Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire

The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire took place in the early 16th century, led by Hernán Cortés. In 1519, Cortés and his small army arrived in present-day Mexico, where they capitalized on existing rivalries among indigenous groups. They gained allies and advanced to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán. In 1521, after a brutal siege and a devastating smallpox outbreak that weakened the Aztecs, Cortés captured the city, marking the fall of the empire. This conquest led to Spanish colonization of Mexico, significant cultural exchanges, and long-lasting impacts on the indigenous populations and their societies.