How to Topple an Empire with 600 Guys | The Life & Times of Hernan Cortes

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Music (in order of appearance):
Kevin Macleod - Comic Plodding
Armik - Your Touch
The Fietchers - Aztec Empire
Civilization 6 OST - Montezuma Theme (Medieval)
Kevin Macleod - Arroz con Pollo
The Consouls - Night Walker

[@JackRackam]

Check out Warriors: Cortes and 3,000 other documentaries, on the house: try.magellantv.com/jackrackam/ Congratulations to Ellan Vannin for guessing this episode's subject on Patreon! Again, all it took was one post and bam-! Very impressed with this audience frankly. If you want to get involved in the next episode, you can join the crew at patreon.com/jackrackam. A huge thank you to all my patrons for your continued support!

[@GeldtheGelded]

Yo, was that history house production playing the aztec nobles?

[@JackRackam]

@@GeldtheGelded Darn skippy!

[@larrywave]

Link to that skallagrim video :)

[@JackRackam]

@@larrywave Here you are: kzbin.info/www/bejne/ZnyuimyjqZWamdU

[@larrywave]

@@JackRackam thank you 😇

[@reeyees50]

600 guys and thousands upon thousands of native allies who were hostile to the aztec empire. Divide and conquer

[@JackRackam]

Yeah, it may have started with 600 guys but the Tlaxcala people were instrumental in making it all happen. After all, they could've killed Cortes in their territory and that've been the end of it

[@hitoshura2800]

Realllllyyy helps when a shit load of people are dead from old world diseases too tho

[@alvaro6587]

@@JackRackam Cortez defeated the Tlaxcalan in Battle twice

[@AccountNameTaken]

@@alvaro6587 Yea guns make it pretty easy to defeat people without guns, especially people who never heard about guns. Guns basically did what elephants did at first, just 100 times more reliably and effectively.

[@devindubon2390]

@@alvaro6587 With heavy losses. They won yes, but the Tlaxcaltecs could easily have won through attrition. The Tlaxcalla-Spanish alliance wasn't really headed by Cortes for most of it, Tlaxcalla was running the show

[@iammrbeat]

How to topple an empire with 600 guys? Cough on them.

[@JackRackam]

Just imagining a small army of dudes running around town coughing on as many people as they can find

[@iammrbeat]

@@JackRackam ha no way they'd be that smart...don't get me wrong they'd be that evil...but not that smart :)

[@Cocklord911]

@@iammrbeat if only they had masks and social distancing

[@ottovonbismarck4497]

Holy shit, Florida is trying to topple the US

[@awzthemusicalreviews]

@@ottovonbismarck4497 as a Floridian, I can tell you WE'RE not smart enough to do that lol

[@NewGuy2534]

Cortez had arguably the best or worst vacation ever.

[@phantasosxgames8488]

he had the wildest

[@AccountNameTaken]

And somehow he did less damage than modern tourists.

[@Torlik11]

@@AccountNameTaken Depend on how you look at it. One could argue that without him there wouldn't be modern tourists to ruin the place so in a way, he is in part responsible for their damages.

[@riograndedosulball248]

@@Torlik11 nah, they would find their way there anyways

[@AccountNameTaken]

@@Torlik11 You underestimate the power of the modern Tourist.

[@Violent2aShadow]

I feel like this could be an episode of "Conquering An Empire IS PERFECTLY BALANCED WITH NO EXPLOITS."

[@Woldemar94]

someone is a tea lover, i see very spiffing.

[@thespanishinquisition4078]

It really basically is. I mean was the IRL equivalent. Cortes basically had everything against him from a european point of view. The crusades had far more backing and authority from stronger nations and still collapsed. But Cortez had one thing the crusaders didn't: He knew how to absolutely CHEESE the fuck out of both the issues the Aztecs already had and the Spanish colonie's politics. He was a bloody exploiter back before it was cool.

[@donramon9723]

@@thespanishinquisition4078 The Mexica from tenochtitlan were not well Liked by the others like the Purépecha, or The Independent confederations of Natives who called "Chichimecas," by them. Even if Cortes failed, someone else eventually would attack the Mexica because they were in possession and control of goods and people. Something like the Conquest would tip the balance of power in that region because it was precarious. They Probably could had have better diplomatic relations for a much longer period of time if it wasn't for Captain Pedro Alvarado, nicknamed "Tonatiuh" or "The Sun." Aka "The Blonde Spaniard." He attacked the weaponless festival goers when Cortez left the capital. This is what really set off the conflict prematurely. They could have lost everything then and there. Spaniards never battled beyond their numbers. They purposely fled battles that were not skewed to their favor. Retreat is the best winning plan sometimes. Ironically, Pedro De Alvarado was killed by Chichimeca warriors in the Mixton War much later. Many factors contributed to the luck Cortez had during those battles. Its interesting to think how history could have greatly changed if timing and arbitrary actions were abated.

[@Cecilia-ky3uw]

Indeed i want to simulate some kind of emprie toppling in a video game and make my name arched in the histories of the games multiplayer lol

[@petersmythe6462]

Note how little the conquistadors rely on guns, germs, or steel. Taking advantage of unfamiliarity, seizing on existing conflicts, and political intrigue seem to matter a lot more than weapons here. How to conquer an empire with 600 men? Convince 600000 to help.

[@jawahrnamen42]

All that you just said acts as a force multiplier favoring the conquistadors

[@10gamer64]

Or capture their leader after a civil war, then make them pay for their release, as the case with the Incas

[@histguy101]

The Spanish, the French, the British, etc were all obsessed with, and based their colonial conquests off of the Romans. They lived, ate, and pooped Roman nostalgia.

[@almoneriano8789]

@@histguy101 britain really? They didn't did anything for the natives, they exterminated them or tried to. The only who did like the romans were the spanish, that considered it population pretty much equal (in the old order manners) and mixed, keeped and received the cultures of the conquered, in many ways, like founding universities and buildings like the spanish ones or even better, and it assimilated it's population. Also colonization as the concept we know today originated in the 19th century whit Britain, so it was pretty much a conquest.

[@histguy101]

@@almoneriano8789 When did Britain try to exterminate the natives in the Americas? The concept of a colonial empire goes back to the Romans. It's from them that we get the word "colony," as they established colonies in all conquered territory.

[@HistoryHouseProductions]

Who voiced the Aztec homies? Whoever he is sounds super talented. Totally would love to meet him sometime.

[@spazzypengin]

Idk, the whole time that guy was talking I kept thinking about poorly animated videos that usually involve bashing the Russians.

[@nebulan]

I kept expecting to hear "but Conor, what about...."

[@BewegteBilderrahmen]

@@RealLooktea I think you're missing something even more incredible, lol

[@metaclownfish5921]

I love your vids

[@cgt3704]

The two greatest historian youtubers working togheter. Get Oversimplified on board as well and late night dreams will be real

[@maximilianbeyer5642]

And a couple of years later Pizarro thought “what a great guy” and did basically the same thing with the Inca

[@kaliyuga1476]

@otto von bismark 2.0 It is said that he draw a line on the sand and said to his crew "Those of you that have enough balls, follow me"

[@alvaro6587]

In fact they were cousins

[@emptank]

Did it with less guys too. Only had about 150 men and took down an empire even larger than the Aztecs.

[@riograndedosulball248]

@@alvaro6587 what a Chad bloodline, god damn

[@riograndedosulball248]

The inca empire was stupidly complicated and it was what brought it's downfall. Emperors had to continue expanding beyond their reach because the pre-established empire lands all belonged to mummies and weren't really the emperor's property. Conquered territores weren't really assimilated and it just took a sparkle of two brothers petty fighting + buncha guys with metal weapons for the whole thing to explode

[@t--w5203]

No one: Cortez: *I'm gonna do whats called a pro gamer move*

[@JM-fo1te]

*Cortés

[@FakePale]

Ok redditor

[@t--w5203]

You killed him

[@christopherjustice6411]

And then Cortez’s gold cursed the crew of the Black Pearl.

[@ColonelNachos]

Cortez's life is honestly a solid allegory for the Spanish empire

[@jjgf8412]

Picardia,caos y suerte,pues sí.Bueno y tener unos cojones de burro

[@sortagoodish8491]

Yea

[@kaiserproductions1278]

Especially the debt part.

[@lewisirwin5363]

Microcosm, not allegory :)

[@Archris17]

One vicious and massively incompetent boob manages to stumble his way into an empire and fabulous wealth, while committing atrocities along the way and ends up losing it all due to aforementioned incompetence? Yeah, pretty much!

[@christiansuau93]

The sheer cojones on Cortez to get away with everything he did is nothing short of amazing. This man saw opportunity knock and wasted no time answering.

[@jjgf8412]

Like a guy said up there,is very very spanish: cojones, Cara luck and spanish picaresca.Good for conquering bad for trying to make a stable country,everybody wants to play everybody else

[@rakdos36]

And in the end he had nothing but debts... I dont think he got away with it. It just took its time.

[@eustaquioabichuelo1265]

@@jjgf8412 the sheer ignorance of your statement is outstanding. Spain has been a very stable country if you compare it with the rest of Europe, especially with countries like France and Germany, even England. Last 100 years isnt all the Spanish history

[@jjgf8412]

@@eustaquioabichuelo1265 calma socio que soy español,me llama ignorante y todo el tipo

[@yominoriaabsoluta1611]

@@jjgf8412 Creo que le has tocado la patata, jajaja. Aunque tengo que estar de acuerdo con el señor Abichuelo, España es más antiguo que Alemania o Italia, y sigue en pie. por las normas no escritas e identidad propia que tenemos los hispanos que se han mostrado reacias a la conversión ej: Puerto Rico. España está en un estado permanente de caos y apocalipsis, como casi siempre. Pero no creo que llegue a desaparecer en ningún momento ya por cabezonería. Para acabar diré que en España hay gente para to, hay Lazarillos, Don Juanes y Quijotes. Hay chorizos y buenos cristianos. Pero no nos preocupamos por ver cómo son los que nos gobiernan, mucho curro, y ya sabes por encima de que va lo que dicen, a si que de perdidos al río

[@primitiveplanet8202]

This guy went from Spain to Cuba, Mexico, Honduras, California, Algeria, back to Mexico fighting people, while keeping a penmanship with king of Spain across the ocean and all that in 1500s.

[@joselugo4536]

Even old, he wanted to do a last cavalry charge against the Infidels.

[@huriale1617]

Aïe Algeria... Too soon man

[@patriciooporto4034]

If he were English, he would be compared with Odiseo, Alexander the great or Genghis Khan

[@douglasbubbletrousers4763]

@@patriciooporto4034 #Doubt

[@BeondTheKDGaming]

The best way to describe it is: the aztecs would have won if literally everyone else they could have allied with didn't want them dead

[@ding1466]

Thats what happens when you use your neighbors as human sacrifice livestock lol.

[@muhamadsayyidabidin3906]

@@ding1466 ah yes, period raid. No wonder everyone hates Aztec

[@trollerjakthetrollinggod-e7761]

@@ding1466 Human sacrifice was a hoax. No real proof of it happening. The reason they rebelled because Tenochtitlan was solidifying it's power and screwing over Texcoco was losing it's influence, making the empire more and more centralized.

[@incognito-px3dz]

the Spanish managed to btfo the inca in a similar way except with little help from natives

[@Kolbjornelenano]

@@trollerjakthetrollinggod-e7761 lol, there is a lot of archeological evidence of human sacrifice, Just a couple of years ago mexican archeologist discovered a literal tower of human skulls below a house on Mexico city

[@edrs3373]

The king of Spain in that time was lucky asf. He was one of the most powerful men in history. Just to think he inherited Castile, Aragon, all the southern Italian kingdoms, and the new discoveries from the new world just from his mother side, becoming the first king of Spain. He also inherited the duchy of Austria, duchy of Burgundy, and the low countries from his father side. Not only that he also bought the title of Holy Roman Emperor with the gold coming from the Aztecs and Incas. He later on annexed the duchy of Milan. Also the phrase "the empire which on the Sun never sets" was first used to describe his empire.

[@riograndedosulball248]

Charles the V is basically the Gigachad of his time

[@aleksandarvil5718]

United Kingdom: **LAUGHS IN BRITISH 🇬🇧**

[@MTTC-me5dj]

Dont forget that also he became king of portugal

[@MTTC-me5dj]

And if he wanted could had became A L S O king of Britain

[@thelaziestguyuveverknown]

@@MTTC-me5dj that was later than the one of this time. This was in the early 1500s and the castilian conquest of Portugal was in 1580

[@ryanhynes6596]

At least in the studies of military science, we talk about the effects of various things Cortes was able to accomplish through really playing the game of politics and power, and how that connects to success on the battlefield. However soemthing key that he did was destroy his own ships. Yes, it seems counterintuitive, but the philosophy dates back to ancient China. There is a concept of putting yourself in danger, burning down your bridges, removing your safety nets in order to focus you and motivate your army. Cortes's men during the first few months of his expedition were unmotivated, mainly because they'd always tell themselves "we have the ships! We can always return to safety, so ehhh". Cortes destroyed his ships under the guise of bad weather and termites. However the soldiers later found out that he destroyed them, and when they confronted him, he admitted to it, but basically said "if you kill me you'll have no leader, so tough", and they spared him. Afterwards, his troops were very motivated and willing. Its actually an interesting strategy to put some vigor in your men. Sun Tzu even wrote about purposely putting his men in perilous situations in order to make them fight harder.

[@serotonin.scavenger]

Sounds like the queen's gambit. Intentionally putting yourself into a corner.

[@eliannafreely5725]

This would seem to be Cortez's life philosophy so I would find this type of strategic thinking to be a credible interpretation of his thinking behind burning the boats. But another interpretation is that having committed to sailing to the New World to take land without legal permission to do so he knew he could not go back to Spain without success, and he simply wanted to make sure his men were in the same boat - literally in this case, out of the same boat - as he was.

[@histguy101]

That must've been Julian's thinking... Unfortunately.

[@ShahjahanMasood]

Tariq bin Ziyad did that before invading spain. Gibraltar is named after him (Jabal al-Tariq) Mountain of Tariq. He is very famous in Muslim world.

[@scottgrey3337]

Cortes had at least three chances to settle down a live a richer and easier life than most of the world *today* and each time went "nah man, not enough loot and slaves."

[@ethans.1905]

Cortez' Bizarre Adventure: Destruction Tendency

[@putinpunhere]

With the Triple Alliance being the Pillar Men

[@whathell6t]

@Ethan S. • Unfortunately! Actual Mexicans/Pure-blooded Nahuas don’t speak Jojo Bizarre Adventure. They speak Masami Kurumada’s Knight of the Zodiac-Saint Seiya. Those Mexicans are more hyped since Quetzalcoatl and Tezcatlipoca made appearances in Saint Seiya Lost Dimensions and Episode G mangas.

[@uncreativeusername3772]

Sounds epic

[@LeXenoGeek]

Cortez' Bizarre Adventure : Gold is Unbreakable

[@elijahgreybosh7882]

He didn’t just have 600 men. He ushered in many Native American warriors into his army that bolstered his ranks, and turned it into a proper fighting force

[@williamtheconqueror7807]

Horsey Bois conquer the world once again.

[@zetos4440]

horsey bajs too stronk ples nerf

[@cruzgomes5660]

I thought it said horny bois for a sec

[@raguelelnaqum]

@@cruzgomes5660 That's pseudovikings, my friend

[@giovannidipierfrancescodim3058]

Cortés is the William of Spain

[@pyrrhusofepirus8491]

I’d legit want to see a movie about Cortes, he seems like a really interesting guy Edit: how the hell did this comment get over 400 likes? I mean, thanks anyway.

[@JackRackam]

Boy do I have news for you, lol

[@kaliyuga1476]

Go watch Cortes on amazon prime

[@cheradine]

@@kaliyuga1476 Thanks, I haven’t heard that one and I’ve been waiting long for the story to be filmed.

[@Torlik11]

I'd say about as interesting as Hitler or Stalin. I'm not sure about a movie, tho. Hollywood have a bad habit of trying to turn their main character into hero, even when they don't deserve it. Just look at how they represented Colombus.

[@carlosdecastilla3197]

There is also a series in Amazon Prime named "Hernan"

[@xo-1320]

I'm surprised the Spainish King took the whole "Disobeying orders, taking ships, and conquering an Empire" thing and didn't try to get him killed out of paranoia that he was trying to make himself a king.

[@timfortune9]

Probably thought "If he could only do that to France, the Papacy, and the Ottomans, he'd save me a lot of trouble."

[@jjgf8412]

Making himself governor or something by his own hand? Sure,but the idea of being a king... don't ask me why but it's not very spanish

[@rsync9490]

Ironic considering that is what the caliph did to tariq ibn zaid when he conquered hispania.

[@vilwarin5635]

Back then you must had Royal pedigree to become a king. Even the illigitimate children of the King had 0 chances to reign, even after winning several wars (looking at you, Duke of Austria). Remember that only God himself could decide who the king was. We have to wait until the French Revolution for the colonies to rebel and get independence, but they didn´t became a kingdom, but a Republic. I imagine no one wanted an hereditary ruling system of imbreed idiots.

[@v4enthusiast541]

Charles V welcomed the gold, he needed it for bribes to become Holy Roman Emperor and fight a war with France.

[@jakespacepiratee3740]

That moment when you time travel to see Hong Xiquans Demon Slaying Swords and its just a regular Katana because he was insane and overblew it to seem much cooler than it actually was. :(

[@jakespacepiratee3740]

@otto von bismark 2.0 The type that can break a horse?

[@CollinMcLean]

@@jakespacepiratee3740 Katana? Wasn't he Chinese?

[@alexandersilady4751]

He was Chinese, so more like regular jian.

[@CollinMcLean]

@@alexandersilady4751 Or a Dao

[@loslobos786]

As a descendent of the Aztecs it always urks me that few if any historians mention the between forty to a hundred thousand Native allies that fought my ancestors alongside Cortez's 600+ Spainards. Like that had nothing to do with the outcome.

[@ManiacMayhem7256]

Plenty of historians mention it, just not many journalists and youtubers

[@loslobos786]

@@ManiacMayhem7256 not really 🤣🤣 you're the first person in forty years that wasn't surprised by that fact🤣

[@ManiacMayhem7256]

@@loslobos786 🤣🤣🤣🤣 So name me the historian and their work

[@eesoteric.]

you can't rewrite history or try to ignore/cast aside facts that are a crucial part of history.

[@loslobos786]

@@eesoteric. lots of people do, the siege of Tenochtitlan is a perfect example. In Cortez's own autobiography he praised his Indian allies in the conquest but in Our schools and media today people are still told it was 600 or less Spaniards that conquered the Aztecs Empire. What will they tell our descendents in 500 years? Heres another example most Englishmen know about the their GREAT victory over the Spanish Armada but absolutely nothing about the failed English counter Armada that bankrupted Elizabethan England just a year later. It's not so much history is written by the victor it's that it is often crafted shaped and often buried by the victor.

[@beowulf4545]

Honestly one of my "favorite" parts of the sack was that even the Spanish were appalled by the aggression of the other tribes against the Aztecs that had sacrificed their brothers. Thought it was just Spanish propaganda but no other sources make light of the anger

[@theeggyboi]

630 guys topple the aztec empire! (not clickbait)

[@wildharpy6435]

😨😨😨😨😱😱😱😱😱😱😳😳😳🤬🤬🤬🤬👹👹👹👀👀👀👀👀💎

[@g3heathen209]

And a few thousand native allies.

[@stagbeetle1050]

[GONE WRONG] [GONE SEXUAL]

[@garrusn7702]

@@g3heathen209 *~100,000

[@donramon9723]

@A10 go brtt brtt Ironically, as the Spanish settlement expanded north several decades later, they would be defeated by nations of Chichimec Warriors. The battles proved costly to the Spanish as the Royal Treasury was practically empty to fund battles and Spanish soldiers and towns were being sacked and raided by constant highjacking. A documented battle has 50 Chichimeca Warriors wipeout 200 of of Spain's elite Soldiers and those for hire. They faced guerrilla warfare never quite seen in the old world. Finally Spain bribed them and they complied because they were hungry and poor. Chichimec's descendants migrated throughout meso and North America.

[@humorsue8548]

This man is like Luxembourg, no one knows he even existed until he says something.

[@humorsue8548]

@Thad Castle First off this was a joke about Jack Rackam and how some people may forget about him until he does something which is why I referred to him as Luxemburg since most people don't know it exist due to how small it is, my joke had nothing to do with the historical characters in this video. This is just a simple misunderstanding so no biggie, have a good day.

[@AudieHolland]

Ahh... I have fond memories of playing "Colonization," the somewhat successor to the original "Civilization" by Sid Meier. You could choose Founding Fathers for your American colony, playing as the *Dutch,* Spanish, French and English. But you could choose anyone if they happened to be on offer. *Peter Minuit* (who 'purchased' Manhatten from the locals for 50 bucks) *Pocahontas* (who causes all Native American resistance to cease) and of course... *Cortez* - with Cortez as one of your Founding Fathers, Native American villages *always* yield gold. So not just the Incas and Aztecs. No matter how poor the local tribe was, Cortez would always be able to extract gold from them, even if it was their tooth fillings

[@wafflebananakid5875]

I learned more about Cortes in this one 11 and a half minute video than i did in my entire 9th grade social studies class (basically history class but with more politics)

[@CivilWarWeekByWeek]

How to topple an Empire! I’m writing this down.

[@Brams2777]

Step one: - Find People who absolutely hate your enemy. Step two: - Get a slave that has smallpox to spread the disease far and wide Step three: - Fight with your numerically superior allies. Step four: - Profit!

[@javieraravena5345]

The fact that the spanish somehow managed to conquer the american continent by just sending small nobles and literal homeless people is astounishing. For example, there is Almagro's expedition to Chile, in which a third of the group of 2500 people died only in the way there. Then, 4 years later, another conquistador named Valdivia decided to try again. With only 11 guys. Because people saw it as a death sentence. Some more joined him, and he actually was succesful. Still died like a decade later, but he did it.

[@Operador2281]

Alvarado: "Cortez you can't defeat an empire with 600 guys of you hometown" Cortez: "thats where you are wrong kido" (proced to make alliances with other natives)

[@quisqueyanguy120]

So much this

[@navilluscire2567]

Cortez: And coughing on them, spreading diseases they had no immunity or resistance against which basically wiped out like 80%-90% of their populations also is a big help!

[@Operador2281]

@@navilluscire2567 dude it wasn't 80% neither kill all those people in one wave, don't think us native americans are so fucking weak xD

[@mankuqhapaqii4798]

@@Operador2281 Doesn't have anything to do with being weak. Over 20 Old World diseases killed up to 95% of the indigenous population simply because Amerindians had never been exposed to them. This video actually downplays the role of indigenous allies. In reality, Amerindians remained in power in both Meso and South America during most of the 16th century. Native rule was only eradicated due to the population drop, it allowed Spain to eventually take over since those who survived were mostly mestizos and Amerindians didn't really have their concept of race. That's not the only mistake in this video. There's a lot. Moctezuma was actually captured after Narvarz's arrival and he did not mistake any Spaniard for a god. No Amerindian did.

[@donramon9723]

@@mankuqhapaqii4798 The Mexica from tenochtitlan were not well Liked by the others like the Purépecha, or The Independent confederations of Natives who they called "Chichimecas." Even if Cortes failed, someone else eventually would attack the Mexica because they were in possession and control of goods and people. Something like the Conquest would tip the balance of power in that region because it was precarious. They Probably could have had better diplomatic relations for a much longer period of time if it wasn't for Captain Pedro Alvarado, nicknamed "Tonatiuh" or "The Sun." Aka "The Blonde Spaniard." He attacked the weaponless festival goers when Cortez left the capital. This is what really set off the conflict prematurely. They could have lost everything then and there. Spaniards never battled beyond their numbers. They purposely fled battles that were not skewed to their favor. Retreat is the best winning plan sometimes. Ironically, Pedro De Alvarado was killed by Chichimeca warriors in the Mixton War much later. Many factors contributed to the luck Cortez had during those battles. Its interesting to think how history could have greatly changed if timing and arbitrary actions were abated.

[@RJLbwb]

I think the best part of Cortes story is in the end the Spanish government didn't want Cortes anywere near the Spanish king after he knocked over one empire already.

[@FitzMastaflex]

This was the report I should of given on Cortes...in the 8th grade. Absolutely immaculate. Great video cuz. :)

[@samiamrg7]

The Spanish did win a few battles by pure weight of superior technology (stone weapons don’t penetrate metal armor very well) but the way they actually demolished the Axtec Empire was by allying with groups that had beed with the empire to get (part of) the local system at their backs. It was these allies that let them lay siege to Tenochtitlan, since the Spanish soldiers were actually quite vulnerable to being surrounded and overwhelmed in the urban warfare setting. It also helped that the Emperor gave Cortes the opportunity to kill him, but to be fair, he couldn’t have known that the Spanish would never be won over by gifts and feasts and would not be satisfied with anything less than total conquest of Mexico.

[@njb1126]

Jack you must absolutely do a video on Charles II “the bad” of Navarre. He was such a wild card that you don’t even need to write a script- just read his Wikipedia article.

[@OverTheTop85]

I just can't get enough of your style of historical fact story telling ... It's wonderfully wacky. And I enjoy every minute of it

[@adamestes5227]

Great video, but Cortés died in Spain in 1547 (he returned in 1541). He even fought with Andrea Doria against Hayreddin Barbarossa in the Barbary Coast.

[@six2make4]

From what I remember the steel armor was actually what gave them the greatest advantage, the Aztecs didn't really have any weapons that could penetrate it and the powder would sometimes get too wet in the damp weather.

[@panchotapia3688]

4:49 “On one hand, gold. On the other, painful agonizing failure”

[@MetaGiga]

I remember doing a history project on Cortez back in elementary school! It’s nice having a little video to refresh your memory and have you say ‘I remember that!’

[@drnolegs797]

2:15 I have not thought about Poptropica in about 6 years.

[@samueljay4632]

6? More like 9 or 10 years for me.

[@itsyurmumm8458]

The comment I have been looking for. Such a simple design can go unnoticed.

[@juliusnepos6013]

Lol yeah same

[@ceoofgrind8101]

I just read Conquistador by Buddy Leavy. Excellent book. Guy was literally a genius. Tactically and strategically. He knew how to game the governor back in Cuba, the Aztecs and any other tribe he found. Literally a genius.

[@CollinMcLean]

Video suggestions Canute the great Harald the Finehair Vercingetorix Robert the Bruce Xerxes I Jacobo Arbenz And Hannibal Barca

[@JackRackam]

All excellent options! Just googled Jacobo Arbenz, poor guy

[@CollinMcLean]

@@JackRackam Yeah... Guatemala's second democratically elected leader overthrown by a CIA backed coup lobbied for by United Fruit Company (Now known as Chiquita banana)... Forget about invading the middle east for Big Oil. The US overthrew a country on behalf of Big Banana.

[@franbalcal]

@@JackRackam i hate being the guy to suggest videos idea but Catalina de Erauso, would make a bitching episode. Is a spanish nun who escaped the convent, started living as a man and join the spanish army which took her all over the spanish empire conquering lands, also slept with married women, got into drunken fights and has flee several times

[@JackRackam]

@@franbalcal Holy cow, what a life she had!

[@eumemo4814]

I think i am too late for the party but I must recommend Nestor Makhno Dude was an Ukrainian communist during the russian revolution that mistrusted the Russian Communists and so he fought the Bolsheviks, Russian reactionaries, the Germans, the Ukrainian government and every other warlord you can think of and he gave them all a run for their money. He was a very unorthodox commie by the way. He believed in a confederation of communist city states with 100% direct democracy that would be protected by a common black army. Very different from the Bolshevik vision of a all powerful centralized communist state. His unorthodoxy extended to the military. The black army was a bottom up organization where officers were elected by their “subordinates” all the way through. The officer could be impeached by their soldiers if he was a moron and only had absolute authority when engaging in combat. He also invented the tachanka, basically a horse drawn wagon with a machine gun on top, the precursor of those trucks we see in Africa and middle east since the 90’s. And all of that miraculously worked! I mean, for a while, untill lenin backstabbed him.

[@GreatRedMenace]

To clarify, encomiendas had nothing to do with slavery. It was basically the privilege of tax collection in the name of the King. In exchange, part of the tribute would remain at the hand of the encomenderos, the conquistadors typically. However, it is basically a mild version of serfdom compared to contemporary Europe, as indigenous people kept their non-taxed good for themselves, and got paid in their jobs.

[@tomtomtrent]

4:43 Had no idea the moment in Warcraft III where Arthas burns the ships in Northrend was based on an actual event

[@themoronnextdoor6548]

Last time I was this early human sacrifices were still legal.

[@serotonin.scavenger]

Some countries still do it. For the sake of the economy.

[@BacchaeOphanim]

Other people getting nostalgic over the Poptropica reference and I'm here like 'omg, the Crash Course Mongol!' Play the Mongol-tage!

[@KingDanny9]

Lesson learned class? Don't create too many enemies in your own backyard. The Aztecs learned the hard way, and Spain ended up creating an empire larger than Rome.

[@mihnma]

"That's why we have State Farm." lmaoo

[@Azoonaloc13]

He could conquer an empire but he couldn't conquer debt.

[@chickensforthechickengod4037]

2:18 damn that brought back memories, Poptropica was such fun as a kid.

[@mommatried9010]

you helped me so much. I was learning about Cortez, and I stumbled on your channel and found this. so thank you.

[@cryptox826]

When I saw that Poptropica drawing, my childhood just flashed before my eyes

[@eazy8579]

I got some serious nostalgia whiplash

[@ericf.1410]

It kinda sounds like anyone could have basically waltzed in and took over tenochtitlan if they looked shiny enough to impress Montezuma while doing it

[@Pfsif]

Maybe you missed the 10's of thousands of native allies?

[@garrusn7702]

Maybe he missed that Montezuma already new about Cortez and that he was making friendly with rebellious states within the empire and was trying to be diplomatic.

[@ericf.1410]

Did you guys miss the part where Montezuma gives cortez the keys to the city after he shows up with that army?

[@garrusn7702]

@@ericf.1410 Did you miss the part where that never happened?

[@garrusn7702]

@@ericf.1410 like we just told you. Cortes showed up with a 600 strange men and a small army of soldiers from a rebellious kingdom and Montezuma tried to play nice by inviting them to have a diplomatic stay. That backfired and Cortez stabbed him in the back and then Cortez got btfo and had to go regroup.

[@kramp154]

This new format are really coming into their stride as their own catagory on the channel but i think that the original life and times as a more unique alternative. Although i will stay stay tuned to the channel because i love hearing you talk with so much energy and whimsy and wit on these subjects

[@combrade-t]

Me and the Boys strolling into a new neighbourhood and bringing down their power structure.

[@moonflower1759]

As a native Spanish speaker I'll never be ok with the term "conquistadors". Like all you had to do was add an extra e and you had the right word, that's just lazy 😐

[@nafismubashir2479]

where

[@moonflower1759]

@@nafismubashir2479 conquistador is Spanish for conqueror, and the plural form is conquistadores. So the fact that they didn't go with conquistadores or conquerors, but *CONQUISTADORS* infuriates me to no end.

[@nafismubashir2479]

@@moonflower1759 oh

[@kaliyuga1476]

I dont care. Conquistadors sounds great tho

[@moonflower1759]

@@kaliyuga1476 I mean I just imagine a man violently assaulting a door whenever I hear it but you do you man

[@brianthornton3085]

With this video, I am finished. I have finally caught up and watched everything in the Jack Rackam archive. Finally

[@williamcheek2778]

Hernan Cortes had balls of steel and and was a complete maniac. Compare the conquistador conquest of the Aztec Empire, which took hardly any time, to that of the Inca Empire, which took 40 years. Keep in mind that by the time Pizarro met Atahualpa at Cajamarca that the Inca had already gone through several waves of European disease epidemics which killed the emperor Huayna Capac and his heir to the throne as well as a massive civil war involving armies of up to a quarter million men on either side. Even with the deck stacked in their favor and using hordes of local troops, the Spanish barely managed to conquer the Incas and by the time they had done so, they had pretty much no energy left to expand south and got dunked on by the Mapuche, who had no empire or grand cities but were essentially a coalition of tribes. Or hell, look at the Maya city states, Tayasal didn't fall until 1697. The "conquest" of the Americas was a long drawn out series of screw-ups everywhere but central Mexico because no where else were the conquerors led by quite as mad of a lad as Cortes

[@w.arthurbuchananii6051]

"Then he went back to Mexico where he died under a mountain of debt." Just how I want to go out.

[@prismaticc_abyss]

Nice shoutout to Skalla, that video was indeed great

[@bumble5286]

This is awesome and I learned a lot! You deserve way more subs.

[@Cakeandguts]

Cortez is my hero

[@dylanchouinard6141]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t there no evidence that Montezuma thought Cortez was a god?

[@JackRackam]

The Florentine Codex, written a few decades after the fact, suggests the Aztecs believed the Spaniards were gods, but like many old sources it isn't entirely reliable. I don't think the Aztecs honestly believed the Spaniards were gods - my personal suspicion is that Moctezuma may have initially believed Cortes' arrival was the return of Quetzalcoatl, but I doubt he continued to consider them gods after they spent some time in Tenochtitlan, mostly he was just a very ineffective ruler

[@dylanchouinard6141]

@@JackRackam I have been noticed by Senpai!

[@Belophen]

​@@JackRackam isnt there a poem that said that moctezuma was naive as fuck ?

[@ermenher8381]

The Mexica/Aztec account of events recorded the in 'General History of the Things of New Spain' (The accounts were complied by a Spanish monk from locals in both their native language and translated into Spanish), referred to Cortez as Teotl and Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin, these have been translated by some to mean god or a god. The omens mentioned to have been used as support for the claim are taken from the account, and were used in support of calling Cortez, Teotl or Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin. But Teotl doesn't always refer to a god, it can refer to a god but doesn't always. A closer but still to simple translation of the meaning of Teotl would be 'bringer of change in the nature of the world' or 'one who is an axis of change in the nature of the world'. The Mexica/Aztecs believed all was part of one whole that revolved in cycles, great omens and great individuals would mark/bring the changing of the cycle. Teotl referred to those who brought that change, they could be gods or mortals. Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin was a legendary leader of the Mexica (Quetzalcoatl is a Mexica god, while Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin was a man) who was so influential he was called Teotl, when he left by sea he said he would return and bring change. Then hundreds of years later came Cortez and the Spanish by sea, with power and technology to bring change; and they brought it, the whole Mexica/Aztec world was turned on its head. But the Mexica/Aztecs recognized that the Spanish brought change in their world, a whole Empire with immensely powerful technology appeared from what seemed like nowhere to the Mexica/Aztecs, they knew they had to find a way to manipulate the change or end. They connected it to the omens they'd seen and the tell of Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin. They tried to gain Cortez's favor to them so the change would be in there favor, but the cities allied against the Aztecs gained Spanish support first and defeated the Aztecs, only to be turned on by the Spanish. So Montezuma didn't see Cortez as a god, but if the accounts are accurate, he saw Cortez and the Spanish as a whole as those who bring great change in the cycle of Teotl (Yes, Teotl also means everything or the world, it's complex). He connected that change brought to them under the leadership of Cortez to the foretold change that would be brought by the ancient leader Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin when he returned. Quetzalcoatl Topiltzin who was connected to the god Quetzalcoatl. I hoped this explains a little of it, I'd rather have given you my 11 page paper on it, but I don't think KZbin would like 11 pages posted in the comments. Sorry for the poor grammar, I wrote it once through.

[@benr.4238]

@@ermenher8381 Well by that definition Montezuma was right then. At least for the world as they knew it. A small consolation for losing his empire, I guess.

[@minifridge337]

Montezuma is like Chris-Chan if he became the emperor of a major regional power

[@sars910]

So I guess what we learn from Cortes's story is that sometimes it pays to be a reckless moron but you NEED to know when to pump the brakes.

[@poofylove2]

2:19 is that a Poptropica character? Holy shit I was just hit with intense nostalgia

[@chrisreed4065]

The best way I've heard the intelligence question about pre modern day people is "Same hardware, different software." They were just as smart as modern day people in terms of base intelligence, but they were ignorant (The degree and severity of which depended and varied on time and place) about things like the scientific method and how physics and medicine work.

[@rnalonto]

VIDEO SUGGESTIONS: - Jose Rizal - Ferdinand Marcos - Emilio Aguinaldo - Sultan Kudarat - Andres Bonifacio

[@benedictalmarines3856]

Are you Filipino?

[@rnalonto]

@@benedictalmarines3856: Yes...

[@thedukeofswellington1827]

Nice Crash Course ref...john would be proud

[@stephencannon3140]

The real fast talking in the last about 20 seconds or so to….”wrap it up” on the subject matter is a hoot….you should make that a signature move!

[@gregluna2906]

This guy is funny. He knows what he is talking about , just never heard it like that. I'm watching more of his doc's

[@dariqaa]

My teacher: Why are you laughing? Me: uhh... nothing? My brain: *my children, we're all doOoooOmed*

[@zestygurl]

I'm just loving these, thank you. Especially the suddenly ending peppy music. Love affairs no one asked for seems to be a trend...

[@kaliyuga1476]

A real hero

[@tirantloblanch1]

Correction: cortez and a bunch of tribes tired of the aztec tirany and opression

[@AJiguess_]

The Aztecs didn’t actually think the Spanish were gods this was just a rumor the Spanish made to make them sound cool

[@mesfinktkt6823]

Keep up the good work jack

[@JackRackam]

❤

[@tylerblake4028]

Subscribed!!! This is gold !!

[@junesilvermanb2979]

Gold en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold

[@miguelmontenegro3520]

Damn there were more people than that at my school. We lost the chance of taking over the prefecture from the mayor.

[@monsignor2943]

Jr: vassal swarm the the entire nation... Me:🤨 is that EU4 Spain reference?

[@cam4617]

great music at the end of the video

[@lordvyse19]

Omg! I watched those years ago! Thanks for showing me where they exist now lol.

[@onedaysoon5351]

Nice to know people still remember Poptropica 2:15

[@garrusn7702]

The key to toppling the aztec empire with 600 guys is to pack warm socks, light armor, and 150,000 soldiers from rebellious central Mexican kingdoms and city states. . .and don't forget to take all of the credit after.

[@baltasarmelchor935]

Don't forget that those 150k rebels carried out the biggest massacres in those lands. Spain never sought genocide. as if your cousins ​​looked for them in the north of that same continent. I don't forget, I don't forgive.

[@connorhughes8291]

Oh man, I saw a poptropica character. You've awoken memories I completely forgot about

[@camg6400]

Always an exception "Draws a Mongol" I GET THAT REFERENCE!!!!

[@jshaw3793]

Gotta love irony with historical explorers, conquerors and rulers..etc 😂

[@stojankovacic1524]

Correction: Mexica isn't read with the x as x, but rather as a harder sh. There's a similar sound in Russian so if you know someone you can ask them.

[@riograndedosulball248]

Yeah, it sounds like "Meshika"

[@Fordo007]

And apparently with Cortes's forces were two women who just showed up and joined them as conquistadores and one was even given her own detachment to command while the other threatened to kill every Spaniard and Native who tried to rout from a battle while emphasizing that she a tiny woman, would stab each and every one of them to death if they didn't march back to the front line. That breaks almost every preconception I have about chauvinist Spaniards...

[@HistoryMonarch1999]

So 2 years later I’m in a class talking about this and apparently the Monctezuma believing they were gods is a myth too, spread as a way to legitimize the conquest because if Herman just conquered it it would’ve been illegal

[@artair70]

Florentine Codex was the source, it was within native belief that a God was to return in a certain year described as coming with boats without paddels and armour, they invaded on the same year this was to take place, there's no such thing as "illegal" conquest.

[@cptkilgore]

Wow, I always knew about the Night of Sorrow, but I had no idea about the complicated and massive happenings around it. Shot, I didn't even know there were other nations ruling aside the Aztecs. Why didn't I know this?

[@ffreeze9924]

Cortes managed to arrive right when the Aztecs hit 100 doom

[@viorp5267]

Probably the most impressive thing ever done.

[@iczesmv]

your old format FAR FAR better

[@broodjeal-cohol5033]

There's no unified Yucatec or Nahuatl language. It's like saying that Germanic or Romance languages are the same.

[@jerolvilladolid]

Basically what happened to the aztecs is like the pandemic of 2020 except theres also an alien invasion at the same time.

[@thekoalakingdomshow6319]

@@Laotzu.Goldbug it gave my healthy young friend heart problems leading to a heart transplant. Its way worse than the flu homie.

[@Laotzu.Goldbug]

@@thekoalakingdomshow6319 lmao

[@zelyacabahug1310]

This... this would have been helpful a few weeks ago when I was doing a history project on him

[@scottcallahan5029]

Good job on the video