S5E222 - Cortés's Indigenous Allies: The Tlaxcalan Pact

While Hernán Cortés gets the spotlight for conquering the Aztec Empire, his survival depended on a fragile alliance with the Tlaxcalans. This episode explores how centuries of rivalry with the Mexica turned neighbors into partners, and why this coalition was the true engine of conquest. We examine the diplomacy behind the Lienzo de Tlaxcala, the role of Xicotencatl the Younger, and the brutal reality of the Otumba campaign. Discover how indigenous power structures shifted, how tribute networks were reconfigured, and what the 'Royal Fifth' meant to those who did the actual fighting. From the blood-soaked fields of Ch...