S5E224 - The Siege of Tenochtitlan's Hidden Front

While we have covered the fall of Tenochtitlan and the alliances that made it possible, this episode turns to a lesser-known but critical component of the conquest: the naval blockade. We explore how Hernán Cortés transformed his fleet of brigantines from simple transport vessels into instruments of total war, strangling the city’s supply lines across Lake Texcoco. The conversation details the engineering marvels behind these ships, the brutal effectiveness of their cannons, and the psychological terror they inflicted on the Mexica defenders. We also examine the role of indigenous rowers, many of whom were forced or coer...