The fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, was a

decisive event in the Spanish conquest of the empire. It occurred in

1521 following extensive manipulation of local factions and
exploitation of pre-existing political divisions
by Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés. He was aided
by indigenous allies, and his interpreter and companion La
Malinche.

Although numerous battles were fought between the Aztec Empire

and the Spanish-led coalition, which was composed mainly
of Tlaxcaltec men, it was the siege of Tenochtitlan that directly led
to the downfall of the Aztec civilization and marked the end of the
first phase of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. The Aztec
population was devastated at the time by high mortality due to
a smallpox epidemic, which killed much of its leadership. Because
smallpox had been endemic in Asia and Europe for centuries, the
Spanish had developed an acquired immunity and were affected
relatively little in the epidemic.

The conquest of the Aztec Empire was a critical stage in

the Spanish colonization of the Americas. With this conquest, Spain
gained substantial access to the Pacific Ocean. Through that,
the Spanish Empire could finally achieve its original oceanic goal
of reaching the Asian markets.