Conquering of the Aztecs

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The animals the Spaniards brought with them were considered military assets as well. In particular, their dogs and horses were of main importance. The Aztecs had dogs, but most were a mix of Chihuahua. Spanish war dogs were a whole different story. Breeds such as wolfhounds, greyhounds, lurchers, pit bulls, and mastiffs were used countless times during the conquest of Mexico. These dogs were outfitted in chainmail and steel plates, thus making Aztec stone weapons virtually useless. [20] Aztec accounts described these dogs as, “their eyes [are] a burning yellow; their eyes flash fire and shoot off sparks.”[21] In fact, the natives thought the dogs were a species of dragons. Before battle, the dogs would be starved so they were extremely hungry by the time of battle. During battle, Hancock stated, “they tore into the Aztec front lines with devastating effect, disemboweling men, ripping out their throats, feasting on their soft unarmored bodies.”[22]

Horses proved to be just as deadly as the Spanish war dogs. When the Spaniards first arrived, the Aztecs thought the men on their horses were supernatural creatures. A native account stated, “The ‘stags’ came forward, carrying the soldiers on their backs.”[23] Their fear of this unknown creature only heightened on the battlefield as many Aztecs were trampled to death. [24] Despite being outnumbered in many of the battles, the Spanish military assets proved to be too much for the Aztecs.

The great Aztec Empire proved no match for the Spanish conquistadors. The Spaniards accomplished what they had set out to do. The help of their native allies, the spread of disease, and more advanced weapons were all causes for the Spaniards success. Together, these reasons allowed Cortes and his men to have great success in Central Mexico.

Bibliography

Cook, Noble David. Born To Die: Disease and New World Conquest, 1492-1650. New York , NY: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

Fuentes, Patricia De. The Conquistadors. New York, NY: The Orion Press, 1963.

Hancock, Graham. The Spanish Use of Animals as Weapons of War. October 6, 2013. http://www.ancient-origins.net/opinion-guest-authors/spanish-use-animals-weapons-war-00898 (accessed November 20, 2014).

Knight, Alan. Mexico: From the Beginning to the Spanish Conquest. New York , NY: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

Leon-Portilla, Miguel. The Broken Spears: The Aztec Account of the Conquest of Mexico. Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 1962.

Minster, Christopher. Armor and Weapons of the Spanish Conquistadors. http://latinamericanhistory.about.com/od/theconquest/a/09armsconquest.htm (accessed November 25, 2014).

Restall, Matthew. The Seven Myths of the Spanish Conquest. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2003.

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