Massacre in the Great Temple of Tenochtitlan


The Massacre in the Great Temple, also called the Toxcatl Massacre, or the Alvarado Massacre, was an event on 22 May 1520, in the Mexica, also known as the Aztec, capital of Tenochtitlan during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire, in which the celebration of the Feast of Toxcatl ended in a massacre of Mexica elites.
In late April of 1520, Cuban Governor Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar ordered Spanish conquistador, Pánfilo de Narváez, to arrest Hernán Cortés while he was in Tenochtitlan. Cortés heard about Narváez coming from Cuba, so he and some of his army left the city of Tenochtitlan to fight them. Before he departed, he entrusted one of his captains, Pedro de Alvarado, with governing both the Spanish and Mexica. During his absence, Moctezuma, also known as Montezuma, asked Alvarado for permission to celebrate the festival of Toxcatl, a Mexica festivity in honor of Tezcatlipoca, one of their main gods. Moctezuma had previously gotten authorization to celebrate the festival of Toxcatl from Cortés. However, Alvarado suspected that the Mexica were using Toxcatl as a cover-up and instead were conspiring a rebellion against the Spaniards. After the festivities had started, Alvarado interrupted the celebration with an attack on the Mexica. This killed performers, spectators, and nobles who were all celebrating inside Tenochtitlan's Great Temple. According to multiple Mexica sources, the Spanish blocked all exits of the Temple, charging at the celebrants and brutally attacking them. They attacked all celebrants, murdering as many as they could.
The Spanish version of the incident contains several different possible motives, with some Spaniards saying the Mexica wanted to steal back the gold the Spaniards originally stole, and others saying it was caused by Narváez, as he was the reason for Cortés' abrupt departure. On the other hand, the Mexica version says the Spaniards were enticed into action by the gold the Mexica were wearing, prompting a Mexica rebellion against the orders of Moctezuma. Although Alvarado's specific motive was debated on, all accounts agree that the Mexica were mostly unarmed and the massacre was not directly provoked, and occurred with no warning and surprised the Mexica during their feast.
There were already tensions between the Mexica and the Spaniards, as the Spaniards were currently occupying Tenochtitlan, and seized the Mexica Emperor, Moctezuma, and held him as their prisoner. When Cortés and his men returned, the Mexica began full-scale attacks against the Spaniards. The Spaniards had no choice but to retreat from the city, which they did on what is called the Sad Night, losing most of their men, who were either killed in the battle or were captured and sacrificed.

A Mexica account of the incident

This is part of the Mexica account:

The Spaniards' account of the incident

Spanish Historian Francisco López de Gómara's account:

Aftermath

Cortés returned to the city, after hearing of the massacre, in late June of 1520. Cortés ordered Moctezuma to try and plead for peace among the Mexica, wanting their rebellious nature towards the Spanish to stop so they could safely depart the city. Shortly after, Moctezuma was murdered, although historians are unsure if he was strangled by the Spanish out of fear of inciting a larger revolt, or if he was stoned by his own people due to him not supporting their rebellion. Immediately following the murder of Moctezuma, his brother, Cuitláhuac, was made Emperor of the Mexica and he, unlike his brother, supported the revolt against the Spaniards. Cortés, his army, and the Spaniards resorted to an attempt to stealthily sneak out of Tenochtitlan during the night of a rainstorm. However, this strategy backfired as the Mexica caught wind of Cortés' attempt, and spotted them attempting to flee. Cuitláhuac led the Mexica as they chased down Cortés and his army, which resulted in over 800 Spanish and 2000 Tlaxcalan deaths, many of whom drowned in Lake Texcoco because they were carrying gold that was stolen from the Mexica. This event became known as La Noche Triste, or in English The Night of Sorrows or The Sad Night, which was a major event that led to the Mexica surrendering their empire in 1521, ending their reign.

Primary sources