La Noche Triste
1520 CE · Tenochtitlan, Mexico
La Noche Triste was fought in 1520 CE in Tenochtitlan, Mexico between Aztec Empire vs the Spanish conquistadors and their Tlaxcalan allies; Aztec victory; the Spaniards were driven from Tenochtitlan with heavy losses on the causeways.
La Noche Triste: quick facts
- Date
- 1520 CE
- Location
- Tenochtitlan, Mexico
- Belligerents
- Aztec Empire vs the Spanish conquistadors and their Tlaxcalan allies
- Commanders
- Cuitláhuac vs Hernán Cortés
- Result
- Aztec victory; the Spaniards were driven from Tenochtitlan with heavy losses on the causeways.
- Era
- 🌎 Latin American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at La Noche Triste?
La Noche Triste (The Sad Night) was the disastrous Spanish retreat from Tenochtitlan after the Aztec uprising. Cortes and his men attempted to escape across the causeways at night but were discovered. Many soldiers drowned in the lake, weighed down by looted gold. Cortes reportedly wept under an ahuehuete tree, having lost over half his force.
Did you know?
During La Noche Triste, so much looted Aztec gold was lost in the waters of Lake Texcoco that treasure hunters searched the area for centuries. Some soldiers reportedly drowned because they refused to abandon their gold.
Sources and further reading
- La Noche Triste 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.