La Noche Triste

La Noche Triste was the June 1520 retreat of Hernán Cortés and his forces from Tenochtitlan, during which many Spaniards and Indigenous allies were killed.

Tenochtitlan: Tenochtitlan was the Mexica capital, built on islands in Lake Texcoco. Cortés's forces escaped from this island city along its causeways.
Hernán Cortés: Hernán Cortés was a Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that overthrew the Mexica Empire. He commanded the Spanish-led force that withdrew from Tenochtitlan.
Tlaxcalans: The Tlaxcalans were the inhabitants of an independent polity that allied with the Spanish against the Mexica. Tlaxcalan allies suffered heavy losses and helped the survivors reach safety.
Battle of Otumba: The Battle of Otumba was a 1520 battle in which Cortés's retreating forces defeated a Mexica army. The victory helped the survivors regroup after their escape from Tenochtitlan.
Noche Triste tree: The Noche Triste tree is an old ahuehuete in Popotla traditionally associated with Cortés's grief after the retreat. The tree anchors a popular legend about Cortés mourning the defeat.
Alvarado's Leap: Alvarado's Leap is a disputed story that Pedro de Alvarado jumped a gap in a causeway during the retreat. The story became one of the most famous episodes attached to the escape.
Moctezuma II: Moctezuma II was the Mexica ruler when Cortés and his forces entered Tenochtitlan in 1519. His captivity and death intensified the crisis preceding the retreat.
Bernal Díaz del Castillo: Bernal Díaz del Castillo was a Spanish soldier whose memoir recounts the conquest of Mexico. His account describes the retreat and its losses from a participant's perspective.
Siege of Tenochtitlan: The Siege of Tenochtitlan was the 1521 campaign that ended with the Spanish-led conquest of the Mexica capital. Cortés returned with reinforcements to besiege the city a year after the retreat.
Ahuehuete: The ahuehuete is a long-lived Mexican cypress native to Mexico and parts of Central America. The legendary tree associated with the retreat is an ahuehuete.

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