Moctezuma (Montezuma)

Moctezuma, also spelled Montezuma, was an Aztec emperor who ruled central Mexico in the early 16th century. He is best known for encountering Spanish explorers led by Hernán Cortés in 1519, which led to the fall of the Aztec Empire. Moctezuma initially believed Cortés might be a divine figure, but relations quickly soured, and he was taken prisoner. His reign marked a period of both impressive Aztec culture and political challenge, and his encounter with the Spanish ultimately resulted in the conquest of his empire and significant cultural upheaval.