Cuauhtémoc

1495 – 1525

Cuauhtémoc was the last Aztec emperor, ruling Tenochtitlan from 1520 to 1521 during the final stage of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. He led the desperate defense of the city against Hernán Cortés through months of siege and starvation, surrendering only after the capital fell. Cortés had him tortured to reveal hidden gold and ultimately executed during a 1525 expedition to Honduras, and he remains an enduring symbol of Indigenous resistance in Mexican national memory.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM