What weakness of the Mexica empire did the Spanish conquerors exploit?
Final answer: The Spanish conquerors exploited the weakness of the Mexica empire by taking advantage of political divisions and alliances with rival indigenous groups.
Political Divisions and Alliances
One weakness was the lack of unity among the various city-states within the empire. The Spanish exploited these divisions by forming alliances with some city-states that were opposed to the Mexica.
The Spanish effectively played off rival factions against each other, leveraging existing tensions to weaken the Mexica empire from within. By aligning themselves with certain factions, they were able to gain allies and coordinate attacks that further destabilized the empire.
Resentment and Opposition
Another weakness was the resentment and opposition towards the Mexica empire from subject peoples who were harshly taxed and oppressed. The Spanish tapped into this discontent and gained support from these groups in their conquest.
Many indigenous groups that were under Mexica rule saw the arrival of the Spanish as an opportunity to break free from their oppressive overlords. The Spanish were able to capitalize on this discontent, promising liberation and autonomy to those who sided with them.
In conclusion, the Spanish conquerors took advantage of both internal divisions and external opposition to weaken and ultimately conquer the Mexica empire. By understanding and exploiting these vulnerabilities, they were able to achieve their goal of conquest and colonization.