Final answer:
The events between Cortez and Moctezuma resulted in the downfall of the Aztec Empire. Moctezuma initially welcomed the Spanish, but conflict arose and he was killed. The Spanish ultimately defeated the Aztecs and captured their capital city.
Step-by-step explanation:
The events that occurred between Cortez and Moctezuma were tumultuous and ultimately led to the downfall of the Aztec Empire. In 1519, Hernán Cortés arrived in Mexico and encountered the powerful Aztec Empire, led by Moctezuma II. Initially, Moctezuma welcomed the Spanish, but conflict erupted when the Spanish killed participants in an Aztec religious ritual. The Aztecs rebelled against the Spanish, and in the chaos, Moctezuma II was killed. The Spanish, facing destruction, fled Tenochtitlán and sought alliances with native peoples who resented Aztec rule. It took nearly a year for the Spanish and their native allies to defeat the Aztecs and capture Tenochtitlán.