The Entrada of Hernán Cortés

Hernán Cortés arrived at the mouth of the Antigua River in 1521, with his sights set on conquering the Aztec empire for God, Gold, and Glory. His initial journey into the Central-Southern region of modern-day Mexico started after leaving Cuba in search of riches. Landing in the Gulf coastal plains of Mexico resulted in the drudging of 500 men through the mangrove swamps and marshes in the heat and humidity of the low-lying, tierra caliente. Cortés and his band of conquistadors then ended up at the indigenous city of Zempoala. Following the mountain ranges of the Sierra Nevada, a volcanic range that crossed from the Gulf coast to Pacific coast of Mexico, Cortés then ended up at another city, Xalapa, or Jalapa. After leaving this Xalapa, Cortés crossed from the natural region of tropical savannah to the temperate savannah in the tierra templada. Quickly ascending from the low-lying plains of the Gulf coast, through the temperate savannah, into the highland steppe of Mexico. Venturing more south after reaching Tlaxcala, down to Cholula, Cortés began his approach to the vast city of Tenochtitlan in the more mountainous region of the Sierre Nevada. Throughout this journey, Cortés had been either recruiting or destroying various indigenous tribes in order to stand against the might of Tenochtitlan. The recruitment of various indigenous tribes must have had a depreciating effect on the agility of Cortés as he did venture above into the highlands, nearing the tree line of 12,000ft. Once reaching Tenochtitlan, Cortés would eventually raze the city in May of 1521 and go on to conquer vast amounts of territory throughout Southern Mexico.

Parker Boudloche