Conquest of the Aztec Empire (1519–1521)

1. Cortés sails from Cuba for Yucatán

   Feb 18, 1519Labels: Hern n, Cuba, Yucat n

   Hernán Cortés departed Cuba with an expeditionary force, beginning the campaign that would culminate in the overthrow of Mexica rule centered at Tenochtitlan.

   • Britannica
   • PBS

2. Battle of Centla fought in Tabasco

   Mar 14, 1519Labels: Battle of, Tabasco, Maya-Chontal

   Cortés’ forces fought the Maya-Chontal at Centla (near Potonchán), an early set-piece battle that helped the Spaniards establish a foothold and leverage local politics through subsequent negotiations and gifts.

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3. Doña Marina (Malintzin) joins Cortés

   Mar 25, 1519Labels: Do a, Malintzin, interpreter

   After fighting in Tabasco, Cortés received a group of women that included Malintzin (Doña Marina/La Malinche), who became a crucial interpreter and intermediary in diplomacy and war.

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4. Cortés lands on Gulf coast near Veracruz

   Apr 22, 1519Labels: Veracruz, Gulf Coast, Cort s

   Cortés arrived on the Gulf coast and began consolidating a base of operations, enabling communication, resupply, and alliances with local polities opposed to Mexica domination.

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5. Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz established

   Jul 5, 1519Labels: Villa Rica, municipal council, Cort s

   Cortés founded the settlement and municipal council at Villa Rica de la Vera Cruz, a political maneuver that helped legitimize his command independent of Cuba’s governor and anchored the Spanish presence on the mainland.

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6. Spanish–Tlaxcalan alliance forms

   Sep 1, 1519Labels: Tlaxcala, Spanish Tlaxcalan, indigenous allies

   After fighting and negotiations, Cortés secured an alliance with Tlaxcala—one of the most consequential indigenous partnerships of the conquest—providing large numbers of allied warriors and regional intelligence.

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7. Massacre at Cholula during march inland

   Oct 18, 1519Labels: Cholula, Cholula massacre, central Mexico

   At Cholula, violence erupted in an event remembered as the Cholula massacre, intensifying fear, coercing cooperation, and shaping perceptions of Spanish intentions among central Mexican states.

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8. Cortés and Moctezuma II meet in Tenochtitlan

   Nov 8, 1519Labels: Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma II, Hern n

   Cortés entered Tenochtitlan and met Moctezuma II, a pivotal diplomatic moment that soon gave way to Spanish attempts to control the Mexica ruler and state from within the capital.

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9. Toxcatl Massacre sparks citywide uprising

   May 22, 1520Labels: Toxcatl Massacre, Great Temple, Pedro de

   During Cortés’ absence, Spaniards under Pedro de Alvarado killed Mexica elites during the Toxcatl festival at the Great Temple, triggering broad revolt and a siege atmosphere in Tenochtitlan.

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10. Cortés defeats Narváez at Cempoala

    May 27, 1520Labels: Cempoala, P nfilo, Cort s

    Cortés left Tenochtitlan to confront Pánfilo de Narváez—sent from Cuba to arrest him—and won at Cempoala, absorbing many of Narváez’s men and resources into his own force.

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11. La Noche Triste: Spaniards flee Tenochtitlan

    Jun 30, 1520Labels: La Noche, Tenochtitlan, Spanish retreat

    Spanish and allied forces attempted a night breakout from Tenochtitlan and suffered severe losses in fighting and chaos along the causeways—an episode remembered as La Noche Triste.

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    • NatGeo ES

12. Battle of Otumba during retreat to Tlaxcala

    Jul 7, 1520Labels: Battle of, Tlaxcala, retreat

    While retreating after La Noche Triste, Cortés and his indigenous allies fought a major battle at Otumba and won, helping the battered expedition reach Tlaxcala to regroup.

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13. Smallpox epidemic hits Tenochtitlan

    Oct 1, 1520Labels: Smallpox epidemic, Tenochtitlan, Valley of

    A smallpox outbreak struck the Valley of Mexico and Tenochtitlan in late 1520, severely weakening the Mexica population and leadership at a critical phase of the conflict.

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14. Cuitláhuac dies; Cuauhtémoc later crowned

    Oct 1, 1520Labels: Cuitl huac, Cuauht moc, succession

    Cuitláhuac, who succeeded Moctezuma II and led resistance after the Spanish flight, died in 1520 (commonly linked to smallpox). Cuauhtémoc became the next tlatoani, leading the final defense of Tenochtitlan.

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15. Siege of Tenochtitlan begins

    May 26, 1521Labels: Siege of, Lake Texcoco, siege warfare

    Cortés and a large coalition of indigenous allies initiated the siege operations against Tenochtitlan, combining causeway assaults and naval blockade on Lake Texcoco to isolate the city.

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    • Oxford

16. Tenochtitlan surrenders; Cuauhtémoc captured

    Aug 13, 1521Labels: Tenochtitlan surrender, Cuauht moc, Mexica collapse

    After months of siege warfare, Tenochtitlan fell on 13 August 1521 and Cuauhtémoc was taken prisoner, marking the decisive collapse of Mexica imperial power and enabling Spanish consolidation in central Mexico.

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