The Toxcatl Massacre: How a Festival Became a Turning Point episode artwork

EPISODE · May 28, 2026 · 5 MIN

The Toxcatl Massacre: How a Festival Became a Turning Point

from Tenochtitlan: The Aztec Capital That Shocked the Spanish — Fexingo History · host Fexingo

In this episode of Tenochtitlan: The Aztec Capital That Shocked the Spanish, Lucas and Luna explore the Toxcatl Massacre of 1520, a pivotal event that turned the Mexica against the Spanish and led directly to the Noche Triste. They discuss the festival of Toxcatl in honor of Tezcatlipoca, Pedro de Alvarado's attack on unarmed nobles, and the conflicting accounts from Spanish and Indigenous sources. Lucas explains the role of Moctezuma II, the choice of a young man to impersonate Tezcatlipoca for a year, and how the massacre shattered the fragile peace. The episode also touches on the Templo Mayor plaza, the use of macuahuitl, and the aftermath including the siege of the palace. A nuanced look at a controversial event that changed the course of history. #ToxcatlMassacre #PedroDeAlvarado #MoctezumaII #Tezcatlipoca #Tenochtitlan #Aztec #Mexica #NocheTriste #TemploMayor #macuahuitl #BernalDiaz #FlorentineCodex #SpanishConquest #Mesoamerica #1520 #History #FexingoHistory #AztecHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

In this episode of Tenochtitlan: The Aztec Capital That Shocked the Spanish, Lucas and Luna explore the Toxcatl Massacre of 1520, a pivotal event that turned the Mexica against the Spanish and led directly to the Noche Triste. They discuss the festival of Toxcatl in honor of Tezcatlipoca, Pedro de Alvarado's attack on unarmed nobles, and the conflicting accounts from Spanish and Indigenous sources. Lucas explains the role of Moctezuma II, the choice of a young man to impersonate Tezcatlipoca for a year, and how the massacre shattered the fragile peace. The episode also touches on the Templo Mayor plaza, the use of macuahuitl, and the aftermath including the siege of the palace. A nuanced look at a controversial event that changed the course of history. #ToxcatlMassacre #PedroDeAlvarado #MoctezumaII #Tezcatlipoca #Tenochtitlan #Aztec #Mexica #NocheTriste #TemploMayor #macuahuitl #BernalDiaz #FlorentineCodex #SpanishConquest #Mesoamerica #1520 #History #FexingoHistory #AztecHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo

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The Toxcatl Massacre: How a Festival Became a Turning Point

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This episode was published on May 28, 2026.

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In this episode of Tenochtitlan: The Aztec Capital That Shocked the Spanish, Lucas and Luna explore the Toxcatl Massacre of 1520, a pivotal event that turned the Mexica against the Spanish and led directly to the Noche Triste. They discuss the...

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