PARES | Spanish Archives

Person - Moctezuma II (1467-1520, emperador Azteca)

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Moctezuma II (1467-1520, emperador Azteca)

Identification

Type:

Person

Preferred form:

Moctezuma II (1467-1520, emperador Azteca)Other forms

Fechas de existencia:

1467 - 1520

History:

Aztec Emperor (he held the title of "huey tlatoani", which means "great orator") between 1502 and 1520. He was born in Tenochtitlan in 1467 and was son of Axayácatl, who was Emperor since 1469 to 1481. During his predecessor Ahuízotl kingdom, he was a great priest and officer in command. When he was in the throne, he started a series of reforms of the administrative and fiscal structure of his government and also declared war on Tlaxcala, although he did not achieve its annexation. He also sent expeditions to Honduras and Nicaragua. In 1519, the Spanish army, led by Hernán Cortés, disembarked in the east cost of Mexico and started to have contact with Moctezuma, who first though that he could be the god Quetzalcóatl. Moctezuma welcomed them in the capital city, Tenochtitlán, but he finally was captured by Cortés. There are several versions of his death: some say he was murdered by the Spanish army, and some others say that he was stoned by his own people.