Final answer:
It is true that recruiting native allies was critical in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Native allies augmented Spanish forces and contributed significantly to the fall of Tenochtitlán. These alliances were a key aspect of Spanish strategy and crucial to their eventual victory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Recruiting native allies was indeed a pivotal strategy in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador, successfully leveraged existing rivalries and discontent among indigenous groups in the region. These alliances helped Cortés and his forces to significantly bolster their military might, despite being numerically inferior to the Aztec forces. Native allies provided Cortés with warriors, as well as invaluable knowledge of the local terrain and logistics.
The presence of native allies not only augmented the military capabilities of the Spanish but also sowed seeds of psychological warfare against the Aztecs. It challenged the Aztec's own belief in their regional dominance and superiority. The fall of Tenochtitlán, the Aztec capital, in 1521 was due in large part to the collaboration between the Spanish and their native allies, undermining the Aztec's ability to mount a unified defense.
Therefore, the statement that recruiting native allies played an important role in the Spanish conquest of the Aztec is true. The complexity and efficacy of these alliances were integral to the Spanish conquest strategy and played a decisive role in their victory.