Exactly 500 years ago, Hernan Cortes and a small Spanish force of around 1000 soldiers managed to take the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan, arrest the Aztec emperor Cuauhtemoc and conquer the once mighty Aztec empire by doing so. 

How was Cortes able to pull off this feat with such a small army? In many romanticized versions of this story, the Spanish success is explained by focusing on the cunning Cortes and his superior Western army. Although both these aspects certainly contributed to it, other factors were far more decisive in my opinion.

The story starts 2 years earlier, in 1519, when Cortes set sail from Cuba to start his Aztec expedition, actively rejecting the orders from Cuba’s governor, who had previously dismissed him as commander, Cortes landed in modern day Veracruz and started by forging alliances with Aztec vassal states that all resented their overlords. Together with his new allies, Cortes marched to Tenochtitlan and faced no Aztec resistance when he entered the island city using one of the causeways. According to the legends, the Aztec emperor Moctezuma was so welcoming as he believed Cortes was the god Quetzalcoatl, but it might have also been a political choice. Whatever Moctezuma’s motives where, he was soon taken hostage by the Spanish.

Cortes now controlled the city but was forced to leave upon hearing the news that a small Spanish army had landed in Mexico to arrest Cortes. He left 80 soldiers in Tenochtitlan with Moctezuma and engaged the Spanish. He defeated the Spanish force and convinced many of them to join his cause. Cortes hurried back to Tenochtitlan where things had escalated. The Spanish had started a massacre after feeling threatened and now faced a full-scale revolt.

Cortes managed to re-enter Tenochtitlan but found himself trapped as the Aztecs had raised the bridges, cut off the supplies and prepared for a full-scale revolt. Cortes tried to negotiate a way out and sent Moctezuma to do his bidding. Moctezuma was subsequently stoned to death by an angry crowd, sending a clear message to Cortes. The Spanish knew they had to ‘fight or flight’ being surrounded and without help. 

Hernan Cortes, underestimating the power of the Aztecs, tried to fight the angry crowd and take back control of the city. The Spanish suffered heavy casualties and realised that fighting was no option. Under the cover of the night, the Spanish tried to escape which was incredibly hard given the Aztec precautions. Cortes and a small force finally managed to reach to mainland and escape to allied territory.

Cortes now faced a huge crisis. His allies started doubting his strength and superior army, many of his soldiers were demoralized and the Aztecs were determined to deal the final blow. He dealt with the latter problem by winning the battle of Otumba against all odds and started working on the other two issues.

Meanwhile, another unexpected ally joined Cortes’ cause and dealt heavy blows to the Aztecs, namely: smallpox. The disease was totally new to the Americas and ravaged the Aztec population who had built up zero immunity. Over 40% of the Aztec population died of the disease. It weakened the Aztecs further as the food production declined, causing famines, and many of their leaders were killed off.

Cortes, together with his small Spanish force and Mexican allies, marched to Tenochtitlan for a third time determined to defeat the Aztecs for good. He arrived in spring 1521 and planned for a long siege draining the Aztecs of food by cutting off the three causeways. Although he faced Aztec attacks and internal strife, Cortes managed to continue the siege. The Aztecs were quickly running out of food and heavily weakened as many people died of hunger and smallpox. On the 13th of August the Spanish and their Mexican allies finally took the city, left nothing standing and spared no one. Mexico city would later be built on this site.

So, was Cortes able to conquer Tenochtitlan because of his superior weapons? No, without the help of his Mexican allies, mainly Tlaxcala, the effects of smallpox and luck, it would have never been possible. Nevertheless, Cortes was hailed a hero and his disobedience forgiven. 

Originally posted on Instagram on August 13, 2021