The Aztecs were conquered by the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. Between 1519 and 1521, Cortés, along with a small army of European soldiers and numerous indigenous allies, overthrew the Aztec Empire. Key factors in the conquest included strategic alliances with indigenous groups who opposed the Aztecs, the impact of European diseases like smallpox that devastated the Aztec population, and superior Spanish weaponry and tactics. The final victory came on August 13, 1521, when Cortés and his coalition captured the Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlán, and the Aztec emperor Cuauhtémoc. This event marked the beginning of Spanish dominance in central Mexico and the establishment of New Spain.
