Episode
The Noche Triste: Cortés's Night of Sorrows
- Published
- Jul 24, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 397
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Summary
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the Noche Triste — the night of June 30, 1520, when Hernán Cortés and his forces fled Tenochtitlan under a hail of Aztec arrows and stones. They discuss the events that led to the Spanish retreat: the Toxcatl massacre ordered by Pedro de Alvarado, the death of Moctezuma, and the desperate escape across the Tacuba causeway. Lucas explains how the Tlaxcalan allies played a crucial role, how Cortés regrouped at Otumba, and why the Aztecs failed to finish him off. The conversation touches on key figures like Cuauhtémoc, the young emperor who rallied the Mexica, and the Spanish losses that included gold, horses, and the lives of many indigenous allies. Lucas also examines contested accounts — Bernal Díaz del Castillo's vivid chronicle versus the Florentine Codex's indigenous perspective — and reflects on the mythic weight this night carries in Mexican history. A focused, human-scale look at a pivotal turning point that could have ended the conquest before Tenochtitlan fell. #NocheTriste #HernánCortés #Tenochtitlan #Moctezuma #Cuauhtémoc #PedrodeAlvarado #Tlaxcala #Otumba #BernalDíaz #FlorentineCodex #TacubaCauseway #ToxcatlMassacre #AztecEmpire #SpanishConquest #Mesoamerica #Mexica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo