Hernan Cortes and the Fall of the Aztecs

The Early Life of Hernan Cortes
Hernan Cortes was born in 1485 in the small town of Medellin which is located in Spain. His family belonged to the lower nobility and they wanted him to become a successful lawyer one day. He attended the University of Salamanca for a short time but he was not very interested in his legal studies. The young man preferred adventure and stories about the New World across the Atlantic Ocean. He eventually decided to leave school to seek his fortune and fame in the distant lands of the Americas.
The Journey to Mexico
In the year 1519 Cortes set sail from Cuba with a fleet of eleven ships and several hundred soldiers. He landed on the coast of Mexico at a place he named Veracruz to establish a base for his expedition. To make sure his men would not try to turn back he ordered the destruction of his own ships. This bold move forced the soldiers to focus entirely on the conquest of the mainland ahead of them. They began their long march toward the interior of the country to find the legendary Aztec Empire.
Meeting the Aztec Empire
The Aztec Empire was a powerful civilization that controlled much of central Mexico during the sixteenth century. Their capital city was called Tenochtitlan and it was built on an island in the middle of a large lake. When Cortes arrived he was amazed by the advanced engineering and the massive stone temples he saw there. The ruler of the Aztecs was a man named Moctezuma II who lived in a grand palace with many servants. At first the Aztecs were unsure if the strangers were enemies or perhaps gods returning from the sea.
Alliances with Native Tribes
Cortes realized quickly that his small group of Spanish soldiers could not defeat the entire Aztec army alone. He discovered that many local tribes were unhappy with the Aztecs because they had to pay heavy taxes and tributes. One of the most important people he met was a woman named Malinche who served as his translator and advisor. With her help Cortes convinced these local tribes to join his side and fight against their Aztec rulers. These thousands of indigenous allies provided the extra manpower and local knowledge the Spanish needed for their mission.
The Arrival in Tenochtitlan
When the Spanish finally reached Tenochtitlan in November 1519 they were welcomed into the city by Moctezuma himself. The Aztec ruler gave the visitors expensive gifts made of gold and silver to show his great wealth. Cortes and his men stayed in a large palace as guests while they observed the daily life of the city. However the peace did not last long because the Spanish eventually took Moctezuma as a prisoner in his own home. This action created a lot of tension and fear among the Aztec people who lived in the capital.
The Night of Sorrows
The relationship between the Spanish and the Aztecs turned into a violent conflict after a massacre occurred in the Great Temple. The Aztecs rose up against the invaders and forced them to retreat from the city during a very rainy night. This event is known in history as the Noche Triste or the Night of Sorrows because so many Spanish soldiers died. During the chaotic escape many soldiers drowned in the lake because they were carrying too much heavy gold. Cortes managed to survive the retreat and gathered his remaining forces at a safe distance from the capital.