First, having never seen Europeans before, not to mention horses, Moctezuma, monarch of the Aztecs, believed that Cortes might be the ancient god Quetzalcoatl, returning to claim his earthly kingdom. With that advantage, it wasn’t difficult for Cortes to capture the Aztec king and hold him hostage. For months, the Aztec brought gold, silver,turquoise (Links to an external site.) and other valuable items to ransom (Links to an external site.) their king back and encourage the Spanish to leave.
Second, the Spanish had arrived during a time of tumult within the Aztec Nation. Many surrounding tribes that had been conquered by the Aztec were in rebellion against the harsh (Links to an external site.) rule of Moctezuma. They were most pleased to join forces with the Spanish interlopers (Links to an external site.) and provide their warriors to assist in the downfall of the Aztec. The Spanish showed their appreciation for this assistance by eventually turning on their Native American allies and conquering them as well.