Moctezuma II (also known as Montezuma II) died when the Spaniards under Hernan Cortes conquered Tenochtitlan. The exact way in which Moctezuma died is not known for certain. The most common story about Moctezuma's death is that the Spaniards tried to have him address the attacking Aztecs to urge them to stop fighting.
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What happened Montezuma II?
Moctezuma died in the evening hours of June 30, 1520, in his palace in the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, while a prisoner of the Spanish conquistadors. The Emperor had been speaking to his people in an effort to persuade them to cease hostilities against Hernán Cortés, his Spanish soldiers, and Indian allies.
Where did Moctezuma II die?
TenochtitlanMoctezuma II / Place of deathTenochtitlan, also known as Mexico-Tenochtitlan, was a large Mexica altepetl in what is now the historic center of Mexico City. The exact date of the founding of the city is unclear. The date 13 March 1325 was chosen in 1925 to celebrate the 600th anniversary of the city. Wikipedia
Was Montezuma beheaded?
He spoke to Cortes before dying and asked him to take care of his surviving children. According to other accounts, Montezuma survived his wounds but was murdered by the Spanish when it became clear that he was of no further use to them. It is impossible to determine today exactly how Montezuma died.
Where is Moctezuma buried?
Montezuma's treasure is a legendary buried treasure said to be located in the Casa Grande ruins or elsewhere in the southwest United States and Mexico. The legend is one of many treasure stories in American folklore.
Why is Montezuma II significant?
While Aztec emperor, Montezuma had a famous confrontation with Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. He initially welcomed Cortés but, when unable to...
When did Montezuma II reign?
In 1502 Montezuma succeeded his uncle Ahuitzotl, becoming the ninth ruler of an Aztec empire that was at its greatest geographical extent and cultu...
How did Montezuma II die?
After being taken captive by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, Montezuma spoke to his subjects in an attempt to quell growing unrest. However, up...
What did Montezuma do?
From 1502 to 1519, Montezuma had proven himself to be an able leader in war, politics, religion, and diplomacy. He had maintained and expanded the empire and was lord of lands stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Hundreds of conquered vassal tribes sent the Aztec's goods, food, weapons, and even enslaved people and captured warriors ...
What was Cortes' plan for Montezuma?
The wealth of Tenochtitlan was astounding, and Cortes and his lieutenants began plotting how to take the city. Most of their plans involved capturing Montezuma and holding him until more reinforcements could arrive to secure the city. On November 14, 1519, they got the excuse they needed.
Why did Cortes not order Montezuma to reopen the market?
Cortes ordered Montezuma to reopen the market, but the emperor said that he could not because he was a captive and no one listened to his orders anymore . He suggested that if Cortes freed his brother Cuitlahuac, also held prisoner, he might be able to get the markets to reopen.
What happened to Cortes in 1520?
Massacre of Toxcatl and Return of Cortes. In May of 1520, Cortes had to go to the coast with as many soldiers as he could spare to deal with an army led by Panfilo de Narvaez. Unbeknownst to Cortes, Montezuma had entered into a secret correspondence with Narvez and had ordered his coastal vassals to support him.
What happened on November 14th 1519?
On November 14, 1519, they got the excuse they needed. A Spanish garrison left on the coast had been attacked by some representatives of the Mexica and several of them were killed. Cortes arranged a meeting with Montezuma, accused him of planning the attack, and took him into custody.
When did Cortes and his men try to sneak out of Tenochtitlan?
On June 30, 1520 , Cortes and his men tried to sneak out of Tenochtitlan under cover of darkness. They were spotted, however, and wave after wave of fierce Mexica warriors attacked the Spaniards fleeing over the Tacuba causeway.
Where did Hernan Cortes and the Spanish conquistadors settle?
In 1519, Hernan Cortes and 600 Spanish conquistadors landed on Mexico's Gulf coast, establishing a base near the present-day city of Veracruz. They began slowly making their way inland, collecting intelligence from Doña Marina (" Malinche "), a woman enslaved by Cortes.
When did Moctezuma die?
In his Historia, Bernal Díaz del Castillo states that on 29 June 1520, the Spanish forced Moctezuma to appear on the balcony of his palace, appealing to his countrymen to retreat.
Why did the Aztecs kill the sons of Moctezuma?
During the siege of the city, the sons of Moctezuma were murdered by the Aztecs, possibly because they wanted to surrender. By the following year, the Aztec Empire had fallen to an army of Spanish and their Native American allies, primarily Tlaxcalans, who were traditional enemies of the Aztecs.
What empire did Moctezuma conquer?
During his reign, the Aztec Empire reached its greatest size. Through warfare, Moctezuma expanded the territory as far south as Xoconosco in Chiapas and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and incorporated the Zapotec and Yopi people into the empire.
What is the name of the volcano named after Moctezuma?
Moctezuma River and Mount Moctezuma, a volcano in Mexico City, are named after him. Montezuma Falls in Tasmania is named after him. Cuauhtémoc Moctezuma Brewery, a brewery of Heineken International in Monterrey, Mexico, is named after Moctezuma II and his nephew, Cuauhtémoc.
What year was Moctezuma crowned?
The year in which Moctezuma was crowned is uncertain. Most historians suggest the year of 1502 to be most likely, though some have argued in favor of the year 1503.
What is the color of Moctezuma?
The conquests of Moctezuma II are marked by the colour green (based on the maps by Ross Hassig in Aztec Warfare ). As a symbol of resistance against the Spanish, the name of Moctezuma has been invoked in several indigenous rebellions.
Where did Moctezuma and Hernán Cortés meet?
e. Meeting place of Moctezuma and Hernán Cortés. In 1517, Moctezuma received the first reports of Europeans landing on the east coast of his empire; this was the expedition of Juan de Grijalva who had landed on San Juan de Ulúa, which although within Totonac territory was under the auspices of the Aztec Empire.
Synopsis
When Montezuma II was born (circa 1466), the Aztec empire spread to present-day Honduras and Nicaragua. The Aztec people, however, resented the emperor's frequent demands for tribute and victims for religious sacrifice. So when Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in 1519, Montezuma saw some of his subjects turn against him.
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When did Moctezuma die?
Moctezuma died in June 1520, though it is unclear as to how he met his end. According to one version of the story, the Spanish had the emperor killed after they felt he was no longer useful.
How did Moctezuma respond to the Aztecs?
Moctezuma responded by brutally suppressing the rebellions with force, which increased the hatred felt towards the Aztecs. Moctezuma was also a competent administrator. This is evident, for instance, in the building programme he initiated in Tenochtitlan.
What happened to Cortez in 1517?
When the Spanish landed in April 1519, the emperor became even more alarmed, especially since they began to move inland. As Cortez encountered the subjugated peoples of the Aztec Empire, he formed alliances with those against imperial rule, whilst killing those loyal to the empire.
Who was the Aztec ruler who lost his empire to a European power?
Moctezuma is remembered today mainly as the Aztec ruler who lost his empire to a European power, although this is an unfair assessment of him. This is due to the fact that Moctezuma was a capable ruler in his own right, as it was during his reign that the Aztec Empire reached its greatest height. Moctezuma II was born in 1466 to Axayacatl, ...
Who was Moctezuma's uncle?
When his father died in 1481, the throne passed to one of his uncles, Tizocic, who reigned until 1486. He was in turn succeeded by another of Moctezuma’s uncles, Ahuitzotl. During this time, Moctezuma served as a general under his uncle.
Who was the god of the Aztecs?
Nevertheless, Cortez and his men were welcomed by the emperor. According to some, the emperor believed that Cortez was the god Quetzalcoatl, whom the Aztecs believed would one day return to rule over Mexica. Others, however, argue that Moctezuma was buying his time, and would crush the Spanish at the appropriate moment.
Montezuma II Xocoyotzín, Emperor of The Aztecs
Cortes and The Invasion of Mexico
Capture of Montezuma
Montezuma Captive
Massacre of Toxcatl and Return of Cortes
Death of Montezuma
Aftermath of Montezuma's Death
- With Montezuma dead, Cortes realized that there was no way he could hold the city. On June 30, 1520, Cortes and his men tried to sneak out of Tenochtitlan under cover of darkness. They were spotted, however, and wave after wave of fierce Mexica warriors attacked the Spaniards fleeing over the Tacuba causeway. About six hundred Spaniards (roughly ha...
Sources
Overview
Moctezuma Xocoyotzin , variant spellings include Motecuhzomatzin, Montezuma, Moteuczoma, Motecuhzoma, Motēuczōmah, Muteczuma, and referred to retroactively in European sources as Moctezuma II, was the ninth Tlatoani of Tenochtitlan and the sixth Huey Tlatoani or Emperor of the Aztec Empire (also known as Mexica Empire), reigning from 1502 or 1503 to 1520.
Through his marriage with queen Tlapalizquixochtzin of Ecatepec, one of his two wives, he was al…
Name
Biography
Reign
Texcoco crisis
War with Tlaxcala, Huejotzingo and their allies
Contact with the Spanish
Contemporary depictions