Battle of Otumba
1520 CE · Otumba, Mexico
The Battle of Otumba was fought in 1520 CE in Otumba, Mexico between Spanish conquistadors and Tlaxcalan allies vs the Aztec Empire; Spanish victory; the retreating Spaniards broke the Aztec army by killing its commander.
Battle of Otumba: quick facts
- Date
- 1520 CE
- Location
- Otumba, Mexico
- Belligerents
- Spanish conquistadors and Tlaxcalan allies vs the Aztec Empire
- Commanders
- Hernán Cortés vs Matlatzincatzin
- Result
- Spanish victory; the retreating Spaniards broke the Aztec army by killing its commander.
- Era
- 🌎 Latin American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- hard
What happened at the Battle of Otumba?
After the disastrous retreat from Tenochtitlan known as La Noche Triste, Cortes and his battered survivors were intercepted on the plains of Otumba by a massive Aztec army. In a desperate cavalry charge, Cortes personally struck down the Aztec commanding general, causing the army to scatter and saving his force from annihilation.
Did you know?
After the desperate victory at Otumba, Cortes's surviving force numbered fewer than 500 Spaniards, yet he immediately began planning the reconquest of Tenochtitlan rather than retreating to the coast.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Otumba 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.