Hernán Cortés (Cortés y la conquista)

Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century. Arriving in what is now Mexico in 1519, he used alliances with local tribes and military force to defeat the Aztecs, led by Emperor Moctezuma II. Cortés’s actions marked the beginning of Spanish colonization in the Americas, transforming indigenous societies and establishing New Spain. His expedition is a key event in history, illustrating the complex effects of exploration, conquest, and cultural encounter during the Age of Discovery.