The Rise of the Aztecs
- Dates of predominance
- Name variations and pronunciation
- Location
- Tenochtitlán
- History
- For More Information
The Aztec empire was at its peak when the Spanish conquistadores (conquerors) arrived in 1519. The first soldiers who arrived with the expedition of Spanish commander Hernán Cortés (1485–1547) were amazed by the civilization they found in the Valley of Mexico. The size, magnificence, beauty, wealth, order, cleanliness, and sophistication of the capital city of Tenochtitlán (pronounced tay-notch-teet-LAHN) rivaled the top European cities of the time, and outdid them in many ways.
At the same time, however, the conquistadors were horrified by the massive human sacrifices (killing many...
[The entire page is 5975 words long]
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