Hernando+de+Cortes

=__Hernando de Cortez__=

Hernando de Cortez was a spanish conquistador who defeated and conquered the Aztec Empire. When Juan de Grijalva reported his discovery of Mexico in 1518, Velasquez picked Cortez to build a colony there. Velasquez soon suspected Cortez would go beyond his orders and cancelled the expedition. Unfortunately for Velasquez, Cortez had already assembled men and equipment and set sail. He rounded the peninsula at Yucatan and touched Mexico on the coast of what is now the state of Tabasco. Cortez then went to Tenochtitlan (now Mexico City) and was graciously received by Montezuma, the Aztec emperor. Soon after Cortez established headquarters in the capital, he learned that the Aztecs had plundered Veracruz. He seized Montezuma and forced him to surrender the attackers. Then he had them executed. Velasquez sent soldiers to bring Cortez back to Cuba but Cortez defeated them. He returned to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan. Cortez and his army was then surrounded by many Aztec warriors but they defeated them and then later the emperor surrendered.