321 TENOCHTITLAN 1519-21: Clash of Civilizations

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In 1519, the Conquistador Hernan Cortes landed on the mainland of the Americas. His quest to serve God, win gold, and achieve glory drove him into the heartland of what is now Mexico, where no European had ever set foot before. He marched towards to the majestic city of Tenochtitlan, floating like a jewel in the midst of Lake Texcoco.

This encounter brought together cultures that had hitherto evolved in complete isolation from each other - Catholic Spain and the Aztec Empire. What ensued was the swift escalation from a clash of civilizations to a war of the worlds. At the conclusion of the Conquistador campaign of 1519-21, Tenochtitlan lay in ruins, the last Aztec Emperor was in chains, and Spanish authority over the native peoples had been definitively asserted.

With the colorful personalities -- Cortes, Malinche, Pedro Alvarez, Cuitlahuac, Cuauhtemoc -- driving the narrative, and the vivid differences in uniforms, weapons, and fighting styles between the rival armies, illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this explains the collapse of the Aztec Empire.