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The Cholula Massacre: Cortés's Bloody Prelude to Tenochtitlan
Season 4
Episode 166
Published 3 weeks, 6 days ago
Description
In October 1519, just months after landing in Mexico, Hernán Cortés and his Tlaxcalan allies slaughtered thousands of unarmed nobles in the sacred city of Cholula. This episode unpacks what happened, why, and whether it was a preemptive strike or a calculated act of terror. We explore the competing accounts from Bernal Díaz del Castillo, the Florentine Codex, and indigenous sources; the role of Malintzin in the alleged conspiracy; and the lasting image of Cholula as a warning to Mesoamerican cities. We also consider Cholula's own political rivalries with Tlaxcala and the Aztecs, and how the massacre reshaped the balance of power on the road to Tenochtitlan. Names, dates, and direct quotes ground the conversation in specifics.