Montezuma

Montezuma, more formally Moctezuma Xocoyotzin and commonly known as Montezuma II, was the ninth Tlatoani (emperor) of the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. He ruled from 1502 to 1520 and was a central figure during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire led by Hernán Cortés. Born in the 1460s, he succeeded his uncle Ahuitzotl. His reign saw the further expansion of the empire and increased tribute, as well as complex political alliances within the Valley of Mexico.

During the Spanish expedition, Montezuma attempted diplomacy and initially welcomed the Spaniards into Tenochtitlan in 1519. The Aztec capital soon faced internal unrest and, after tensions escalated, the Spaniards took Montezuma hostage. In 1520, during the Noche Triste, Montezuma died under uncertain circumstances, with accounts differing whether he was killed by the Spaniards or by his own people. His death did not immediately end Aztec resistance, but by 1521 Tenochtitlan fell to the Spaniards.

Montezuma's image has a substantial legacy in popular culture, often symbolizing pre-Columbian Mexico and the encounter with Europeans. The name has been used for numerous places and institutions, including towns in the United States and sites such as Montezuma Castle National Monument in Arizona. The figure and the events of his reign remain central to historical discussions of the Spanish conquest and the fall of the Aztec Empire.