Download HISTORY OF MEXICO, “The siege of the capital”, p

HISTORY OF MEXICO, “The siege of the capital”, p. 118
After his defeat in the Aztec capital, Cortez went to Tlaxcala fighting along the way against
the Aztec armies that he encountered, but winning battles. In Tlaxcala he was well received
by his old allies. He remained there for some time curing the wounds of his soldiers and
preparing for the conquering of the capital.
In the Tlaxcalteca capital, added to his army Spanish forces that had come to Mexico from
Spain and Cuba. Cortez build three boats to fight against the Aztec canoes on the Texcoco
Lake and in the canals of the capital.
When he returned once more to the Aztec capital, the Spanish conqueror began a siege of
the city by land and water. The siege lasted seventy-five days. Although the new emperor
Cuauhtemoc had stored a great supply of corn, the principal food of the Aztecs, there was
such a great number of Aztec warriors and allies in the city that long before the siege ended
the inhabitants of the city began to suffer hunger. They also suffered a shortage of water
when Cortez destroyed the aqueduct that supplied water to the Aztecs.
In spite of this, the Aztecs fought bravely under the command of the emperor. Great battles
were unleased where the Aztecs at times won and the Spanish at other times. On various
occasions Cortez sent the emperor messages proposing to him surrender, but Cuauhtemoc
always responded that the Aztecs preferred death to surrender.