Meeting of Cortés and Montezuma

Timeline

1. 1519Entry causeway of Tenochtitlan · Mexico CityCortés led Spanish soldiers, Tlaxcalan allies, and representatives of peoples such as the Totonacs across the causeway over Lake Texcoco into the lake-bound capital of Tenochtitlan, witnessing grand temples and markets along the way.
2. 1519Aztec palace district · Mexico CityMontezuma II received Cortés with gold chains, feather ornaments, and precious gifts; the two sides exchanged gifts and conversed. The Spanish were then housed in buildings adjacent to the palace, with Montezuma effectively under Spanish surveillance.