Age of Discovery

===Cortés' Mexico and the Aztec Empire===
{{main|Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire}}
{{See also|Spanish conquest of Yucatán|Spanish conquest of Guatemala}}
[[File:Ruta de Cortés.svg|thumb|upright=1.35|Route of Cortés' inland progress 1519–1521]]
In 1517, [[Cuba]]'s governor [[Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar]] commissioned a fleet under the command of [[Francisco Hernández de Córdoba (Yucatán conquistador)|Hernández de Córdoba]] to explore the [[Yucatán peninsula]]. They reached the coast where [[Mayans]] invited them to land. They were attacked at night and only a remnant of the crew returned. Velázquez then commissioned another expedition led by his nephew [[Juan de Grijalva]], who sailed south along the coast to [[Tabasco]], part of the Aztec empire.

In 1518, Velázquez gave the mayor of the capital of Cuba, [[Hernán Cortés]], the command of an expedition to secure the interior of Mexico but, due to an old gripe between them, revoked the charter. In February 1519, Cortés went ahead anyway, in an act of open mutiny. With about 11 ships, 500 men, 13 horses and a small number of cannons he landed in Yucatán, in [[Mayan civilization|Mayan]] territory,<ref name="Grunberg 2007">[[#Grunberg 2007|Grunberg 2007]], magazine</ref> claiming the land for the Spanish crown. From [[Trinidad]] he proceeded to [[Tabasco]] and won a battle against the natives. Among the vanquished was Marina ([[La Malinche]]), his future mistress, who knew both (Aztec) [[Nahuatl language]] and Maya, becoming a valuable interpreter and counsellor. Cortés learned about the wealthy [[Aztec Empire]] through [[La Malinche]],

In July, his men took over [[Veracruz]] and he placed himself under direct orders of new king [[Charles I of Spain]].<ref name="Grunberg 2007"/> There Cortés asked for a meeting with Aztec Emperor [[Montezuma II]], who repeatedly refused. They headed to [[Tenochtitlan]] and on the way made alliances with several tribes. In October, accompanied by about 3,000 [[Tlaxcaltec]] they marched to [[Cholula (Mesoamerican site)|Cholula]], the second largest city in central Mexico. Either to instill fear upon the Aztecs waiting for him or (as he later claimed) wishing to make an example when he feared native treachery, they massacred thousands of unarmed members of the nobility gathered at the central plaza and partially burned the city.

[[File:Tenochtitlan y Golfo de Mexico 1524.jpg|thumb|upright=1.35|left|Map of the island city [[Tenochtitlán]] and Mexico gulf made by one of Cortés' men, 1524, [[Newberry Library]], Chicago]]
Arriving in Tenochtitlan with a large army, on November 8 they were peacefully received by Moctezuma II, who deliberately let Cortés enter the heart of the Aztec Empire, hoping to know them better to crush them later.<ref name="Grunberg 2007"/> The emperor gave them lavish gifts in gold which enticed them to plunder vast amounts. In his letters to King Charles, Cortés claimed to have learned then that he was considered by the Aztecs to be either an emissary of the feathered serpent god [[Quetzalcoatl]] or Quetzalcoatl himself – a belief contested by a few modern historians.<ref>[[#Restall 2004|Restall 2004]], pp. 659–87.</ref> But he soon learned that his men on the coast had been attacked, and decided to hostage Moctezuma in his palace, demanding a ransom as tribute to King Charles.

Meanwhile, Velasquez sent another expedition, led by [[Pánfilo de Narváez]], to oppose Cortès, arriving in Mexico in April 1520 with 1,100 men.<ref name="Grunberg 2007"/> Cortés left 200 men in Tenochtitlan and took the rest to confront Narvaez, whom he overcame, convincing his men to join him. In Tenochtitlán one of Cortés's lieutenants committed a [[massacre in the Great Temple]], triggering local rebellion. Cortés speedily returned, attempting the support of Moctezuma but the Aztec emperor was killed, possibly stoned by his subjects.<ref>[[#Castillo 1963|Castillo 1963]], p. 294.</ref> The Spanish fled for the Tlaxcaltec during the ''[[La Noche Triste|Noche Triste]]'', where they managed a narrow escape while their back guard was massacred. Much of the treasure looted was lost during this panicked escape.<ref name="Grunberg 2007"/> After [[Battle of Otumba|a battle in Otumba]] they reached Tlaxcala, having lost 870 men.<ref name="Grunberg 2007"/> Having prevailed with the assistance of allies and reinforcements from [[Cuba]], Cortés [[Fall of Tenochtitlan|besieged Tenochtitlán]] and captured its ruler [[Cuauhtémoc]] in August 1521. As the Aztec Empire ended he claimed the city for Spain, renaming it Mexico City.