ABSTRACT
Beginning in 1518, reports of white men who walked on water reached Tenochtitlan. These were Spaniards who had stopped off the coast of Veracruz to resupply and repair their vessel while searching for additional islands in the Caribbean. The tardiness of this group had provoked Hernan Cortes, then in Cuba, to mount a large search party. Reaching Veracruz, Cortes learned of the interior empire of the Aztecs and decided to strike out for Tenochtitlan to meet with the emperor. Cortés sent a message to Montezuma asking to meet so that Cortes might deliver a letter of greetings from the king of Spain. The Aztecs and their allies fought the invaders. However, the psychological impact of the mounted Spaniards' (the Aztecs had never seen horses), the Spaniards‘ use of cannon, and the relatively disorganized fighting style of the Aztecs impaired their ability to resist.
