The Aztecs were afraid of the Spanish because they believed that the Spanish were sent by their gods to punish them for their sins.
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The Aztecs were afraid of the Spanish due to several reasons, the primary being their belief that the Spanish were sent by their gods to punish them for their sins. According to Aztec mythology, their god Quetzalcoatl, who resembled a white bearded man, had promised to return one day and bring peace and prosperity. This legend, combined with the European features of the Spanish, convinced many Aztecs that they were in fact the returning deity.
Additionally, the Aztecs had never encountered individuals with such superior technology and weaponry as the Spanish. They were unfamiliar with horses and steel weapons such as swords and armor, which gave the Spanish a significant advantage in battle. Furthermore, the Spanish brought diseases such as smallpox, for which the Aztecs had no immunity, resulting in a devastating loss of life.
The Spanish also made alliances with neighboring tribes who had been conquered by the Aztecs, which weakened them politically and militarily. This made it easier for the Spanish to ultimately conquer the Aztecs and their vast empire.
As famous historian Bernal Diaz del Castillo wrote in his account of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, “We came here to serve God and the king, and also to get rich.” While the Aztecs initially feared the Spanish and their perceived divine power, it was ultimately their superior weaponry, tactics, and alliances that led to their downfall.
Interesting facts:
- The Aztecs believed in the cyclical nature of time and that everything was predetermined by the gods. This fatalistic view may have contributed to their initial acceptance of the Spanish conquest.
- The capital city of the Aztec Empire, Tenochtitlan, was one of the largest cities in the world at the time of the Spanish conquest.
- The Aztecs practiced human sacrifice as a way to appease their gods, which was seen as barbaric and sinful by the Spanish.
- The Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes, who led the conquest of the Aztecs, initially arrived in Mexico with only a small force but was able to build alliances and gain power over time.
- The conquest of the Aztecs by the Spanish is considered one of the most significant events in the history of the Americas.
Table:
| Reasons why the Aztecs were afraid of the Spanish |
|---|
| Belief that they were sent by their gods |
| Superior technology and weaponry |
| Spread of disease |
| Alliances with neighboring tribes |
Here are some other answers to your question
Montezuma II, the Aztec emperor, professed a fear that the Spaniards were followers of the white-skinned and bearded Teotihuacán god, Quetzalcoatl, who had been exiled by the Toltecs because he forbade human sacrifice and had promised a return from across the sea to enforce his law.
Video answer to “Why were the Aztecs afraid of the Spanish?”
The video explores the hypothetical scenario of the Aztecs having defeated the Spanish, and how it would impact history. It highlights how the Spanish conquest was heavily reliant on the advantage of disease, and without it, the Aztecs would have been difficult to conquer. The video also touches on the potential changes in Europe, with the absence of Spanish wealth from the New World leading to a rise in Protestantism and France expanding into Italy. The video further examines the consequences for the rest of the Americas, with the possibility of a great Aztec empire and the emergence of advanced southern Native American tribes. However, it is also mentioned that the fate of the Aztecs would have depended on the success of a potential Christian revolt. Overall, the video offers an intriguing analysis of the consequences of such an alternate history.
In addition, people ask
Moreover, Why did the Aztecs have no chance against the Spanish conquerors?
As an answer to this: The Spanish were able to defeat the Aztec and the Inca not only because they had horses, dogs, guns, and swords, but also because they brought with them germs that made many native Americans sick. Diseases like smallpox and measles were unknown among the natives; therefore, they had no immunity to them.
Were the Spanish afraid of the Aztecs?
Cortés Travels to Tenochtitlan
They hated the Aztecs because they had raided their cities for people to sacrifice to their gods. Montezuma II tried to keep Cortés from getting all the way to Tenochtitlan, but Cortés continued his march. He destroyed the Aztec religious city of Cholula along the way.
What horrified the Spanish about the Aztecs?
The Spanish were horrified by the idea that the Aztecs believed in deities that frequently expected blood and hearts from their worshippers, especially when these were obtained in such a brutal way.
Why did the Spanish destroy the Aztecs? Answer: Cortes wanted to conquer the aztecs for gold glory and god. Because of these things, many people in the Aztec Empire were unhappy. Some of them helped the Spanish conquistadors take over the Empire.
Thereof, How did the Spanish react to Aztec religious practices?
As an answer to this: The Spanish reaction to Aztec religious practices is believed to be partially responsible for the violence of the Spanish conquest. The Spanish, led by conquistador Hernando Cortés, arrived in what is now Mexico in 1519. They were looking for gold, and the gifts from the Mexica ruler, Motecuhzoma, proved that gold was present.
Keeping this in consideration, Was Cortés scared of the Aztecs?
They were not scared at all of the Aztecs. In fact, it was the reverse. The Spanish had just defeated a Mayan army on the Yucatan Peninsula earlier, and they were confident that they could defeat the Aztecs. Cortés even was aware of this when he allied with the Totonacs.
What happened during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire? Response: The Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, also known as the Conquest of Mexico or the Spanish-Aztec War (1519–21), was one of the primary events in the Spanish colonization of the Americas. There are multiple 16th-century narratives of the events by Spanish conquistadors, their indigenous allies, and the defeated Aztecs.
Beside above, Why were the Aztecs so brutal? Answer to this: With human sacrifice an everyday occurrence , the Aztecs were a people stained with their own blood. Few tribes had the power to resist this brutality, but not all were helpless. The Tlaxcalans, followers of Camaxtil, god of war and hunting, were one of the Aztecs’ greatest challengers.
Correspondingly, How did the Spanish react to Aztec religious practices? Answer: The Spanish reaction to Aztec religious practices is believed to be partially responsible for the violence of the Spanish conquest. The Spanish, led by conquistador Hernando Cortés, arrived in what is now Mexico in 1519. They were looking for gold, and the gifts from the Mexica ruler, Motecuhzoma, proved that gold was present.
Also, Was Cortés scared of the Aztecs?
They were not scared at all of the Aztecs. In fact, it was the reverse. The Spanish had just defeated a Mayan army on the Yucatan Peninsula earlier, and they were confident that they could defeat the Aztecs. Cortés even was aware of this when he allied with the Totonacs.
How did the Spanish conquer the Aztec Empire? The Spanish allied with all the oppressed, subjugated and terrorized Mesoamerican nations, especially the Tlaxcalans, and they formed a formidable alliance which was able to crush the Aztec Empire. The Spaniards could never have conquered the empire alone.
Moreover, Why were the Aztecs so brutal? In reply to that: With human sacrifice an everyday occurrence , the Aztecs were a people stained with their own blood. Few tribes had the power to resist this brutality, but not all were helpless. The Tlaxcalans, followers of Camaxtil, god of war and hunting, were one of the Aztecs’ greatest challengers.