Siege of Tenochtitlan
1521 CE · Tenochtitlan, Mexico
The Siege of Tenochtitlan was fought in 1521 CE in Tenochtitlan, Mexico between Spanish conquistadors and indigenous allies (chiefly Tlaxcala) vs the Aztec Empire; Spanish and allied victory; Tenochtitlan fell and the Aztec Empire ended.
Siege of Tenochtitlan: quick facts
- Date
- 1521 CE
- Location
- Tenochtitlan, Mexico
- Belligerents
- Spanish conquistadors and indigenous allies (chiefly Tlaxcala) vs the Aztec Empire
- Commanders
- Hernán Cortés vs Cuauhtémoc
- Result
- Spanish and allied victory; Tenochtitlan fell and the Aztec Empire ended.
- Era
- 🌎 Latin American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Siege of Tenochtitlan?
Hernan Cortes and his Spanish-Tlaxcalan alliance besieged the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlan for 75 days. The Spanish built brigantine warships to control Lake Texcoco, cut off food and water supplies, and fought brutal street-by-street combat before the city fell, ending the Aztec Empire.
Did you know?
At the peak of its power, Tenochtitlan had a population of over 200,000 people, making it one of the largest cities in the world. It was built on an island connected to the shore by causeways and featured elaborate aqueducts and floating gardens.
Sources and further reading
- Siege of Tenochtitlan on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.