Episode Details
Back to Episodes
The Siege of Tenochtitlan: Famine and Disease
Season 3
Episode 103
Published 1 month, 4 weeks ago
Description
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the devastating impact of famine and disease during the siege of Tenochtitlan in 1521. The discussion focuses on the smallpox epidemic that ravaged the city, the strategic blockade of food and water by Cortés's forces, and the resilience of the Mexica defenders. Drawing on accounts from the Florentine Codex and Bernal Díaz del Castillo, they examine how hunger and disease weakened the city before its final collapse. The episode highlights the role of cocoliztli (pestilence) and the tactical use of starvation as a weapon of conquest.