regrouped with indigenous allies and laid siege to Tenochtitlan in 1521. The city fell after months of brutal fighting, starvation, and disease.

D. Role of Disease

European diseases, particularly smallpox, devastated the native population, severely weakening Aztec resistance. shutdown123