Siege of Tenochtitlan

The 1521 campaign in which Spanish-led forces and their Indigenous allies encircled and captured the Mexica capital of Tenochtitlan, ending the Aztec Empire’s central rule.

Brigantines of Lake Texcoco: Small, armed sailing vessels used by Spanish forces to control waterways during the siege of Tenochtitlan. They challenged Mexica control of the lake and supported attacks on the city’s causeways.
Fall of Tenochtitlan (1520): The Mexica expulsion of Hernán Cortés and his forces from Tenochtitlan in June 1520. The Spanish retreat prompted Cortés to rebuild his forces and plan a return.
Gonzalo de Sandoval: A Spanish conquistador and military commander who served under Hernán Cortés in Mexico. He led a major force during the encirclement and assault on Tenochtitlan.
Fall of Tenochtitlan: The capture of Tenochtitlan by Spanish-led forces on 13 August 1521. It was the siege’s immediate outcome and the decisive break in Mexica rule.
Battle of Otumba: A battle fought in July 1520 between retreating Spanish-led forces and Mexica warriors. The Spanish victory helped Cortés reach Tlaxcala and recover after the 1520 expulsion.
Causeways of Tenochtitlan: Raised roads connecting Tenochtitlan to the shores of Lake Texcoco. Spanish-led forces advanced along these routes, while defenders broke them to obstruct assaults.
Hernán Cortés: A Spanish conquistador who led the expedition that toppled the Mexica Empire. After retreating from Tenochtitlan, he organized the coalition and siege campaign.
Pedro de Alvarado: A Spanish conquistador who commanded forces during the conquest of the Mexica Empire. He led one of the three principal divisions attacking the city’s causeways.
Mexico City: The capital of Mexico, built over the former Mexica capital of Tenochtitlan. Spanish authorities rebuilt their colonial capital on the captured city’s site.
Siege of Tenochtitlan (1521 campaign): The coordinated 1521 military campaign to isolate and capture Tenochtitlan. Its construction of brigantines and land assaults show how the siege was prepared and executed.

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