The conquest of Mexico and Peru: Key events and actors

The conquest of Mexico and Peru: Key events and actors

The Conquest of Mexico: Key Events and Actors

Pre-conquest Alliances

• Hernán Cortés, the leader of the Spanish force, formed alliances with indigenous tribes discontented with the Aztec rule. Key among these was Tlaxcala.

March on Tenochtitlan

• Cortés, with his new allies, marched on the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, located on an island in Lake Texcoco.
• They were initially invited into the city by the Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II, who viewed the Spaniards as divine emissaries, according to Aztec prophecies.

The ‘Noche Triste’ and Brutal Siege

• The Aztecs rose against the Spaniards, who were driven out in the ‘Noche Triste’ (‘Sad Night’). However, a year later, in 1521, Cortés returned to lay siege to Tenochtitlan.
• Epidemics of smallpox, brought by the Spaniards, significantly weakened the Aztec resistance, thus aiding the conquest of Mexico.

The Conquest of Peru: Key Events and Actors

Initial Encounters

• Francisco Pizarro, inspired by Cortés’s success, started his expedition against the mighty Inca Empire.
• Arriving amid a civil war caused by smallpox, Pizarro’s forces benefited from the unrest and confusion.

Ambush at Cajamarca

• Pizarro invited the Inca ruler, Atahualpa, to a meeting at Cajamarca, where he laid an ambush. Atahualpa was captured, and although he offered a huge ransom of gold and silver, he was killed.
• The Battle of Cajamarca marked a pivotal point in the conquest of Peru, with the Inca Empire left bewildered and leaderless.

Complete Takeover

• Pizarro continued to battle remaining pockets of Inca resistance, essentially completing the conquest by 1533.
• The Spanish then founded the city of Lima in 1535, solidifying their hold over the region and establishing the basis for the Viceroyalty of Peru, the Spanish colonial government.