S5E223 - Cortés's Indigenous Army: The Tlaxcalan Pact

We often picture the Spanish conquest of Mexico as a small band of Europeans toppling an empire, but that narrative ignores the massive indigenous coalition that made it possible. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the complex relationship between Hernán Cortés and the Tlaxcalteca, specifically focusing on Xicotencatl the Younger and the pivotal moment when these fierce warriors chose alliance over annihilation. We examine the military tactics that combined Spanish steel with Nahua numbers, the political maneuvering in the altepetl of Tlaxcala, and the heavy price paid by allies who helped destroy their former enemies only to...