He initially welcomed Cortés but, when unable to buy him off, laid a trap in Tenochtitlán. Cortés, however, took Montezuma prisoner, hoping to prevent an Aztec attack. Instead, the Aztecs turned on Montezuma, who later died, and Cortés’s forces were nearly destroyed.
How did Cortés respond to Moctezuma’s welcome?
Then Cortés asked him: “Is it not you? Are you not he? Are you Moctezuma?” And Moctezuma responded: “Yes, I am Moctezuma.” Then he stood up to welcome Cortés, to meet him face to face.
What happened when Cortés met Montezuma?
Cortés placed a necklace of pearls and cut glass around the neck of Montezuma, but was held back by two lords when he tried to embrace the emperor. The Aztecs led the Spaniards into the heart of the city where Montezuma showered them with more gifts and then quartered them in sumptous apartments.
How did Cortés and Moctezuma treat each other when first met?
How did Moctezuma and Cortés treat each other when they met? What other options might have Moctezuma chosen? Cortés took Moctezuma prisoner and gained control of the city. Cortés would’ve been killed and Moctezuma would take over his land.
How did Cortés describe Moctezuma?
Montezuma was no one’s puppet. He used the Spaniards as curiosities to reinforce his majesty and power. Montezuma was no one’s prisoner; he was murdered. His body never desecrated by his own people.
Why did Montezuma welcome Cortés to the Aztec capital?
Montezuma believed the Spanish to be gods. Montezuma felt it would be best to meet the Spanish in his own city. Montezuma believed he could convince the Spanish to become his allies.
How did Cortés capture Montezuma?
Capture of Montezuma
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.
How did Cortés justify his actions?
From a strictly legal point of view, Cortés was a rebel, or at best an insubordinate adventurer, so he argued tenaciously that his actions enhanced the king’s power, wealth, and glory. Cortés emphasized that he had conquered a vast empire for the king and provided him with new sources of wealth.
What happened when Cortés met the Aztec king?
During the Spaniards’ retreat, they defeated a large Aztec army at Otumba and then rejoined their Tlaxcaltec allies. In May 1521, Cortés returned to Tenochtitlán, and after a three-month siege the city fell. This victory marked the fall of the Aztec empire.
How did Cortés trick the Aztecs?
2. The Trick! Cortez pretended to be the god Quetzalcoatl. He rode a horse, an animal which the Aztecs had never seen.
How did Cortés get reinforcements?
After the battle, Cortes added hundreds of Narvaez’ men to his own. Later, reinforcements would seemingly arrive at random: for example, during the siege of Tenochtitlan, some survivors of Juan Ponce de Leon’s disastrous expedition to Florida sailed into Veracruz and were sent swiftly inland to reinforce Cortes.
How did the Spanish defeat the Aztecs?
Cortés’s army besieged Tenochtitlán for 93 days, and a combination of superior weaponry and a devastating smallpox outbreak enabled the Spanish to conquer the city. Cortés’s victory destroyed the Aztec empire, and the Spanish began to consolidate control over what became the colony of New Spain.
What did Hernán Cortés do in Mexico?
Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés (c. 1485-1547) is best known for conquering the Aztecs and claiming Mexico on behalf of Spain.
How did Cortés conquered Aztecs quizlet?
Hernan Cortes was able to conquer the Aztec Empire by scaring the natives with the 16 horses, gaining alliances with the other enemies of the Aztec, having superior and better weapons than the natives (like guns), having armor, and having steel. What advantages did the Spanish have over the Native Americans?
Why did Hernán Cortés lead an expedition to Mexico?
The conquest of Mexico began with an expedition to search for gold on the American mainland. In 1519 Cortés led about 450 men to Mexico and made his way from Veracruz on the Gulf Coast to the island city of Tenochtitlan, the stunningly beautiful Aztec capital situated in Lake Texcoco.
