1521–1524 CEReputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
The Founding of Mexico City and New Spain
On the timeline · around 1521–1524 CE ·
What happened
The Spanish razed Tenochtitlan and built their own capital, Mexico City, directly on its ruins, using the stones of Aztec temples for churches and palaces. Cortés became the first ruler of the new colony of New Spain.
Why it matters
Mexico City rose literally atop the drowned Aztec capital — a colonial order built on the bones of the empire it replaced, and the seat of Spanish power in the Americas for three centuries.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. The Fall of Tenochtitlan · Reputable source
- World History Encyclopedia. Hernán Cortés · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Age of Exploration → — The birth of Spain's American empire