Page 47 - All About History - Issue 12-14

FALL OF THE AZTECS

power. The conquistador was HERNÁN CORTÉS armaments. Along with muskets
a formidable manipulator and and crossbows effective up to 90 SPANISH
diplomat. He was able to rise to the DE MONROY Y PIZARRO metres (300 feet), Cortés’ men,
occasion, to adapt and overcome, Spanish, 1485 – 1547 although vastly outnumbered, had CONQUISTADOR
rely on unknown and untested the advantage.
Cortés was born into
allies, balance diplomacy with Brief a poor family but Cortés first met with a group of
war and respond to savagery with Bio schooled in the ways Maya, the tribe that had dominated
savagery to overcome the most of war from an early the Yucatán 1,000 years previously.
age. He landed in the
powerful man in South America. Dominican Republic aged 19 The Mayans had taken a Spaniard
On 18 February 1519, without and by 25 had befriended Diego named Alonso de Aguilar several
Velásquez. Cortés joined him in
official authorisation, Cortés his conquest of Cuba and saw years previously – as a result
set sail from Cuba with 11 ships that leading an expedition to Cortés was able to communicate
and over 500 men. He sailed the new world was the path to with the Mayans, a stroke of On your head
untold riches and power. He The typical conquistador
west to Cozumel on the Yucatán sacked the Aztec capital city incredible luck that allowed head-dress was a heavy
coast. Cortés was the best-armed and through war and disease him to converse with the steel-crested helmet
with sweeping sides
brought about the fall of the
European to hit the continent, with natives. The small fleet sailed that came to points
great civilisation. on either end. Cortés
cutting-edge weaponry, including around the Yucatán coast to considered helmets the
cannons that some sources believe represented the Potonchan, arriving there in mid-March 1519. most important part of
his men’s armour and had
first use of gunpowder in the New World. Against The natives there had previously given gold to them mass-produced in
the flints, spears and arrows of the South American a Spanish expedition and Cortés hoped for a Cuba before setting sail.
tribes they represented devastatingly superior similar reception. However, upon arrival, he was
“ The Aztecs had never seen beasts
trained to attack men before and this
radically different form of warfare struck Swords of steel
Conquistadors were all
fear into the native fighting groups” armoured with steel swords.
Narrow, but about 1m (3ft) in
length, they were equipped
with very sharp sides to which
the native Americans had
little protection. The Spanish
steel could survive a full-force
impact with a metal helmet.
Spanish brigantines
The ships Cortés’ party used
were large and held many men
who could fire on the Aztec
warriors. However, the ships’ size
was also a disadvantage, as they
would often get stuck, which left
them vulnerable to attack.

Canoe attacks Shell suits
The Aztec canoe fleets worked Encased in a steel shell or chain mail,
well for attacking the Spanish some conquistadors were all but
invaders because they allowed invulnerable to native attacks, but the
the Aztecs to surround the expense and availability of steel meant
Spanish on both sides of the that Cortés’ men were mainly protected
causeways around the capital by cotton or leather jackets, which were
of Tenochtitlan. effective against Aztec weaponry.
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