How Did Cortes Build The Aztec Empire

The Aztec empire was of immense population and size which benefited from a central control. Cortes had discovered that his conquest of Mexico would not be as easy as Pizarro’s conquest of the Incas. The process the leadership being killed after gradual trade would not be possible in Mexico. It was the religious beliefs of the Aztecs that gave Cortes and his men the opportunities necessary for conquest. Thesis.
The Aztecs were a very complex people. They were a civilization over 2000 years old when the Spaniards came, and yet they had a calendar even more correct then the European one. They had a complex religion and their own form of writing. They even had poets, surgeons, goldsmiths, and sages. On top of everything, the Aztecs built
Cortes was making his way across Mexico, together with dogs, 400 soldiers, 15 mounted horsemen, and six cannon. Everything they wore was made of iron. They rode on the backs of what the Aztecs thought were strange looking deer. You couldn't see their faces due to the helmets. Their skin was white and their hair was yellow, though some had black hair. Montezuma heard of the men coming and nearly fainted as a great fear came over him. He had believed that these men, these gods, had wanted to take back their rule from him. But there was nothing he could do. He did nothing but await them as they made their way across Mexico. The Spaniards slew 6,000 inhabitants of Cholula while on their journey as either fear of an ambush, or to terrorize the people. The Tlaxcaltecs, sworn enemies of the Aztecs, provided Cortes a hundreds porters and 2,000 warriors to march on the capital. More than seven months after landing on the coast, Cortes arrived in Mexico City. Montezuma was kind and hospitable to Cortes despite how he felt. He allowed the Spaniards to live in his father’s palace for eight months. They were both weary of, and fascinated, by the people and their culture. They were, however, conquerors. They emptied the royal treasury and held Montezuma captive. As the situation slowly worsened, the Spaniards decided to attack the Aztec nobility, whom would all
Some tried to run, but it was no use, guards were posted at every possible exit. Markets closed everywhere in Mexico as people shut themselves in their homes.. The council of chiefs, the Xlatocan removed Montezuma, who accepted the demotion, but by now the people were beginning to revolt. The Aztecs attacked back, and after seven dys of attacks from all sides, Cortes and his men fled. Montezuma preached for peace and was killed. It was The La Noche Triste, the Night of Sorrows. Half of Cortes’ men were killed as well as their steeds, and 1,200 of their Tlaxcaltec allies were killed as well. The treasure they had come for had fallen in the water and was now lost to them. But Cortes wasn't ready to give up, he wanted revenge. He had a flotilla built; comprising 13 brigantines armed with cannons, and assembled an army of 100,000 Indians. After a year, he set out again to defeat the Aztecs, only now he was up against 150,000 men. The Aztecs were not subdued by force of arms, but by hunger and thirst. The Aztecs resorted to eating tree bark, twigs, bats, lizards, and other vermin. When Cuauhtemoc, who had led the resistance, was taken prisoner, the war was over. The Aztecs immediately began fleeing the city in any direction. The Spaniards were place methodically and caught many of them, forcing them to dig for