S5E205 - The Tears of Xochimilco: Water, War, and the Fall of Tenochtitlan

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the crucial role of Xochimilco and its network of chinampas and canals in the fall of Tenochtitlan. They discuss how the Mexica capital's dependence on freshwater from the springs of Xochimilco became a strategic vulnerability, and how Cortés's brigantines, built with the help of Tlaxcalan allies, cut off those lifelines. The conversation weaves through the geography of Lake Texcoco, the engineering of the chinampas, the siege tactics of the Spanish, and the resilience of the Xochimilca people, who were caught between Mexica domination and Spanish conquest. They also touch on the d...