Fall of Tenochtitlan

The fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Mexica, was the culmination of the Spanish conquest of the Mexica, occurring between 26 May and 13 August 1521. Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, aided by his interpreter La Malinche and thousands of indigenous allies, especially Tlaxcaltec warriors, besieged and captured the city following extensive negotiations between local factions. The fighting was catastrophic for the defenders, with Spanish-allied sources recording roughly 100,000 Mexica killed in action and tens of thousands of civilians killed or captured, ending the Aztec Empire and beginning Spanish colonial rule.