S5E207 - The Poisoned Gift: Xicotencatl the Younger and the Bridge

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the complicated legacy of Xicotencatl the Younger, the Tlaxcalan war captain who helped Cortés destroy the Mexica Empire, only to be hanged for treason years later. They dig into his tactical genius, his furious opposition to the Spanish alliance, and the eerie prophecy of the quetzal feather that tied him to the conquest. Drawing on the Florentine Codex, the Lienzo de Tlaxcala, and the Relación de Michoacán, they untangle the threads of loyalty, betrayal, and survival that defined his life. They also examine the encomienda system that replaced the alt...