The Aztec civilization was conquered by the Spanish conquistadors led by Hernán Cortés in 1521, which brought an end to the Aztec empire
. The conquest was aided by the resentment of subject tribes towards the Aztecs, who demanded tribute and took captives from defeated populations
. The Spanish wore down the Aztec warriors and broke through the city's defenses, slaughtering the Aztecs and destroying the city
. The fall of the Aztec empire marked the beginning of a period of Indigenous genocide, ruthless colonialism, forced religious conversion, and the erasure of Indigenous knowledges and practices
