Aztec timeline

1502

• Montezuma becomes the Aztec rule

• The Treaty of Tordesillas is signed, by which Pope Alexander VI grants all lands to the west of a line in the Atlantic Ocean to Spain, and all lands to the east of the line to Portugal.

• Christopher Columbus arrives in the Americas, landing in the Bahamas, Cuba and Hispaniola in the Caribbean.

• Aztecs are defeated, Tenochtitlan is destroyed by the Spanish and their allies during the 3 month siege.

1492

• Hernandez de Cordoba begins to explore the Yucatan Peninsula and Mexico’s east coast.

• Aztecs in Tenochtitlan are massacred by the Spanish. Montezuma Aztec leader dies.

  Spanish are driven out of the city a few months later.

  Smallpox sweeps through the region.

• Christopher Columbus arrives in the Americas, landing in the Bahamas, Cuba and Hispaniola in the Caribbean

• Aztecs are defeated, Tenochtitlan is destroyed by the Spanish and their allies during the 3 month siege.

1428

• Hernan Cortes arrives in the Aztec empire and enters Tenochtitlan.

• ‘America’ is first named by the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, in honour of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

• Hernandez de Cordoba begins to explore the Yucatan Peninsula and Mexico’s east coast

• A triple alliance is forged between the cities of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan. This cements the power of the Aztec empire

1494

• America’ is first named by the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, in honour of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

• The Treaty of Tordesillas is signed, by which Pope Alexander VI grants all lands to the west of a line in the Atlantic Ocean to Spain, and all lands to the east of the line to Portugal.

• Aztecs in Tenochtitlan are massacred by the Spanish. Montezuma Aztec leader dies.

  Spanish are driven out of the city a few months later.

  Smallpox sweeps through the region

• Aztecs are defeated, Tenochtitlan is destroyed by the Spanish and their allies during the 3 month siege

1507

• America’ is first named by the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, in honour of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

• Hernan Cortes arrives in the Aztec empire and enters Tenochtitlan.

• A triple alliance is forged between the cities of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan. This cements the power of the Aztec empire.

• Aztecs in Tenochtitlan are massacred by the Spanish. Montezuma Aztec leader dies.

  Spanish are driven out of the city a few months later.

  Smallpox sweeps through the region

1517

• Hernan Cortes arrives in the Aztec empire and enters Tenochtitlan.

• Aztecs are defeated, Tenochtitlan is destroyed by the Spanish and their allies during the 3 month siege.

• Hernandez de Cordoba begins to explore the Yucatan Peninsula and Mexico’s east coast

• Aztecs are defeated, Tenochtitlan is destroyed by the Spanish and their allies during the 3 month siege.

1519

• The Treaty of Tordesillas is signed, by which Pope Alexander VI grants all lands to the west of a line in the Atlantic Ocean to Spain, and all lands to the east of the line to Portugal.

• Montezuma becomes the Aztec ruler.

• Hernan Cortes arrives in the Aztec empire and enters Tenochtitlan.

• Hernandez de Cordoba begins to explore the Yucatan Peninsula and Mexico’s east coast.

1520

• A triple alliance is forged between the cities of Tenochtitlan, Texcoco and Tlacopan. This cements the power of the Aztec empire.

• Christopher Columbus arrives in the Americas, landing in the Bahamas, Cuba and Hispaniola in the Caribbean.

• ‘America’ is first named by the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, in honour of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

• Aztecs in Tenochtitlan are massacred by the Spanish. Montezuma Aztec leader dies.

  Spanish are driven out of the city a few months later.

  Smallpox sweeps through the region

1521

• Aztecs are defeated, Tenochtitlan is destroyed by the Spanish and their allies during the 3 month siege

• Hernan Cortes arrives in the Aztec empire and enters Tenochtitlan.

• ‘America’ is first named by the cartographer Martin Waldseemüller, in honour of the explorer Amerigo Vespucci.

• Montezuma becomes the Aztec ruler.