How 500 Men Tricked Millions of Aztecs

[@Thoughty2]

Improve your career using my code “Thoughty2” for 30% off on all their programs! Sign up for a FREE TripleTen career consultation with my link: get.tripleten.com/Thoughty2

[@mariagloria5775]

Hi❤❤❤❤

[@sayitspeakit9046]

So sad you don't upload much anymore, used to be my fave

[@xiwinnidapooj9987]

Glad you covered this, but their real name is Mexica ( mechica ) . Aztecs were their ancestors.

[@gusalarcon5020]

Thank you 😊

[@OoHouston]

Thank you for your existence, brother! Your channel makes my life brighter!

[@atreyuf]

I will start by saying I am a Mexican who loves history, and I really appreciate your video. Indeed, it was not "the Spaniards" who "Conquered" Mexico, but a league of alliances of people who were just sick and tired of the imperialist Aztecs (which real name was Culhua-Mexica) who demanded sacrifices and steep tributes from their neighbors. Mexico was not only Aztecs and Maya, but a crucible of various kingdoms, tribes and different people. I don't agree at all with some people demonizing the Spaniards (Leyenda Negra), since ALL the history of the world is full of death and conquer by many many races and cultures. The Mexica themselves were very cruel with their subjects, and that I think was the main factor that compelled the other cities and tribes to join the Spaniards. Which, btw, had the idea to MIX with the locals (completely opposite of what happened in the US with the Native Americans, who were simply decimated and locked into reservations). Anyway, I could talk hours about the subject, but I appreciate for example the Romanian people who, instead of calling the Romans "Savage colonizers" (like many people want us to call the Spaniards) they proudly call themselves the Sons of Traian the Roman and Decebal the Dacian. We Mexicans should follow their example, by not shying away or deny our dual nature of a mix of proud Mexican native people (Maya, Aztec, Zapotec, Tarahumara, etc etc etc) and brave Spaniard adventurers who really also risked it all for glory. I, for one, am proud of my heritage. Thanks, Thoughty2, for a great video.

[@sababaratashvili8629]

Damn, that was a good comment.

[@K1ngKrunch]

100% with you, including with the whole 'Leyenda Negra". I am from the Dominican Republic and our indigenous people did not fair any better. But blaming the deaths of the Taino/Arawak 100% on the Spanish is a disservice to their history. I am proud of my Spanish, African and Taino heritage including their history.

[@OlyChickenGuy]

I am sad to report that I think I learned more about Mexican history from this comment alone than the entirety of my schooling. Thanks for sharing, and for providing a point of view that many of us aren't exposed to.

[@johnedwards3621]

So Cortez was truly a god fearing man who always obeyed his superiors??

[@PowerfulRift]

Agreed 👍

[@danieljohn5697]

I know I’m not the only person who got excited to see a 50min Thoughty2 video pop up

[@dabgod3192]

Your not the only one

[@NikolaBulj]

I thought he died.

[@dabgod3192]

@@NikolaBulj WHY

[@slayingroosters4355]

One would assume he means because it's been longer than usual since he posted a video​@@dabgod3192

[@asht200]

Arran has been quiet lately, but this is a 50 minute video. Hopefully he’s also been writing a sequel to “Stick a Flag In It”😊

[@salvadormacias1660]

Great video, I’m Mexican, and I’ve watched many videos about this top topic, but this is the most detailed video I’ve ever seen. I can’t imagine the time involved to make it, great content. Thank you.

[@poopingoode417]

My condolences on losing, but also congrats on receiving a bit of euro DNA. Prob got like 4 inches of height and 10 IQ points. You coulda been looking like a burnt little nugget rn

[@YepYoutubeIsGreat]

Speaking from South Africa, if it wasn't for your channel, I don't know how long it would have been before I'd get the chance to see the incredible history of a land so far away. This place isn't well represented by the media available to us. Thank you, I think you are truly inspiring a new love for history in more and more people every year.

[@JohnHoranzy]

Here in the US we never hear much about Africa. There is an opportunity for African bloggers.

[@YepYoutubeIsGreat]

@@JohnHoranzy You know, it's pretty funny that you mention this. For work, I needed to quickly learn as much as I could about the city I live in - Johannesburg. Turns out a lot of info is outdated and there's even a shortage of detailed info about the city. I think whatever comprehensive and accurate info might exist, it is likely not digitized and not widely accessible.

[@theunsvandermerwe3275]

I'm also from South Africa and I have to agree. 3 channels that I can't stop watching is Thoughty2, Why Files and infographics chamnel

[@TommyLikeTom]

SA represent

[@takeonetheater]

The more we know the more the world grows smaller! 💯good morning from Los Angeles

[@BlitzTheFoxi]

him pronouncing literally every single word completely wrong makes these videos 1000% better

[@ArchyBaldo]

No, it just makes him more annoying and stupid.

[@VainAvenue32]

I don't think he pronounces much wrong apart from the names but yes I do agree 😂

[@libradragon934]

No, it doesn't, I sit there and say all the words after with their correct pronunciation !

[@tylerwood8710]

It proves his Britishness.

[@ArchyBaldo]

No, it just makes him more annoying and stupid.

[@ErikPT]

Your production level went so high! I'm so amazed how much time and effort the quality soared, that voice is still the money maker. Keep it, Arron!

[@sleepypotato7183]

Something about the Aztecs being the world's largest mafia extortion racket and the current modern Mexican is the largest cartel feel a bit funny.

[@thepozoleispeople5139]

It's funny for you, I have to fæking live here. 😆

[@charleygnarly1182]

​@@thepozoleispeople5139 hows it goin' down south, bro..

[@coldcloakmusic6630]

Warrior gene

[@derekc180]

@@sleepypotato7183 I’ve though about this before. How the murderous bloodthirsty Aztecs passed their DNA down to the modern day cartels.

[@JayZee-lo8qy]

Lmfao, warriors??? Hahahaha you must have missed the part where they got wrecked by a tiny amount of Europeans for centuries. Na man. Warrior genes are like the Vikings, Mongols, Samurai. The Aztecs were backward savages. Natives sure are always violent and murderous but hardly a threat to the groups with much higher intelligence. Check out some history.

[@mattkurek9259]

“Cortez and marina had a child who is considered one of first European/American lineage” “The other guy you mentioned 10 minutes earlier who started a family with a Mayan women: :o”

[@marklucachev6695]

I mean, he WAS just a peasant... ;)

[@roberthunter479]

I noticed that as well. I wonder how that Spaniard's life went, despite all the issues there.

[@jacobramirez4894]

Lol

[@aguerrero]

Gonzalo Guerrero. He and the priest had survived a ship wreck but captured by the Mayans as slaves. Eventually grew up in the hearts of the tribe and Gonzalo formed a family. He also had some military skills so the Mayans quickly promoted him to one of his captains, so to speak. When Cortes' men showed up, the priest chose to leave, as he was unhappy, but Gonzalo remained there with his adopted people. Years later, Spanish conquistadors were fighting natives in what is now Honduras, and in surveying the battlefield after the battle, they found a white guy wearing native military clothes and body tattoos. That was Gonzalo. Fascinating, ain't it? The wiki entry on him has more info and sources.

[@BobSmith-ke4jg]

Ha! Sharp mind but ya that's hilarious and true.

[@WarrenVanWyck15]

Definitely one of my favorite Thoughty2 videos. Incredible! Love the longer format.

[@WingedZeroh]

I just love how you went "Nope" on Cuitlahuac's name, you made my day and my entire week good sir.

[@paul_sanchez]

Cuauhtémoc was easy though haha

[@andrewdunbar828]

"quit-lah-wuck" - easy. Hard names are ones like Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuatl.

[@sereneprincess4940]

That one & "Ten-ect-tits-up" are why I had to scramble for my mute button while in the middle of this work meeting.

[@dr.j.latourhighpriestdod5192]

@@WingedZeroh qwite-lao-ack

[@NeidlichesSchwert]

This guy's a moron. Mispronouncing famous cities, malapropisms, bad writing.

[@Paxotrials]

He’s back! Always a good day when thoughty2 posts

[@davemccage7918]

The irony of an ad read that says “working on AI will help your career prospects”. 🤦‍♂️

[@youeggs7128]

Forty two*

[@picklerick.n.666]

Amen to that sir.

[@robertmosher7418]

The fact that the Aztec empire had been built as advanced as it was is awe inspiring. That they were able to do so without any sort of beast of burden. No horses, no oxen, no donkeys or mules. They also had no concept of the wheel, either. Well, that is nearly magic.

[@Aldine281]

The wheel was in the Americas

[@llunke]

its also a fact that they were call mexican and not aztec. thats hollywood and we know 99 % of what hollywood says its propaganda

[@migdelavega]

Mexican here... Amazing work Arran, such a complex history very well developed. I would like to add an important detail. Some writers from the time, among them Fernando de Alva, mentioned that part of Moctezuma´s reluctance to attack Cortés was that he thought the Conqueror could be Quetzalcoatl (The Feathered Serpent). The legend tells that Q was an amazing man who arrived to share knowledge, first with the Mayans (who named him Kukulcan), and then with the Toltecs (who were considered the most advanced) before the Aztecs. The latter view themselves as the heirs of the Toltec wisdom and thus were aware that Q (a white man with a beard) promised to return from the East. When Cortés - a guy with similar features with Q - arrived from the East, with unknown technology and animals (horses), Moctezuma initially thought it could be the return of the great master. Furthermore, some writings describe strange sightings in Tenochtitlan, such as a comet in the sky, a temple of stone that burned over the night, and a woman who cried for their deceased offspring while walking by herself, at dawn on the streets of the great Aztec City. When Moctezuma realized his mistake it was too late. That and his feeble character didn't help, but in the end it was the alliances with other Mesoamerican tribes, and specially the European diseases, who finally destroyed this Empire. You can still witness their former glory at the National Anthropology Museum in Mexico City. One of the finest of its kind worldwide. Loved the long video, many thanks for your clarity, respect and hard work!!!

[@yedidyah-jedshlomoh1533]

European diseases probably killed 80 million in North America.

[@dragon14927]

What is the source/chronicle of the strange events such as the temple burning and the woman crying for her children?

[@tonirodriguez6649]

Gracias por rellenar detalles tan relevantes como Quetzalcoatal

[@SoldierDrew]

Also Montezuma was documented in the journals of Cotez as having been fond of eating human babies as a delicacy which he offered to Cotez & his men much to their disgust. And Montezuma's empire practiced human sacrifices to their demonic gods atop of the Azteca temples, the priests carving the human hearts out and later consuming them. Human sacrifice & cannibalizing even babies enraged the Roman Catholic Spanish Soldiers. So they raised an Army of Indigenous men from nations preyed upon by the reprobate Azteca to overthrow their cannibalistic oppressors.

[@misanthropicservitorofmars2116]

Yeah but that’s cap. Montezuma did not think Cortez was Quetzalcoatl. Maybe some lower class people did, but not the emperor of the Aztecs nor any aristocrats, governors, priests. None of them would see Cortez as a God 😂 Montezuma was the greatest man on a whole hemisphere. He saw Cortez and the Spanish as a fun exotic people. He put them in his palace zoo. He didn’t put Cortez in the temple. He put him next to all the exotic animals he had.

[@sirraven8412]

I really enjoy this longer video. I always enjoy learning. You’re my favorite creator for this type of content.

[@victormendez2670]

Thank you for placing your time into this video. I appreciate the humor not taking away from the story and adding the fact that meso American names were tongue twisters

[@theawesomeman9821]

I appreciate this video being very descriptive. Usually, historians just simplify the success of the Conquisidors with just lead, germs and steel.

[@bconni2]

true. but what also gets overlooked around this time in history, was the fact that the Portuguese actually had the more impressive conquistadors than the Spanish. many people think "conquistador" is synonymous with the Spanish, yet the Portuguese had their far share of very impressive ones, who had already accomplished mind boggling things the 100 years before Cortes first landed on Mexican shores.

[@communistcomputergod6449]

Don’t forget the classic “they thought the Spaniards were gods” 😂

[@Johnny-Thunder]

48:47 You know I'd like to point out that the modern day Mexicans are the descendents of the conquistadores who commited all the atrocities, whereas the modern day Spanish are the descendents of the Spanish who stayed at home. Just saying, Mexican president...

[@RodolfoSauceda-cv4eg]

I would like appologize for all the dumb things that our president have said and done, but I'm affraid I would never finish apologizing

[@Johnny-Thunder]

@@RodolfoSauceda-cv4eg You don't have to: I am of the belief that nobody ever has to apologize for things they personally didn't do. Which is why I don't think that modern day people would have to apologize for what other people did 500 years ago just because they look like them and live in the same country...

[@wolfiemuse]

Pretty sure a whole lot of people claim Native heritage. So that seems like a huge over generalization

[@Tomcabator]

He's being sarcastic, AMLO is a very controversial president and has made a lot, and I mean atrocious amounts, of controversies and commentaries that have infuriated many many of us Mexicans ​@@Johnny-Thunder

[@RodolfoSauceda-cv4eg]

@@wolfiemuse most of us are bilogicaly from native descendant (from the natives that destroyed the aztecs) and spanish descendant (from the spanish that married into the native nobility). Regarding heritage, that is a cultural factor mexican culture is the mix of the native culture and spanish, but is not posible to separste them, they are a fundamental part of what is mexican culture, b they cannot be separsted. Native heritage alone does not exist in the mexican territory, we are the best and worst of both worlds

[@lesath7883]

Absolutely. La Malinche was totally crucial for Cortez's victory.

[@LazlotheInstigator]

The Aztecs were not popular. Tlaxcalans were just looking for help.

[@jennifervan75]

And they traded one murderous people for a worse murderous people with diseases and colonization

[@AllyRamos22]

And they were rewarded by the Spanish, they were given their own state, tax exemptions among other things

[@WB-se6nz]

@@AllyRamos22 considered loyal allies of the Spanish crown for the entire 300 years of colonial rule

[@katlynklassen809]

​@@AllyRamos22they made the right choice.

[@indigenousamerican3148]

Part of my family is of Tlaxcalteca descent. My grandmothers family lost their fortune during the Mexican revolution. They were Hacendados that had settled in the state of Morelos Mexico.

[@moreanimals6889]

I am from San Diego, California; which was once part of Mexico. This entire episode is our pre-history. I don't think I've ever seen an episode I haven't liked but this might be my favorite. Indigenous history is so fascinating but gets so complicated. You did such a good job with this episode . Thank you. FYI, the pronunciation of many of the names have to be taught, just like Latin or Hebrew have to be taught.

[@mattfrederic2038]

Sir i hate to break it to you but you are classic 100% red blooded american if you lived in san diego. If you are mexican, your blood lies in the same bed as the spanish conquistadors. Your bloodline comes from europe just like white Americans ❤️

[@saguntum-iberian-greekkons7014]

How do you conclude that by not even looking what the guy looks like or even his name?

[@jmmh1313]

​@@mattfrederic2038 san Francisco is a spanish name.

[@mattfrederic2038]

@@jmmh1313 yup. And where is spain located?

[@jmmh1313]

@@mattfrederic2038 what does it have to do with the fact that the city was founded by Spanish people and legated to the mexicans until you decided to steal half of their territory?

[@dustinsouza1410]

Once again an amazing video. Looking forward to the next one. Thank you.

[@schiz0phren1c]

Watching Thoughty dispense knowledge while he mispronounces many Aztec names is the video I didn't know I needed!, the amazing history, animation, and production is a bonus.

[@LuDa-lf1xd]

Also the Spanish ones.

[@NeidlichesSchwert]

This guy's a moron.

[@jtn81x]

Not sure anyone alive today really knows how the Aztec words are meant to be pronounced. The Spanish is another thing, but does he look Spanish to you? It's not a language course, deal with it.

[@Zurbalan33]

As I was watching, I couldn't help but imagine this as a HBO drama, like Game of Thrones, 90% historically accurate, with great character development, a few side stories, with all the gore, all the murders, diplomacy, cunning, and the perspective of both Spanish and Aztecs. With a good script and a lot of money, this could be the new "Rome," but better. I'm a dreamer, I know. Great video!

[@Maak90]

Literally "Hernán" on Amazon

[@458Dubai]

yeah but politically too complicated, producers prefer an entire fictional story, its much more simple

[@alfredosenalle9284]

It would make a great movie to watch , but unfortunately, the politically correct BS of nowadays wouldn't do a good and fair job

[@louisehaley5105]

I’m surprised Ridley Scott or Mel Gibson didn’t direct their own take on the Conquest of Mexico back in 2019 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Cortez’ arrival. Such a gory and epic chapter in history should have appealed to them.

[@louisehaley5105]

34:44- I thought it was the sight of blood soaked idols as evidence of human sacrifice in the main temple that triggered the Spaniards massacring the Aztec partygoers.

[@archetypealch3my290]

They need to make a movie or series about this

[@charlesgoodwin-k1x]

The cities recreated could be incredible to see. I would actually like to see the build up of the Aztecs as a civilization a good bit before the Spaniards arrived.

[@flynncollins3129]

more like this please! Absolutely worth the wait, anyone else agree?

[@Gaming27973]

Incredible work @Thoughty2 . Really love your videos. Keep the good content coming.

[@sphyncematry7267]

this single handedly threw me into this part of history. i am intrigued

[@jwood8769]

Just once I want to hear him say “ this is a story all about how my life got flipped and turned upside down “ I sing it everytime he say “ this is a story “

[@patrickdurham8393]

I love how modern peoples want to put modern morals on past actions.

[@jtn81x]

Indeed. Like some people hate the German people for "voting wrong" in 1936.

[@CaptainTexas92]

Just like the Aztec people suffered the loss of their homeland so did the Spanish to the Arabic moors before the reconquista. Yes history is written by the victors but modern people have an obsession with viewing the brutal and violent nature of history through a modern day lens while also seeing the losers as poor unfortunate innocent souls.

[@DevandJo]

Spaniards and Portugese Learned of the new world from Africans

[@curious_one1156]

The moors did not use biological warfare in Spain. But there are similarities too. Tariq, the conqurer of Spain was an adventurer similar to Cortez, one who was an outlaw commander, and crossed the Gibralter strait (named after him, Gib-al-Tariq), motivated his men by plunder, bribed opposing Visgoth generals, burned his ships immediately after landing ashore, and in the end, could not govern his new territory as someone else was appointed by the Khalifa.

[@NAzo.]

Since when did Spain ever belong to Spaniards in the first place when people of color use to inhabitant that land? White people lived in Georgia Russia by the Caspien Sea or in a place called Mount Seir (Petra) in Jordan. Likewise to Europe as a whole which is filled with white folks who invaded those lands and stole it from the original brown people. Some went so far as to even steal their culture. You can find letters by high profile people like Benjamin Franklin talking about how Germany had black people living there and in the UK and Ireland.

[@CaptainTexas92]

@@curious_one1156 the small pox blankets and biological warfare are a myth that’s been disproven and dismissed by most historians. It was nothing more than coincidence that unfortunately not being exposed to the disease made it spread like wildfire through the entire population of early settlers of the Americas.

[@IzzyandShadow]

Like England to the vikings, Saxons, Normans and the Romans 😂 pretty much every country has been conquered at some point

[@jessevillagomez8793]

I loved every second of this extremely informative piece, I had heard Cortez had been mistaken for one of their old gods, and that’s how he managed a massive portion of his conquering. I was interested to hear another perspective.

[@HorusHerotic]

Irony of mexican president asking Spain for an apology, for what HIS ancestors did to the natives 😂

[@458Dubai]

Most mexicans are mixed

[@houseofpancakes379]

Pardon our senile president 😢

[@warloshernandez]

Is it not ironic? just like when european descendents in California, Texas, Arizona or New Mexico tell hispanic descendents to "go home"

[@askmewhosjoe6682]

@@warloshernandezAmericans telling nonAmericans not to invade their country isn’t the same thing at all

[@warloshernandez]

@@askmewhosjoe6682 Mexicans were living on those states before "americans" invade them so there was americans invading americans back then since mexicans and all countries down south are americans too.

[@elmagodelmaryahoo]

If 1 of the 2 shipwrecked Spanish sailors found in the Yucatan declined to join Cortes' expedition *_because_* he had "gone native" and had 3 children with a Mayan wife, then Cotes' child with Malinche, Martin Cortes, was NOT _"one of the first individuals of mixed European and Mesoamerican descent"_ ...!! In fact, many entries in Columbus' ship logs from his 4 voyages to "The New World" between 1492-1504 documents numerous sailors who "abandoned ship" and stayed "in paradise" with THEIR new wives years before Hernan Cotes' arrival.... 🤐

[@jtn81x]

One of the first doesn't necessarily mean the first. The first in this case is an undefined number of people, and the statement is not wrong.

[@Byronic19134]

@@jtn81xFor real people are being pedantic and it’s because he left out the word documented, as in one of the first documented and known back in Europe whereas most of the shipwrecked sailors people in Europe had no idea about but they absolutely knew about Cortez.

[@Reverse_Cat_Cowgirl]

​@jtn81x If one of the first has no ballpark number, then what is the point of saying it? Why not say something like, a part of the earliest generation of mixed individuals? I think that is the more significant point of sharing the fact anyway. But that's just my thoughts on the small detail.

[@SebastianEpicurus]

​@@Reverse_Cat_Cowgirlone of the first is implying just that, ONE of the FIRST. OMG READING COMPREHENSION ppl!!!!

[@jetshadowcrow]

If you need some pronunciation for Spanish or Azteca for another video, I'd be more than happy to Anglicize it for you. ( i.e. Conquistadores= Con-key-stah-doors or Cuitlahuac=Coo-eet-lah-hoo-ah-k). Love the amazing storytelling history you do, please keep them coming.

[@bobgarrish]

Nailed it on this one, stuck to my seat the whole way through! I was driving to work at the time, but riveting stuff nonetheless!

[@nikaluvnwayne]

Listen I already knew this information but the way you told it I was like omg tell me more like I don’t know how this ends 😂 I truly appreciate the video and your content helps me through work thanks and much love from Texas Boo 💗

[@everniture1783]

I hope 50< min videos are the new norm! My fav channel!

[@mycrazylife1111]

Tenoch-tits-up is some next level historical word play :D This vid is really fun to watch, with Tenoch-tits-up winning the gold medal

[@paulromero3783]

Absolutely beautifully done and narrated!!!!! I will definitely save this video and watch it over and over!! I hope you did a video on the Incas!!! Will check now!!!!

[@donm5354]

42 missed the opportunity to mention my favorite place ...Lake Titicaca ,,,, the birthplace of THE GREAT CORNHOLIO !!!

[@Kaizelot]

That lake is between Peru and Bolivia...

[@roberthunter479]

Yeah, wrong continent. Funny joke, though...I asked a Bolivian about the name and they tell me that Bolivia got the titi and Peru the caca.

[@LuDa-lf1xd]

En el lago Titicaca una chola se hizo caca... 🤣🤣 at least that's how it starts in my region.

[@peterroberts4415]

That story is for a different day

[@chrisleon5918]

​@@Kaizelot...are you the threatening me?

[@HazeRadio]

Been following for years. The quality never dipped an inch. Best freakin channel.

[@JacksonLarkin]

so the aztec empire was basically just negan from twd

[@bronwentillman8385]

Forget "300"....I'd watch a movie about this titled "500"!!!!!

[@jsandoval3226]

It’s BS that’s why Hollywood won’t touch it 😂

[@kelvinfernandez3205]

It wasn't just 500 though

[@jimmierustler4887]

It wasn't just 300 either. I'd still watch that movie.

[@astikaarsitektur5916]

well the difference between these 500 and that 300 are the 500 are villain. I am not sure want to watch about "brave colonizer"

[@Ozdyy]

actually 100k Tlaxcaltecas this idiot is dull of shi😢

[@fematrailer]

20:45 I wonder if Cortez's plan of treating prisoners well, talking about his goal, and then letting them return home was based on some of Julius Ceasar's strategies of dealing with the senate's Gallic allies in his civil war. Surely he would've been familiar with those parts of European military history, so I wonder if that was part of his inspiration.

[@atreyuf]

Cortez was a well educated man, at least in regards of strategy, administration and politics. I am pretty sure he was aware of History, too!

[@DS.proudkiwi]

I'll tell you what he probably treated them no better or worse than the Aztecs did to there prisoners and all the smaller tribes and people they sacrificed.

[@nospamwished5947]

Cortez had the Roman Empire as a model for New Spain. He was educated and probably knew about Roman history.

[@atreyuf]

@@nospamwished5947 they also built infrastructure and many roads (not to mention a huge amount of churches) The only thing that they really ruined because they didn’t understand it was the lake system. There is a great documentary about it and I recommend the channel “Mexico Antes de Mexico”

[@jmmh1313]

Bernal talks in his account that when alvarado and his captain were arguing about who should claim the merit of capturing Cuauhtémoc, whether if the man who did it or his officer, Cortes gave them a long rant about how this argument had taken place in the past better Gaius Marius and Lucius Sila. So i would bet my bucks that he DID know that and DID imitate that. Unlike most europeans at the time, the spanish had a vast range of knowledge about rome accesible to them since they had the ones of the catholic church plus the ones legates to them by the muslims who ruled the place. Little is talked, also, about to what a degree it had to be Spain the one starting the age of exploration because of the access they had to arab technology.

[@joelreidy2585]

The Aztecs were hated by anyone who wasn’t an Aztec…after conquering them, people threw flowers at Cortez…many loved him…the Spanish were very cruel at times but compared to the Aztecs they were angels

[@공상가-t3c]

throwing flowers at feet, where did you get this information?

[@공상가-t3c]

the aztecs were so "hated", the majority of it's noble class (the people majorly responsible for the sacrifices) and the moctezuma family itself were made spanish nobility

[@공상가-t3c]

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_of_Moctezuma_de_Tultengo

[@joelreidy2585]

@@공상가-t3c a book on Cortez…the Texcoco in particular but quite a few others hated them. The Aztecs would take and sacrifice massive amounts of the surrounding peoples young men especially. They initially viewed Cortez as a liberator…initially

[@joelreidy2585]

@@공상가-t3c that’s a political move to secure power

[@nordan00]

Bernal Diaz’s, “The Conquest of New Spain” is one of the most incredible eyewitness accounts you’ll ever read. It’s right up there with Xenophon’s, “Anabasis.” To me, anyway!

[@bunglebutts3163]

its a terrible account

[@nathanirby4273]

Have you seen DJ peach cobbler's series of videos on the fall of the Aztec? It's Amazing ! He goes into a Lot of detail on ol Bernal.

[@erenjaeger1738]

Some people say he wasn't being truthful

[@jmmh1313]

​@@erenjaeger1738 and that's likely to be true. However, he is the only source of the conquest that was actually there to see the events that he describes while the rest talk on hearsay 40 years afterwards, except for Cortés. Who will clearly be even less truthful although i gotta say he writes it beautiful af.

[@tmcxd1165]

Yeah, conquistador chronicles are full of lies.

[@JamesBritemusic]

I got my ancestry test back and I am 36% indigenous mexican and 28%Spanish🇪🇸"eroupe" and the rest is other eroupan and north African numbers. It is so cool to hear the history and see that my blood is actually a result of these events in history. Especially growing up in texas and living in el paso for 8 years I got to experience the mexican culture as close as I could without entering the country. I am the result of everything that happened mezo-america during the 1500s

[@OrgusDin]

ew

[@KristopherMister-jk7jl]

That can change. take your test in another 5 years, and it's going to say different

[@KangzWeWuz]

@@OrgusDin 2girls 1 cup? White women eating it?

[@htidDeano]

It's so crazy to think that just one tiny thing had gone different the whole history of the world would of been changed crazy stuff love the channel mate keep up good work

[@resiliencewithin]

the only crazy thing here is your brain

[@abcde_5949]

12:26 Wait a minute! How is this Martin kid one of the first from mixed parents when Cortes just came from that other place where Spanish guy had 3 kids with Mayan wife? Sounds like they should get the credit.

[@deadjester2770]

Had this same thought when he said that

[@dragon_reborn1123]

Brothers forgot to read "one of"

[@IrishMike22]

​@dragon_reborn1123 no, not in this instance. The reason it's brought up is because at the mention of the first kids why no designation? Why does his kid have a secondary title or special mention? It's a filler which in no way can be verified and shouldn't have been included.

[@jtn81x]

What part of "one of the first" is it that you don't understand? One of the first does not mean the first, "the first" here is an undefined numer of people and being one of them makes you one of the first.

[@zacvancastle.]

It never ceases to surprise me how the descendants of the conquistadores request apologies from the other side of the Atlantic. And while it is true that is where they came from, it's also true that it mostly were their ancestors who did the job. And if in doubt, check their surnames and ask why is it Spanish

[@Didymus20X6]

You have a very good point. "Half my ancestors conquered and subjugated the other half my ancestors. Therefore, you should apologize to me for something you had nothing to do with!"

[@LuDa-lf1xd]

Also, there were native American conquistadors. So even with no Spanish blood you could still be the descendant of one.

[@DS.proudkiwi]

Spain should apologize when the Aztecs do for all their crimes against smaller tribes and sacrificing people in horrible way . Like they were doing for hundreds of years before Spain showed up. Spain probably doesn't even come close numbers wise and brutality wise to the Aztecs

[@charlynegezze8536]

@@DS.proudkiwi I noticed that the Aztec sacrificing of those peoples they subjugated went unmentioned. It was another reason the Aztecs (Mexicas) were so detested.

[@ErikPT]

@@charlynegezze8536 He ommitted due to... KZbin censorship yes, records found at least some 30,000 in a discovered site a few years ago. IN 2015 I believe a whole town in Mexico DF of skulls...

[@Titus921]

I think you left out a key point in why the rest of the of Mexicas hated the Aztecs and it was the mandatory tribune of sacrificial human bodies for rituals and also a theory why Alvarado committed the massacre at the feast in Tenochtitlan is because the Aztecs made the Spanish a feast with food been of human meat and when he found out he got so upset that he order the massacre every of every Aztec in that ceremony. I think this is why the Aztecs was so unpopular with the rest of the regional tribes imagine been force to give up your citizens for human sacrifice in order to maintain peace.

[@mattmiraglia3199]

Yeah, especially the rain god sacrifice in which captive children were sacrificed.

[@Cat-ik1wo]

Yes. I read this too. Montezuma specially was fond of children's flesh. Offered it to Cortez men. The Aztecs were cannibals. Also, the taking of the heat in spice, such as chili peppers. A lot of ppl dont know that the Aztecs would season their killed enemies with it after battle, to eat. The warriors believed that they were taking into theirselves the fire spirit of the person killed.

[@Titus921]

@@Cat-ik1wo I would like to see the pyramids of the Aztecs that the Spanish and their allies burned and destroyed but they were so hated by their enemies that all of them were cool with the destruction of their civilization as barely anything survive. Something similar to that happen in Greece as Alexander asked what to do with Thebes as to what would be their punishment for been on the wrong side of the war with him and all of the Greek allies including Sparta and Athens agreed to burn it to the ground as Thebes was the most powerful and hated Greek state at the time.

[@carlitosway5748]

@@mattmiraglia3199 thats not true and no evidence of it

[@Nightguardian]

@@carlitosway5748 If not true, please share more of the details. I am curious as to your reasoning.

[@Smolansen]

Bravo !!! I think this is the best video you've ever made. Much appreciated 👏

[@louisehaley5105]

Flower Wars were conducted specifically with the intention of capturing enemies for human sacrifice instead of killing them on the battlefield.

[@Cursum_Perficio]

Excellent video, thank you. I bought Gary Jennings historical novel 'Aztec' upon release in 1980. I still have that hardcover, have read it several times. Generally I don't keep novels but will always keep this one and highly recomend it to anyone that enjoyed this video.

[@shpeen8835]

Excellent novel, very well researched, told from the Mexica perspective

[@markg1490]

I had wondered about how they accomplished defeating the Aztecs. That is an excellent history lesson. Thank you

[@aceundead4750]

Anyone else catch the slip up with "Mesopotamia" instead of "Meso America?" Also anyone else wondering why Meso America is two words whilst Mesopotamia is just one?

[@LuDa-lf1xd]

In spanish both are together. As i understand it, Mesopotamia is the complete name. Like, there's no Potamia, but Mesoamerica is made up with the prefix + America.

[@josemaurtua1862]

You know, I almost rewound it, because I thought I heard that. Nice to know I’m not crazy

[@jmmh1313]

In Meso America meso is an adjective that serves as synonymous of middle in order to add information to the noun America. In Mesopotamia, meso is a prefix that modifies the greek lexeme related to rivers and drinkable watter (that has given other words in romance languages like potable in spanish which means a kind of water that is safe to drink) in order to designate a land between two rivers (Tigris and Euphrates).

[@aceundead4750]

@@LuDa-lf1xd thank you

[@aceundead4750]

@@jmmh1313 thank you

[@para2535]

This clip was better than most Hollywood movies. I am a huge fan of yours and i beg you to do more like this !!!! It was absolutely brilliant !!!!! Keep it up, love ALL your content !! seen all your clips, even the "bad" ones are good, thank you for the effort you put in✌

[@AfroChilanGringo]

@22:38, Cholula is 100 miles away from TENOCHTITLAN, not 15 miles.

[@acress456]

He may have not been the nicest guy, but a tactical genius nonetheless

[@Chiraqfan.]

Yes definelty a tactical genius to think like that while under pressure is mind boggling

[@Chiraqfan.]

Definitely a tactical genius

[@lagarttemido]

He was just blessed buy our Almighty God to spread the Gospel.

[@protercool8474]

@@lagarttemido How kind of god to spread his word through disease and destruction. Here I was thinking the almighty could just almight people into knowing his message when he made them.

[@andreasl_fr2666]

He is the definition of the "get rich or die trying" meme. He was very smart , but what made him special, ultimately, was the willingness to take risks that almost anyone else in history would consider intolerable.

[@kenwalker687]

This kept me engaged for a long time. I learned more about the conquest of Mexico than I ever learned in school.

[@geraintroberts4611]

Omg yes. Ive waited so long for new content. Thanks thoughty2

[@starc.]

anything anyone does to this guy backfires into his favour like hes jack sparrow "we didnt even have permission to be there but hey we conquered an empire for you with a few hundred men"

[@N54htmare]

But it wasn’t a few hundred men it was the hundreds of thousands of rival tribes / spread of euro illness

[@mohamedAli-kj6fb]

Incredible work considering the odds and the pressures of mutiny following gim. He was also insanely lucky to find spanish sailors who could translate in that unknown territory.

[@starc.]

@@N54htmare ye mostly the illness, just such an epic story I had to exaggerate a bit

[@AfroChilanGringo]

Thank you. This is one of the best one-hour overviews of the Conquest of the Aztecs. I will suggest it to others.

[@BobSmith-ke4jg]

That Mexican prez is also the genius who thought of a slogan on how to handle cartel violence "Abrazos no balazos" translation: "hugs not gun shots"

[@ifecoAE]

She is a member of the cartel.

[@adrianvalenciavera1211]

😂 and I’m sure you believe all the campaign slogans from American presidents like “make America great AGAIN!” 😂😂😂

[@trashcantacos]

​@@adrianvalenciavera1211If the Mexican people had guns, they could defend themselves from the cartels who have guns. Not sure why that's a controversial opinion in today's soft, backwards, cowardly world. People like you make it like that btw

[@1EQUALS-INFINITY]

@@ifecoAE He is a puppet and protector of the cartels.

[@jessicam1977]

Trouble is cartels don’t follow this suggestion, it’s only for the victims, ‘Pueblo bueno y sabio’ ‘the people, good and wise’ who are extortioned, murdered and kidnapped like never before yet voted for this crook

[@Mej_Javiky]

The video production and graphics on these videos are phenomenal.

[@pizzaboy7570]

Thank you for all your efforts to produce that awesome video!! Off to buy one of your shirts now

Based King of Spain, refusing to apologize.

[@detdeet]

Why would he apologize, he had nothing to do with it, and to demand apologies whilst being a descendant of Spanish settlers is hypocritical to say the least on the part of Mexico's president. Somehow the Mexicans forgot that they are also overwhelmingly Spanish in ancestry and prefer to pretend they're related to Montezuma lol It's part of some guilt cope mechanism they use to otherize the blame for it and pretend they are not the direct beneficiaries of Cortéz and oppressors of the native americans to this day lol the reason the Native Americans don't have their own countries again isn't because the King of Spain refuses them, it's because the Spaniards in Latin America, descendants of Cortéz, refuse them. And i don't really care if they do, it's their country now as far i'm concerned, but for them to turn around and then pretend it's the King of Spain doing this is astonishing hypocrisy, if you feel bad about it, just get on a boat and return to Spain lol

@@detdeet Lot of Nahuatl people helped the Spanish to rule. Spanish rule was a great thing for the area, as it build a strong civilization, that they all benefit from. The descendants of the Tlaxcala still live among the Mexicans. Good for them, as their ancestors would be proud that together with the Spanish, they created a great country

[@NeedlesKane916]

Bro was barely a captain, did you even watch the video?

[@carlitosway5748]

What great country? A country filled with poverty, crimes, degenerate values, homosexualty, p0rn addiction, human trafficking, corruption, all brought by the great Spanish civilization. We were better off with Indigenous values.

[@carlitosway5748]

@@detdeet King of Spain and the Vatican apologized to the small hat people (jws) but they cannot apologize to Indigenous? Why is that according to you if today's king had nothing to do with what happened in that era of dark history of Spain?

[@paulvmarks]

Somehow you manage to produce an entire video on this subject whilst not really discussing the endless human sacrifices that turned other tribes against the Aztecs.

[@666legnadibrom]

Really? That is kind of pivotal as to why the Spaniards with on 500 dudes won

[@carlitosway5748]

human sacrifices were practiced by most natives, also it wasnt "endless", there is no proof that they did endless human sacrifices

[@Tdott9716]

They did a lot of human sacrifice but it wasn’t endless and the people that were sacrificed it was considered one of the most honorable thing you can do becuase your sacrificing your self to the sun god I believe but thier god and it was similar to the Vikings deing in battle to go to Valhalla and they sacrificed a lot of virgin women not warriors soo they had warriors weather they didn’t agree with the sacrifice I don’t know but I do know it was one of the most honorable things to do

[@nat.acosta]

Everyone knows they did human sacrifice, it was bad but they weren’t the only ones and they literally believed their existence depended on it. Just like any region in the world the dominant power if oppressive (however that oppression shows up) will have enemies and those enemies will take any advantage to take them down. However, that is a problem for the locals to resolve not for foreigners to take advantage of for their purposes, being allies of the Spanish cost them their way of life, their culture, and not only theirs but also the other groups around eventually they fell victim to it as well.

[@lurker-mq4fp]

Great upload! Age of Empires 2 gives great historical pronunciation of those Tnx/Tenox/Trxc...city names. The modern AoE update has people from the area narrate the stories. Amazing era of humanity.

[@hardassteel]

Cortez sinking his ships before the conquest shows his courage and maniacal determination to succeed.

[@Tago-h1b]

Cortés no quemó sus barcos, los inutilizó. Más tarde los desmontó y los volvió a unir en el lago Titicaca par asediar Tenochtitlán.

[@erenliebert4576]

@@Tago-h1b That makes much more sense, though still a bold move, you cannot escape fast if needed to so that definitely made people less prone to mutiny.

[@kalifatokata]

The aztecs used their neighbours as protein, they had no cattle, that is the sad truth.

[@dennisestradda9746]

How about the Chihuahua or Turkeys?

[@joselopez-kx3sm]

i am sure you are referring to the flower wars.

[@Cat-ik1wo]

Hot chili peppers made everything palatable.

[@joselopez-kx3sm]

@@Cat-ik1wo all jokes aside ritualistic cannibalism was a thing.

[@jtn81x]

You are a great story teller, and even though I already know most things about many topics, I have watched or listened to probably 100 of your videos while out running and at bedtime. It's an impressive amount of quirky, weird and interesting topics, keep up the good work.

[@resiliencewithin]

"i'm very smart" you know most things with this lil fatty head?

[@rafaeltepantitla3405]

Gracias Papá Cortez for getting rid of the Aztec Cartel.

[@googleuser9009]

Hernan Cortez stands with Alexander as a conqueror. So much was gained by so few

[@JamesPeach]

Don't ever ever compared a dirty European (reason they killed so many natives) with Alexander the Great, ever.

[@johnsilva1773]

This was very informative! I just got back from vacation in Mexico City, and while I knew some of these facts, your video helped put everything together.

[@TheLoyalOfficer]

The funny thing about Obrador's demand for an apology from Spain is that Obrador is almost definitely related to one of the conquistadores.

[@chuckness5372]

I find it interesting how a modern President of Mexico, who looks to be probably 90% Spanish wants an apology from his ancestors. When will the descendants of all the people murdered by the Aztecs demand apologies from the descendants of the Aztecs. I cannot help to think of Billy Joel's song, "We Didn't Start The Fire."

[@liluglymane5676]

Try showing me pictures of Spanish people who even resemble AMLO bro 😂

[@Chris-np4rv]

This was realy interesting. I find reading laborious, but I love history. To watch something like this is entertaining and informative. Thanks Thoughty!

[@RosesVale]

12:15 , ah yes, the first Mexican.

[@Christian_Prepper]

*I was about to make the same comment and then I saw "I'm not alone."* 12:10 6:42 *But what about this guy? Hmm* 🤔

[@ThaRickiestRick]

Mi papa

[@enoughofyourkoicarp]

I thought it was weird that the guy wanted apologies for human rights violations for something that happened centuries before human rights were a thing, especially when the human rights charter says you can't be tried for something that wasn't a crime when you did it.

[@CarlosBautista-l9e]

That history is changing, little by little people is learning true history even mexicanas who once loved Aztecs are starting to be more in the Spanish side

[@cesar_145]

That guy is nuts.

[@geronimo3752]

As a Mexican of native origin; 25% and Spanish 62% with many conquistadores in my lineage, it's ridiculous to hold animosity toward either side. I love my heritage. Cortez sounded like a smart and ambitious guy. And the thousands of native peoples being sacrificed needed to end. It was all meant to be. Thanks Cortez! And Thanks for the amazing video.

[@mojolmao1752]

funny origin lol

[@andrews5069]

You forgot to note that Alvarado was the only man apart from Jesus who walked on water while running away from Tenochtitlan. Something important that was forgotten was the battle of Otumba. After retreating from Tenochtitlan towards their allies the Spaniards were harassed by the Aztec forces, and at the plain of Otumba they decided to attack them with a large force (some say 100,000 men, however this would have probably included the army followers) against some 500 Spaniards and a couple of thousand of their allies. The Spaniards knew that the Aztecs wanted to take them alive in order to sacrifice them to their Gods, so had their last rites and went to battle to fight to the death. However what they had and the Aztecs had never seen before in action was heavy cavarly. Which pretty much routed the Aztecs, as the front lines panicked (try having large horses running towards you and see if you're going to panic) which brought more confusion to those in the lines behind then that also started to run for their lives.

[@bryanpayton1168]

Jesus is a fairytale character that never existed, I wish all you christians would quit pretending he did. Stupidest story ever told, except maybe the ark, that's even more childish. Don't compare figments with actual people and events, just don't...

[@wolfiemuse]

No one has literally walked on water in the colloquial sense that most people think, ever.

[@carlitosway5748]

Spaniards lost more men in that battle than Aztecs did, if Spaniards didnt have those allies, they wouldve gotten wiped down, and if you think Aztecs were scared of horses when in their jungles they saw a lot more dangerous animals that they hunted, then you are a complete fool LMAO

[@andrews5069]

@@carlitosway5748 Try standing still when a massive horse is running towards you. It's even worse when you have never seen a horse before. What the Spaniards did in that battle was to head to the enemy leader and killed him.

[@carlitosway5748]

@@andrews5069 bro, natives had a lot of weapons that would easily slice through a horse's face, i dont think you have even studies their armor unless you think they only had arrows, plus they also carried with them scary whistle sounds that wouldve easily caused a horse or a dog to loose distraction and run the other way

[@CapablePimento]

I feel both very ignorant for not knowing all of this, and now less ignorant because I now know the story. Thanks for embigening my smartitude, or at least reducifying my dumbness.

[@Bigvenomsnakeboss]

All these words are cromulent

[@CapablePimento]

@@Bigvenomsnakeboss indubiously!

[@stuartbrett1048]

Thank you so much for a fantastic history documentary. You make the story interesting and intriguing. I am a big fan of your work. These longer videos are amazing sir

[@GSR8GHOST]

Thank you for making this video! I live in United States, and so many Mexicans 10 mexican-americans want to jump into the wagon of " colonizers destroyed our ancient civilization" when in reality, it was the hate in between all tribes that made it possible! They always want to give all default to the Spaniards which is unfair because the Spanish just like any other group, they just wanted to create a great Empire call my just like the Aztecs did! So it is what it is, Mexico was conquered by the Spaniards only because the natives wanted to get rid of the Aztecs

[@kwep1472]

Finally a upload, I was thinking in the shower when was the last time I saw this guy on my recommended Checked page nothing for awhile now today I've been blessed

[@adampaul454]

You think about him in the shower? 🤔

[@kwep1472]

@@adampaul454 sometimes 😉

[@TomLatchford-dc2em]

​@@adampaul454you don't?

[@adampaul454]

@@TomLatchford-dc2em not since he got rid of the moustache

[@TomLatchford-dc2em]

@@adampaul454 yeah good point you got me there

[@seanboneski3148]

This was a fabulous video. You have a great way of keeping it interesting because it is. Thank you.

[@brianmcchesney580]

History is complex and it is a bad idea to assign moral values to the actions of people and cultures that would be difficult to assess if you were there at the time.

[@mateovazquez127]

I know Cortez' story has probably been deformed during the years, but if it was like its told, he's probably the luckiest and smartest person ever to exist. Crazy story

[@YouT00ber]

Read “Conquest of Mexico” by Bernal Diaz Del Castillo, he was in Cortez’s inner circle & saw the whole thing first hand. It’s an incredible story.

[@lagarttemido]

Cortés was neither. He was just blessed buy our Almighty God to spread the Gospel.

[@geekishgir]

Damn, this was one of the most fascinating and DEPRESSING videos you've done. This was glossed over in our history classes with just a quick paragraph that Cortes conquered the Aztecs

[@jimmierustler4887]

Cortez was a real G

[@AlistaTudor]

probably had godly charisma too

[@Aitiustus0]

Presently Mexico's economy is ranked 14th with Spain ranked 15th. To see the colonized rise higher than the colonizer is a delight of justice and speaks to the strength and ingenuity of the Mexican people!

[@righteousmammon9011]

Same with USA and UK

[@trashcantacos]

Wtf 😂 We Mexicans descend from those same "colonizers" what a dumb comment

[@dennisestradda9746]

Same With Brazil and Portugual

[@jajaiarigaga2842]

i mean mexico has a population 3x higher than spains population so that not really something to be glad about thats like saying india has a higher gdp the britain which is true but india has 22x the amount of population britain has and yet they are barely above britain

[@carlitosway5748]

@@righteousmammon9011 its not the same, most Americans are white Americans, not mestizos or indigenous

[@banditvinchenzo347]

Damn this was really educational! When I was in high school the history books said it was a Spanish army that conquered them. I always wondered how much more of what I learned back then was simplified or incorrect. This makes a lot more sense! Thanks for another historical banger

[@CorundumDevil]

Where the *Fff'ACK* have you been?! EDIT: the AI-generated thumbnail is actually perfect. The five-fingered (not thumb) guy holding all that gold; the conquistador who is half centaur (the back half of his horse melds into his waist); and the two gents sharing a spear on the right-hand side.

[@darken2417]

Sorry but you got some things seriously wrong. Moctezuma most definitely feared Cortes, he was absolutely petrified. This is well attested in primary sources. He had no idea about some far flung nation. No no no, completely wrong, modern nonsense. He unironically completely fully believed that Cortes was a god and was absolutely tormented by dreams and visions prompted by Cortes's progress. The gifts weren't meant as some high IQ way of negotiating as you claim. It was meant to appease the Spaniards whom they thought were gods. They even sent out shamans to dance around to exorcise them from the world. They even tried to feed them food covered in blood and tried sacrificing slaves to them. (which horrified the Spaniards) Alvarado's attack was also portrayed incorrectly. The gold bit was absolute silliness. He was an experienced conquistador which witnessed real horrifying acts of barbarism. The most widely accepted interpretation of what happened is that he saw the Aztecs dancing around in their celebration and assumed they were going to sacrifice them because he was essentially traumatized. The other conquistadors also very skittish played into this interpretation and made him feel an urgency to act. So he decided to strike at the nobles.

[@carlitosway5748]

Spaniards were not thought to be Gods, if that was the case they wouldnt have been attacked when Indigenous encountered them for the first time LMAO

[@darken2417]

​@@carlitosway5748 Lol you don't get how the Aztecs viewed gods. This is also just an indisputable fact. Completely rewriting history by saying that they didn't think this. Go check out, Aztec Perspective on First Contact with Europeans by Voices of the Past. The channel took research from Bernardino de Sahagún and the Nahuatl people from the 16th century and presented the text with voice.

[@nat.acosta]

⁠@@darken2417why do you assume the Aztecs didn’t have the intelligence for diplomacy and careful strategy? You understand that these were men with new technology, things they had not yet seen like guns and ships, why would he risk angering what he didn’t know? The whole things is still being debated, what you reference is from early Spanish accounts and I am sorry but I’m taking some of the stuff with a grain of salt. SOME might have thought that initially but they weren’t simple minded people who worshiped corn, they were sophisticated.

[@darken2417]

@@nat.acosta Because they literally said this is what they believed. They believed they were literal unironic gods that's why. Modern revisionism just says "We can't trust that because a Spaniard was involved". There is no other evidence to consider all the primary sources we have points to this. And it wasn't just a Spanish account they asked Nahuatl people, Nahautl tribespeople. And by the way much of the Aztec nobility remained in positions of authority throughout the Spanish era. None of them had written something contrary to this narrative even the heirs of Moctezuma didn't have anything to say in contradiction to this (yes they were still nobles and had authority under Spain). Like "Hey you are lying about my ancestor! I'm going to commission a priest to accurately transcribe my family's history." When people say it was just diplomacy they are pulling it out of nowhere with no primary source. They just don't like the truth and assume it must have been something different. Its like when people tried claiming that human sacrifices and mass graves didn't exist that it was a myth. Also complete nonsense. They didn't like the truth so they made up something different. Not to mention that Bernardino de Sahagún is known as the "first anthropologist". His work is the reason we know as much as we do about the Nahuatl people. And by the way they worked closely with him all the way through these works even drawing illustrations in their own native style. His work is classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. Whether you like it or not his work was authentic and as accurate as possible and it all clearly and unquestionably asserts these facts about Moctezuma.

[@bernardr1980]

Your educational video and accent is what keeps me listening

[@spencedog]

I don’t understand how people say that they decimated these people. Their empire ended, but it’s not like they killed them all?

[@Chris-lz6ci]

Did you not hear about the Cholula massacre? With things like that and the plagues they brought with them, they decimated the locals

[@GothPaoki]

They most definitely decimated them. Not all but that's hardly an excuse

[@spencedog]

@@GothPaoki there’s over 1 billion central and South Americans today… Mexico City is one of the biggest cities in the world. There are countless Mexicans that can trace their lineage to the Aztecs.

[@spencedog]

@@Chris-lz6ci Yes those things are terrible. Their culture was destroyed but at least that region was liberated from senseless sacrifices

[@nospamwished5947]

@@GothPaoki the illnesses decimated the population, not the alliance against the Aztecs. There was never a law to kill natives like in the USA or Australia…

[@christopherfoley4355]

today I learned that the Mayans were Mesopotamians

[@kevingrentzer2602]

Incorrect

[@christopherfoley4355]

@@kevingrentzer2602 lol what?!

[@stephensaunders3759]

Really enjoyed this video. Had a lot of history about the Aztec I never knew Thanks much