The reign of Motecuhzoma II can be a sensitive subject in Aztec history. Although considered to be one of the greatest rulers of all pre-Columbian history, Motecuhzoma can also be blamed for the surrendering of the empire to the Spanish. Before his reign began, many emperors used their military powers to conquer surrounding lands which greatly expanded the empire. In order to better understand the destruction of the empire, we must first consider how the …showed first 75 words of 2249 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2249 total…at the hands of Cortes and his followers, and lead to the bringing down of Motecuhzoma II. Bibliography Conrod and A. Dermanest. Religion and Empire: The Dynamics of Aztec and Inca <Tab/>Expansionism. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1984. Smith, Michael E. "The Aztecs" 2nd Edition. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers, 2003. Townsend, Richard F. "The Aztecs", revised edition. New York: Thames and Hudson, 2000. Wikipedia. "Motecuhzoma II". <www.wikipedia.com> 07 April 2006.