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The Siege of Tenochtitlan: How Cortés Beat 300,000
Description
In this episode, Lucas and Luna dive into the final siege of Tenochtitlan in 1521—the brutal, year-long campaign that ended the Aztec Empire. Lucas unpacks Cortés's tactical brilliance: building a fleet of 13 brigantines on Lake Texcoco, cutting off causeways, and orchestrating a water blockade that starved the city. He explains how thousands of Tlaxcalan and Texcocan allies provided the bulk of the fighting force, and how smallpox—introduced by a Spanish slave—devastated the Mexica population. The conversation covers key moments like the fall of Tlatelolco's marketplace, the capture of Cuauhtémoc, and the relentless day-by-day advance that left Tenochtitlan in ruins. Lucas also highlights the role of indigenous allies' motivations—revenge, tribute freedom, and land—and how the siege reshaped Mesoamerican power forever. No romanticizing the conquest here: it's a story of disease, alliance, and systematic destruction.