1521 - The Conquest of Tenochtitlán

Dates That Made History – Season 3

On August 13, 1521, Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec Empire, fell to Hernán Cortés after a months-long siege. With its conquest, the Spanish conquistador not only conquered one of the world's largest cities, but also the spiritual center of a highly developed civilization. The conquest is not only part of Mexican history, but also of Europe's colonial conscience.