Song of the Hummingbird

By the 15th century, the Aztecs, also known as the Mexica or the Tenochca, ruled an expansive empire in modern-day central and southern Mexico, reaching as far south as Guatemala. Their capital city, Tenochtitlán (currently Mexico City), impressed Spanish conquistadors with its size and grandeur. Built on an artificial island, the city featured advanced infrastructure, boasting elaborate gardens, palaces, and temples. Its central position made it a hub for trade and politics in the region. The empire thrived on an alliance between three main city-states, fortifying its political and military power. A complex network of trade and tribute from neighboring conquered regions enriched and empowered the empire but also bred resentment among the subjected peoples.

When Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés arrived in the area that is today Mexico with a force of around 500 soldiers, he capitalized on this internal dissatisfaction to fight against the empire, forming alliances with local communities that were hostile to the Mexica. Their aid, alongside the Spaniards’ superior weaponry and the introduction of deadly diseases to which the Mexica population had no immunity, significantly weakened the Mexica. Despite fierce resistance, the capital fell to the Spanish in 1521 after a brutal two-year campaign. This marked the end of the Mexica empire and paved the way for the continued colonization of Mexico and neighboring nations.