Battle of Otumba facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Battle of Otumba |
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| Part of the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 Spanish Empire Confederacy of Tlaxcala |
 Aztec Triple Alliance |
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Hernán Cortés | Matlatzincatl † | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Spanish Army: • 800 soldiers • 13 mounted infantry • 12 crossbowmen • 7 arquebusiers • No artillery Tlaxcala Army: • 8,000 troops |
20,000 Aztec warriors | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 60-70 Spanish dead, unknown Tlaxcalan losses | Heavy | ||||||
The Battle of Otumba was an important fight during the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire. It happened on July 7, 1520, near a place called Otumba in modern-day Mexico.
The battle was between the Aztec army, led by Matlatzincátzin, and the forces of Hernán Cortés. Cortés's army included Spanish soldiers and their Tlaxcalan allies. The Spanish and Tlaxcalans won this battle. This victory allowed Cortés to regroup his army. They had suffered many losses just days before in an event known as La Noche Triste (The Night of Sorrows).
A year later, Cortés strengthened his army with new soldiers and supplies. He also made alliances with other native groups who had been ruled by the Aztecs. This helped him to conquer Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital.
Contents
What Led to the Battle?
Cortés Arrives in Mexico
In March 1519, Hernán Cortés landed with his Spanish soldiers, called conquistadors, in Potonchán, Mexico. Cortés was supposed to explore the area for Governor Diego Velázquez de Cuéllar of Cuba. This area was mostly controlled by the Aztec Empire.
However, Governor Velázquez changed his mind and cancelled Cortés's trip. But Cortés decided to go anyway.
Alliances and Entering Tenochtitlan
Cortés used both force and clever talks to gain allies. He teamed up with groups like the Totonacs and the Tlaxcaltec. These groups were enemies of the Aztec Empire. With their help, Cortés moved towards Tenochtitlan, the main Aztec city.
In November 1519, the Spanish entered Tenochtitlan. The Aztec ruler, Moctezuma II, welcomed them at first.
Trouble in the City
The Spanish were treated well for a while. But then, Governor Velázquez sent another force to stop Cortés. This force was led by Pánfilo Narváez. Cortés had to leave a small group of his men in Tenochtitlan. His lieutenant, Pedro de Alvarado, was left in charge.
Cortés quickly defeated Narváez and convinced Narváez's soldiers to join him. He then marched back to Tenochtitlan. He had heard that the city was rebelling against the Spanish.
The Night of Sorrows
When Cortés returned, Alvarado told him that he had attacked the Aztecs first. Alvarado believed the Aztecs were planning to attack the Spanish during a religious ceremony. This caused a huge uprising in Tenochtitlan.
The Aztecs chose a new emperor to replace Moctezuma. They saw Moctezuma as weak and too easily influenced by the Spanish. Cortés tried to make peace. He even asked Moctezuma to speak to his people. But the angry Aztecs threw rocks, and Moctezuma was killed.
By the end of June 1520, the situation was very bad. The Spanish decided to escape the city that night. This event became known as La Noche Triste (The Night of Sorrows). During their escape, many of Cortés's soldiers and allies were killed. Out of about 1300 Spanish soldiers, fewer than 500 survived. Hundreds of Tlaxcalans and other civilians also died.
Cortés and his remaining forces began to retreat towards Tlaxcala. Aztec warriors kept attacking them as they left. The Aztec leaders wanted to destroy the Spanish army completely.
The Battle of Otumba
Facing the Aztec Army
After their difficult escape from Tenochtitlan, the surviving Spanish forces reached the plain of Otumba. Here, they met a very large Aztec army. The Spanish were tired and hungry. But the Aztecs did not attack right away, which was a mistake.
The Role of Cavalry
According to Bernal Diaz del Castillo, a Spanish soldier who was there, the Spanish cavalry (soldiers on horses) were key to winning the battle. The Aztecs thought the Spanish were already defeated. They wanted to capture Spanish soldiers alive to sacrifice them to their gods.
The Spanish cavalry charged first, breaking through the Aztec lines. This prepared the way for the Spanish foot soldiers and Tlaxcalan infantry. Even with this success, the huge number of Aztecs still made the fight very hard for the Spanish.
The Aztecs had not fought against Spanish cavalry before. They were surprised by the repeated charges of soldiers on horseback. Despite their large numbers, they were not ready for these attacks.
Cortés's Clever Plan
Cortés had a smart plan. He told his soldiers to attack the Aztec captains and leaders first. Cortés himself spotted the Aztec leader, Matlatzincatl. He wore rich armor and a special headdress, and carried a flag. Cortés guessed that if they defeated the leader and captured his flag, the Aztecs would lose heart.
Cortés told his captains his idea. He then led a charge directly towards Matlatzincatl. Other captains like Gonzalo de Sandoval and Pedro de Alvarado followed him. Cortés attacked the Aztec leader with his lance. The other captains broke through the warriors around him.
Matlatzincatl was killed by Juan de Salamanca. Salamanca took the Aztec battle-standard (their flag) and gave it to Cortés. With their leader dead and their flag captured, the Aztec army slowly began to fall apart. The Tlaxcalan and Spanish warriors then defeated them completely.
What Happened Next?
This victory at Otumba allowed the Spanish soldiers to reach the safe city of Tlaxcala. There, they could rest and get ready for a new attack into Aztec lands. This would eventually lead to the Fall of Tenochtitlan. After Tenochtitlan was conquered, the Spanish founded New Spain, which became a large part of modern-day Mexico.
See also
In Spanish: Batalla de Otumba para niños
