# Fall of Tenochtitlan (1521)

URL: https://christianity-history.com/timeline/1521-fall-of-tenochtitlan
Location: Tenochtitlan, Mexico
Themes: Reformation

Hernán Cortés and his Indigenous allies capture the Aztec capital after a long siege. The conquest opens Mexico to Spanish rule and Franciscan missions, beginning the Christianisation of Mesoamerica amid devastating epidemics. At this point in the timeline (1521), the Bishop of Rome was Pope Leo X (9 March 1513 – 1 December 1521).

## Why it matters
Mexico went on to become one of the largest Catholic countries in the world.

Pope at the time: [Pope Leo X](https://christianity-history.com/popes/pope-leo-x)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Fall of Tenochtitlan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fall_of_Tenochtitlan)
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Fall of Tenochtitlan](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Fall+of+Tenochtitlan)
- [Wikipedia — Reformation (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation)