Final answer:
Hernán Cortés led a force of about 600 men to conquer the Aztec empire, arriving in Veracruz in 1519 and capturing Tenochtitlan by 1521. He formed alliances with Aztec enemies and used superior weaponry and disease to his advantage. The conquest ended with the defeat of the Aztec emperor, Cuauhtemoc, and the establishment of Mexico City.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hernando Cortes and the Conquest of the Aztec Empire
Hernán Cortés, a Spanish conquistador, embarked on a quest to conquer the Aztec empire. He landed in Veracruz on April 22, 1519, and by August 13, 1521, the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan fell to his forces. Despite facing far greater numbers, Cortés's army, numbered at about 600 men, took advantage of internal discontent within the Aztec dominions and formed alliances with enemies of the Aztecs. This strategy, combined with the Spaniards' superior weaponry and a devastating smallpox epidemic that weakened the Aztec population, enabled Cortés to capture the city and end the reign of the Aztec emperor, Cuauhtemoc. During this period, Cortés took the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II hostage and shortly afterward, the Spaniards fled Tenochtitlan during the sad night (La Noche Triste). Nevertheless, with reinforcement and laying siege to Tenochtitlan, Cortés was able to overpower the Aztecs, and the city was eventually razed and rebuilt as Mexico City, marking the establishment of Spanish colonial rule.