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==Spanish Conquest==

==Spanish Conquest==

The Aztec empire was conquered however at the height of it's glory by Spanish conquistador [[Hernán Cortés]]. Cortés of arrived at [[Veracruz]], Mexico in 1519, in search of rumors of [[gold]]. Cortés led an army of [[conquistadores]] ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for 'conquerors') on a march towards the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán. The Aztecs famously believed Cortés and the Spaniards to be their god Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, who had proclaimed that he would one day return to rule the empire. After being received into the city by the Aztec Emperor [[Moctezuma II]], Cortés and his men witnessed a bloody sacrifice ritual. Horrified by a display the Spaniards considered to be barbaric, the Spaniards proceeded to attack the Aztec priests. The Aztecs revolted and expelled the occupying conquistadors in what came to be known as [[La Noche Trieste]] (the sad night). During the struggle many conquistadors were killed. The empire however, was then stricken with an epidemic of smallpox which was brought over by the Spanish and which the Aztecs had no immunity to. Cortés regrouped, and by 1521 he had conquered the entire empire. Unfortunately, Cortés and his men burned thousands of manuscripts in the Aztec library in what is now Mexico City in the belief that they were the work of the Devil.

The Aztec empire was conquered however at the height of its glory by Spanish conquistador [[Hernán Cortés]]. Cortés of arrived at [[Veracruz]], Mexico in 1519, in search of rumors of [[gold]]. Cortés led an army of [[conquistadores]] ([[Spanish language|Spanish]] for 'conquerors') on a march towards the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán. The Aztecs famously believed Cortés and the Spaniards to be their god Quetzalcoatl, the feathered serpent, who had proclaimed that he would one day return to rule the empire. After being received into the city by the Aztec Emperor [[Moctezuma II]], Cortés and his men witnessed a bloody sacrifice ritual. Horrified by a display the Spaniards considered to be barbaric, the Spaniards proceeded to attack the Aztec priests. The Aztecs revolted and expelled the occupying conquistadors in what came to be known as [[La Noche Trieste]] (the sad night). During the struggle many conquistadors were killed. The empire however, was then stricken with an epidemic of smallpox which was brought over by the Spanish and which the Aztecs had no immunity to. Cortés regrouped, and by 1521 he had conquered the entire empire. Unfortunately, Cortés and his men burned thousands of manuscripts in the Aztec library in what is now Mexico City in the belief that they were the work of the Devil.

== See also ==

== See also ==