Hernando Cortez

When Cortés arrived to the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, he was received by Montezuma and invited into the emperor's palace. Cortes, taking advantage of the Aztec hospitality, made Montezuma his prisoner. Montezuma's submission to the Spaniards gained wide resentment among the Aztec people. It is said in the Spanish chronicles that when he was attempting to make a public speech, he was attacked with stones and arrows from the crowd. The wounds caused by this situation led to his death after three days. The Aztec throne was then passed to Cuitláhuac, who passed away shortly after due to a smallpox epidemic brought into Mexico by the Spaniards.

The Aztec rebellion forced the Spaniards out of Tenochtitlan towards the region of Tlaxcala, where they signed a treaty with the tlaxcaltecas. These people helped reinforce the Spanish troops and played a mayor role in the submission of Tenochtitlan