"Aztecs: Arrival of Cortes and the Conquistadors"

Pact at Cempoala

1519

. The Spaniards arrived at Cempoala, a large commercial center where the Totonacas lived and gave Hernán Cortes a detailed description of the great Tenochtitlán.

La Malinche

1519

Cortes defeated the local Mayans in a battle and they gave him some women. One of them spoke Mayan or Mexica, nicknamed La Malinche. She translated Mexica into Mayan, which was translated by Geronimo de Aguilar in Spanish.

Sink the ships

1519

Determined to conquer Tenochtitlan, Cortés orders the ships of the Spanish expeditionaries in Veracruz to be destroyed to prevent a group of dissatisfied Spaniards from returning to Cuba. Although legend attributes the "burning of the ships" to Cortés personally, historians think that he only ordered them to be drilled so that they would sink.

Cortés arrives in Mexico

Feb 18, 1519

After being in Cuba since 1511, Cortés left the island around February 10 with 530 European soldiers, including 30 crossbowmen, 2 harquebusiers and 2 conquistadors, as well as about 100 Cuban natives and African slaves. But even more important 16 horses along with war dogs

Foundation of Veracruz

Apr 22, 1519

The Spanish advanced north and founded Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, considered the first town hall "in the Spanish style" installed in Mexico. Gifts from Montezuma, the tlatoani or emperor of the Aztecs, arrive at the place, and Cortés meets his ambassadors for the first time.

Alliance with the Tlaxcalans

Sep 23, 1519

Cortes assured an alliance with the Tlaxcalans. Cortés's troops arrive in Tlaxcala, in the center of the country, where after some fighting they forge an alliance with Xicoténcatl, the chief of the Tlaxcalan indigenous people, to fight against the Mexica, whom they saw as enemies.

Arrival in Tenochtitlán

Nov 8, 1519

The Spaniards arrived in Tenochtitlan, where Emperor Moctezuma received Cortés with honors, with Malinche as interpreter, and hosted him in the palace of Axayacatl. Days later, on November 14, they took Moctezuma prisoner and began the siege of the city.

The Templo Mayor Massacre

1520

Pedro de Alvarado leads the Tóxcatl Massacre or Main Temple Massacre, in which the Spanish killed the Mexica while they were performing a ceremony to the gods. Meanwhile, Cortés was in the Gulf of Mexico, where he defeated Pánfilo Narváez, who arrived with the order to arrest him for disobeying Diego Velázquez, governor of Cuba.

The sad night

Jun 30, 1520

Cortés and his men were forced to flee the city, harassed by the Aztecs, who caused hundreds of casualties. A few days later the battle of Otumba was fought. Faced with the ferocious jaguar and eagle warriors, Cortés's men were able to regroup and make effective use of cavalry against the Aztecs.

Cuitláhuac dies

Nov 25, 1520

Cuitláhuac dies of smallpox and Cuauhtémoc becomes the last tlatoani of the Aztec empire. During this time, Cortés prepared for the reconquest of Tenochitlan after receiving reinforcements from enemy towns of the Aztecs such as those of Tlaxcala and Texcoco.

The fall of Tenochtitlán

Aug 13, 1521

After months of siege and combat, the Spanish along with their indigenous allies seize Tenochtitlan by capturing Emperor Cuauhtémoc. The city surrenders and the conquest is consummated. King Carlos I grants Hernán Cortés the title of governor and captain general of New Spain.