The name can also be spelled as Moctezuma, and he was the ninth Aztec Emperor of Mexico. Moctezuma is particularly famous for his confrontation with Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador. He was the leader of the Aztec empire from 1502 until his death in 1520. During this time, the Aztec empire stretched from central Mexico to what is now Honduras in Central America.

Montezuma came to the Aztec throne as successor to his uncle Ahuizotl. During this time, he organized military expeditions that expanded the scope of Aztec influence, however, it also generated resentment among various tribes in the region, who were unwilling to pay the tributes that Moctezuma demanded. This resentment, among other circumstances, was what helped the Spanish conquistadors subdue the Aztec tribe.

We cannot talk about Moctezuma without referring to his deep belief in the god Quetzalcóatl. The Aztecs awaited the return of Quetzalcóatl, a white-bearded god who ruled the Toltec empire. Some historians suggest that Quetzalcoatl was actually a Viking who reached Mexico before Columbus. The legend of Quetzalcóatl tells of a white god who brought with him the knowledge of handling metal, and when looking in the Aztec codex, the pictographic representations of the god Quetzalcóatl resemble the image of a Norse person.

When the Spanish arrived in Mexico, and Moctezuma heard that white-bearded men were coming to Mexico from the eastern sea, he mistakenly believed that the god Quetzalcóatl had returned. Hernán Cortés knew this belief and used it to his advantage during his expedition through Mexico.

When Cortés arrived in the Aztec city of Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma received him and invited him to the emperor’s palace. Cortés, taking advantage of the Aztec hospitality, took Moctezuma prisoner. Moctezuma’s submission to the Spanish generated great resentment among the Aztecs. It is said in the Spanish chronicles that when he tried to deliver a public speech, he was attacked with stones and arrows by the crowd. The injuries caused by this situation caused his death after three days. The Aztec throne then passed to Cuitláhuac, who died shortly after due to an epidemic of smallpox brought to Mexico by the Spanish.

The Aztec rebellion forced the Spanish to leave Tenochtitlan for the Tlaxcala region, where they signed a treaty with the Tlaxcalans. These people helped reinforce the Spanish troops and played an important role in the submission of Tenochtitlan.