He holds an MA in Political Philosophy and is the Publishing Director at AHE. Soon after, the Spaniards began exchanging messages with the ruler Motecuhzoma Xocoyotzin in Mexico-Tenochtitlan. The city was clean and well-ordered, with strong laws and political administration, but the Aztecs have often been regarded as a brutal and even evil people because they practised human sacrifice. Motecuhzoma, after consulting his council of elders, decided on a strategy of diplomacy. How Did The English Experience At Colonization In Ireland Affect English Colonization In America. Cortés & the Siege of Tenochtitlanby Unknown Artist (Public Domain). Another contribution made by the Aztecs is in pharmacology. These were gratefully received and likely made the Spanish even more interested in plundering the land for all it was worth. Montezuma Meets Cortésby Unknown Artist (Public Domain). Disease epidemics can set the course of human history. The finely made weapons did not pass inspection until they could bend in a half-circle and survive a full-force impact with a metal helmet. Within just … Top subjects are History, Literature, and Social Sciences. What factors encouraged Spanish success in Peru? The Aztec gods required human blood (let from living bodies, as well as through the death of sacrificial victims) to nourish them and sustain the world. It has been noted that it does seem strange that such a powerful ruler as Motecuhzoma should cut such a passive figure in the record of events brought down to us. Although Cortes and his men were greatly outnumbered by the tens of thousands of Aztec Indians living in the area of the Yucatan Peninsula, he did have a huge advantage which at first may not even have crossed his mind as a way to “thin out the herd.” The empire continued to expand from 1430 CE, and the Aztec military - bolstered by conscription of all adult males, men supplied from allied and conquered states, and such elite groups as the Eagle and Jaguar warriors - swept aside their rivals. Ancient History Encyclopedia. In Ancient Aztec Society, It Was Illegal To Mistreat Your Slaves. Approved by eNotes Editorial Team Posted on October 27, 2013 at 1:25 AM Cortes's men brought diseases such as smallpox to the Americas; these wiped out millions. Under the leadership of Hernan Cortes in 1521, the Aztec Empire was destroyed. The visitors from the Old World had finally come. Bibliography He became governor of the territory at the behest of King Charles I. Get help with your Aztec homework. Some think the Spanish strangled him in secret as he was clearly of no use to either side any longer. Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. He conquered the Aztecs and made their territory a part of the Spanish empire. Thus, one’s view of Cortes’s impact is very much conditioned by the point of view from which one examines his actions. Cortez tricks the Aztecs In 1519, Hernan Cortez, with only 500 soldiers, was able to conquer the Aztec Empire in Mexico. Mark is a history writer based in Italy. Tenochtitlan was sacked and its monuments destroyed. He introduced smallpox to Mexico with devastating consequences. At that time the great empire of the Mexica—now known as … On the march to Tenochtitlan, Cortés had already enlisted the enthusiastic help of the Tlaxcalans, both in men and supplies. He was the only son of noble, though not wealthy, parents. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Fighting for their independence from Aztec rule they did not realise that they would merely be replacing one rapacious overlord for another even more destructive one. The governor organised another expedition and chose as its leader Hernán Cortés. Many great encounters in world history, including Cortés's clash with the Aztec empire, had less to do with weaponry, tactics and strategy than with the ravages of disease. IMPACT OF DISEASE ON THE AZTEC EMPIRE An important event in world history was the conquest of the Aztec Empire by Spanish conquistadors in 1521. This incident was just what Cortés needed, and after battling the Cuban relief force at Veracruz and persuading its leader Panfilo Narvaez to join his cause, he returned to the city to relieve the besieged remaining Spanish. His special interests include pottery, architecture, world mythology and discovering the ideas that all civilizations share in common. Gathering local allies from his Tlaxcala base, and now supported by Texcoco, Cortés first won a great battle near Otumba and then returned to Tenochtitlan ten months later, laying siege to the city with a fleet of specially built warships. Historians often disagree on the impact, both positive and negative, that the Spanish had on Aztec civilization. Conquistadors destroyed the empires, and then Europeans built new settlements Ignoring instructions to return to Cuba, Cortés instead sent a shipload of the treasures they had so far acquired and letters requesting royal support to Charles V of Spain. Our latest articles delivered to your inbox, once a week: Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University and Michigan State University and University of Missouri. Whatever the reasons, the initial air of cordiality between the two sides soon turned sour for within two weeks the Aztec ruler was audaciously taken hostage and placed under house arrest by the small Spanish force. Cortés & the Fall of the Aztec Empire. The Aztec gods required human blood (let from living bodies, as well as through the death of sacrificial victims) to nourish them and sustain the world. Perhaps not only out for gold, Cortés was a deeply religious man, and the spirit of evangelism, for him if not his followers, was an extra motivation to open up this New World. His decision to abandon school was primarily influenced by news of famed … The fine Spanish steel sword was such an advantage that for some time after the conquest, it was illegal for natives to have one. Here's what happened.After Cortes landed in Mexico, another Spanish army came from Cuba to make sure he followed orders. Cortés, a native of Extremadura, had studied law at university, but at 19 years old he had decided to leave Spain and try his luck in the Caribbean colonies. His forces defeated the Aztecs in Battle of Otumba on July 7, 1520, and he regained control of Tenochtitlan by August 13, 1521. Another contribution made by the Aztecs is in pharmacology. Estimates vary but the general numbers range from 1,200-1,400 Conquistadors and between 80,000 and 200,000 local fighters from the Tlaxcala and Cempoala by the time he reached the steps of Tenochtitlan. Regardless of that he was quite intelligent for his age. Following victory, a Triple Alliance was formed between Texcoco, Tenochtitlan, and a rebel Tepanec city, Tlacopan. With these ships, Cortés was able to block the three main causeways which linked the city to the edge of Lake Texcoco. By around 1400 CE several small empires had formed in the Valley of Mexico and dominant amongst these were Texcoco, capital of the Acholhua region, and Azcapotzalco, capital of the Tepenec. When Cortes arrived in Mexico, around 30 million Aztecs lived there. Cortes would have none of that, and went to fight them. He could also be cruel. The Aztecs were used to loose formations in battle; their primary objective had always been to capture a valiant opponent alive so that they might be later ritually sacrificed, and warfare was highly ritualised with precise moments for starting and ending. Cavalry was another devastating weapon in the hands of the Europeans. 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