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The Conquest of the Zapotecs and Mixtecs
Season 1
Episode 26
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
Description
In the shadow of the Aztec Empire, the Spanish also conquered the sophisticated Zapotec and Mixtec civilizations of Oaxaca. This episode explores how Hernán Cortés sent Pedro de Alvarado and later Francisco de Orozco to subdue the region in the 1520s. We focus on the fierce resistance of the Zapotec ruler Cocijoeza, who allied with the Aztecs against the Spanish, and the strategic mountain fortress of Monte Albán. We also examine the Mixtec codices, which record their own history and resistance, and the eventual imposition of encomienda systems and the destruction of indigenous political structures. Discover how cultural resilience persisted despite military defeat.