Hernando Cortez

He came dancing across the water, with his galleons and guns. Looking for the new world, in that palace in the sun. On the shore lay Montezuma, with his coca leaves and pearls. In his halls he often wondered with the secrets of the worlds. And his subjects gathered around him, like the leaves around a tree, in their clothes of many colours, for the angry gods to see. And the women all were beautiful, and the men stood straight and strong. They offered life in sacrifice, so that others could go on. Hate was just a legend, and war was never known. The people worked together, and they lifted many stones. They carried them to the flatlands, and they died along the way. And they built up with their bare hands, what we still can't do today. And I know she's living there, and she loves me to this day. I still can't remember when, or how I lost my way. He came dancing across the water. Cortez, cortez. What a killer. Neil Young - Cortez the Killer.


On November 8, 1519, Cortez reached Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) and was graciously received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Soon after Cortez established headquarters in the capital, he learned that the Aztecs had plundered Veracruz. He seized Montezuma and forced him to surrender the attackers. Then he had them executed.
Meanwhile Velasquez had sent 1,400 soldiers to arrest Cortez and bring him back to Cuba. Cortez defeated this army and most of the survivors joined Cortez.
He returned to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. As Cortez and his men reached the heart of the city, they were attacked by thousands of Aztec warriors. Montezuma was brought out to pacify his people, but they stoned him, and later he died of his wounds. Cortez' army was surrounded and apparently doomed, but he and three others managed to get to the chieftain of the Aztecs and killed him. Confused by this apparent "miracle," the Aztecs retreated. With fewer than 500 of his men left alive, Cortez, in July of 1520, made his way back to his Indian allies.
Cortez attacked Tenochtitlan again by ship the following May. On August 13, 1521, Guatemoc, the new Aztec emperor, surrendered. This was the end of the great empire of the Aztecs. (Thinkquest.org)