Cortés' Expedition

Hernán Cortés' expedition from Spain in 1519 aimed to explore and conquer the powerful Aztec Empire in present-day Mexico. With a small force, he formed alliances with local tribes resentful of Aztec rule. Cortés strategically used alliances, diplomacy, and military force, along with advanced weapons and navigating new territory, to overthrow the Aztec emperor Montezuma II. The conquest resulted in the fall of the Aztec civilization and the establishment of Spanish colonial rule, marking a significant event in the European colonization of the Americas.