The Cocoliztli Epidemic: Smallpox That Toppled Tenochtitlan

The Cocoliztli Epidemic: Smallpox That Toppled Tenochtitlan

In 1520, while Cortés was away from Tenochtitlan, a disease brought by the Spanish killed the Aztec emperor Cuitláhuac and tens of thousands of Mexica. This episode explores the cocoliztli epidemic, likely smallpox, that devastated the city before the final siege. Lucas and Luna discuss how the disease arrived with the Narváez expedition, its impact on Aztec leadership and morale, and the role of indigenous allies who were largely immune. They also touch on later outbreaks and the demographic collapse of Mesoamerica. Specific terms include: cocoliztli, Cuitláhuac, Moctezuma Xocoyotzin, Pánfilo de Narváez, Bernal Díaz del Castillo, Florentine Codex, Bernardino de Sahagún, and Tenochtitlan. #Cocoliztli #Smallpox #Tenochtitlan #Cuitláhuac #Cortés #PánfiloDeNarváez #BernalDíaz #FlorentineCodex #Sahagún #Mesoamerica #AztecEmpire #Epidemic #ConquestOfMexico #History #FexingoHistory #IndigenousHistory #Disease #1520 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Cortés's Forgotten African Conquistador: Juan Garrido

This episode of Fexingo History spotlights Juan Garrido, a free black African conquistador who fought alongside Hernán Cortés in the conquest of the Aztec Empire. Garrido was one of hundreds of enslaved and free Africans who participated in the Spanish invasion, yet his story is rarely told. We trace his journey from the slave markets of West Africa to the siege of Tenochtitlan, where he fought as a soldier, managed mining operations, and later became a farmer in Mexico City. Drawing on records from the Archivo General de Indias, we examine how men like Garrido navigated colonial society, gained land grants, and left descendants whose histories are still being uncovered. The episode also explores the broader role of African auxiliaries — often overlooked in favor of Tlaxcalan allies — in Cortés's campaign. Listeners will encounter primary source testimony from Garrido's own petition to the Spanish crown, revealing his service during La Noche Triste and the final battle for the island capital. It's a necessary corrective to the narrative that the conquest was solely a clash between Europeans and Indigenous peoples. #JuanGarrido #AfricanConquistador #HernanCortes #AztecEmpire #Tenochtitlan #ArchivoGeneralDeIndias #LaNocheTriste #Slavery #ColonialMexico #NewSpain #Mesoamerica #BlackHistory #Conquest #Siege #16thCentury #History #FexingoHistory #Podcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

Cortés's Siege Engineers: The Men Who Built the Brigantines

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the forgotten story of Martín López and the Spanish shipbuilders who constructed the brigantines that broke the Aztec siege of Tenochtitlan. With only a handful of carpenters, iron tools, and thousands of Tlaxcalan laborers, Cortés's men built thirteen ships in just six weeks on the shores of Lake Texcoco — a feat that turned the tide of the conquest. Lucas explains how the brigantines, with their lateen sails and bronze cannons, outmaneuvered the Aztec war canoes, cut off supply routes, and enabled the final assault on the island capital. He also reveals the logistical nightmare of transporting materials from Veracruz, the role of indigenous allies in construction, and the technological gap that doomed the Mexica navy. Along the way, the hosts touch on the Florentine Codex accounts, the Lienzo de Tlaxcala illustrations, and the strategic brilliance of Cortés's improvised fleet. #MartínLópez #Brigantines #Cortés #Tenochtitlan #LakeTexcoco #TlaxcalanAllies #FlorentineCodex #LienzoDeTlaxcala #AztecCanoes #SiegeWarfare #NavalHistory #SpanishConquest #Mesoamerica #Acalli #LateenSail #BronzeCannons #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Templo Mayor: Cortés's Final Sacrifice

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the destruction of the Aztec Templo Mayor, the spiritual and political heart of Tenochtitlan. They discuss its significance as a dual temple to Huitzilopochtli and Tlaloc, the ritual sacrifices that defined Mexica religion, and the moment Cortés ordered its demolition. Drawing on accounts from the Florentine Codex and Bernal Díaz del Castillo, they examine how the Spanish repurposed the site to build the Cathedral of Mexico City, and what archaeological excavations in the 1970s revealed about the original structure. The conversation touches on the symbolism of the Coyolxauhqui stone, the role of the tzompantli (skull rack), and the lasting legacy of this act of cultural erasure. #Aztec #TemploMayor #Huitzilopochtli #Tlaloc #Cortés #Tenochtitlan #Coyolxauhqui #FlorentineCodex #BernalDíaz #Mesoamerica #Conquest #MexicoCity #Archaeology #Sacrifice #Tzompantli #SpanishColonization #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]

The Siege of Tenochtitlan's Water Supply

In episode 137 of Fexingo History, Lucas and Luna explore a crucial but often overlooked aspect of the Spanish conquest: the cutting of Tenochtitlan's water supply. The Mexica capital relied on an aqueduct from Chapultepec, and when Cortés ordered it destroyed during the 1521 siege, the city began to die of thirst. This episode follows the strategic decision, the technical challenge of breaching the stone-and-clay channel, and the devastating consequences for the besieged population. Drawing on accounts from the Florentine Codex and Bernal Díaz del Castillo, we examine how the loss of water—more than any single battle—broke Aztec resistance. We also touch on the symbolic importance of water in Mexica cosmology, the role of Tlaxcalan allies in the operation, and the long-term impact on the city's infrastructure after the conquest. A focused look at how environmental warfare shaped the fall of Tenochtitlan. #Tenochtitlan #Chapultepec #Cortés #Aztec #WaterSupply #Mexica #Siege #FlorentineCodex #BernalDíaz #Tlaxcalans #Mesoamerica #Conquest #Nahuatl #Aqueduct #1521 #Chalchiuhtlicue #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo [https://buymeacoffee.com/fexingo]