Tenochtitlan Essay

The arrival of Spanish adventurers to the coast of Mexico in 1519 set in motion the rapid descent of a vast and powerful indigenous empire that had controlled the land. The Spanish, led by Herman Cortes, embarked on a violent and extensive campaign across the Valley of Mexico. It was this campaign that led them to the great city of Tenochtitlan, capital of the feared and powerful Mexica Empire. On par with likes of Paris and Rome, Tenochtitlan was densely populated and intricately designed city that was home to a rich history. Despite these factors, its demise was met only a few years after the initial arrival of Cortes and his adventurers. This demise was precipitated by an outbreak of disease within the city, Spanish alliance with rival indigenous

Although plagued by the canals and crowded causeways in the beginning of the siege, the Spanish soon change their tactics to deal with the difficult layout of the city. Diaz writes about their changing tactics, noting that while they retreated on the causeways, they would first move the Tlaxcalans out of their way and retreat with their backs towards the Mexica. The closeness of the houses also hampered Spanish advancements. Not long into the siege they directed the Tlaxcalans to demolish and level them to gain the advantage. The most notable flaw of the city was its reliance on supplies. Cortes realized this and “sought to isolate the city from its support." Without the supply of food and water, the situation in the city became dire. The consequences of the blockade were recorded in the Florentine Codex, “And all the common people suffered greatly. There was famine; many died of hunger. They no longer drank good, pure water, but the water they drank was salty.” European records also took note of the famine and despair that they had caused, “We soldiers could scarcely get about the streets because of the Indians who were sick from hunger, pestilence and smallpox.” It was this quarantine of the city, along with the block-by-block destruction of houses that helped lead the Spanish to the capture of the city only three months after the siege