Cuitláhuac: The Aztec Emperor Who Defeated Cortés episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 18, 2026 · 5 MIN

Cuitláhuac: The Aztec Emperor Who Defeated Cortés

from The Conquistadors: Exploration, Greed, and Destruction — Fexingo History · host Fexingo

Before Cuauhtémoc's final stand, another Mexica ruler briefly held the fate of Tenochtitlan in his hands. Cuitláhuac, the 10th Huey Tlatoani, ruled for just 80 days in 1520—but in that time he organized the military campaign that drove the Spanish from the city on the Noche Triste. This episode explores Cuitláhuac's life, his role as lord of Iztapalapa, his leadership in the Toxcatl massacre, and his sudden death from smallpox that changed the course of the conquest. We examine the Nahuatl sources that record his actions and the mystery of his burial. What if Cuitláhuac had lived? #Cuitláhuac #HueyTlatoani #Iztapalapa #ToxcatlMassacre #NocheTriste #Smallpox #Tenochtitlan #Cortés #Mexica #Aztec #Mesoamerica #FlorentineCodex #BernalDíaz #Conquistadors #History #FexingoHistory #IndigenousResistance #1520 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

Before Cuauhtémoc's final stand, another Mexica ruler briefly held the fate of Tenochtitlan in his hands. Cuitláhuac, the 10th Huey Tlatoani, ruled for just 80 days in 1520—but in that time he organized the military campaign that drove the Spanish from the city on the Noche Triste. This episode explores Cuitláhuac's life, his role as lord of Iztapalapa, his leadership in the Toxcatl massacre, and his sudden death from smallpox that changed the course of the conquest. We examine the Nahuatl sources that record his actions and the mystery of his burial. What if Cuitláhuac had lived? #Cuitláhuac #HueyTlatoani #Iztapalapa #ToxcatlMassacre #NocheTriste #Smallpox #Tenochtitlan #Cortés #Mexica #Aztec #Mesoamerica #FlorentineCodex #BernalDíaz #Conquistadors #History #FexingoHistory #IndigenousResistance #1520 Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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Cuitláhuac: The Aztec Emperor Who Defeated Cortés

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This episode was published on June 18, 2026.

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Before Cuauhtémoc's final stand, another Mexica ruler briefly held the fate of Tenochtitlan in his hands. Cuitláhuac, the 10th Huey Tlatoani, ruled for just 80 days in 1520—but in that time he organized the military campaign that drove the Spanish...

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