Cholula, dating to the second century BCE,…

Cholula, dating to the second century BCE, is one of the most important cities of Mesoamerica, the second largest, and probably the most sacred.

Its huge pyramid (larger in volume than the great pyramids of Egypt) makes it one of the most prestigious places of the Aztec religion.

I it appears, however, that Cortés as he marches to Tenochtitlan perceives Cholula more as a military threat to his rear guard than a religious center.

He sends emissaries first to try a diplomatic solution to entering the city.

Cortés has not yet decided to start a war with the Aztec Empire, and decides to offer a compromise.

He accepts the gifts of the Aztec ambassadors, but also accept the offer of the Tlaxcalans to provide porters and one thousand warriors on his journey to Cholula.

He also sends two men, Pedro de Alvarado, and Bernardino Vázquez de Tapia, directly to Tenochtitlan, as ambassadors and to scout a route.

There are contradictory reports about what happened at Cholula.

Moctezuma had apparently decided to resist with force the advance of Cortés and his troops, and it seems that Moctezuma had ordered the leaders of Cholula to try to stop the Spaniards.

Cholula has a very small army, because as a sacred city they put their confidence in their prestige and their gods.

The priests of Cholula according to the chronicles of the Tlaxcalteca expected to use the power of Quetzalcoatl, their primary god, against the invaders.

Cortéz and his men enters Cholula without active resistance, but they are not met by the city leaders and are not given food and drink on the third day.

Cempoalans report that fortifications are being constructed around the city.

The Tlaxcalans are also warning the Spaniards.

Finally, La Malinche, after talking to the wife of one of the lords of Cholula, informs Cortés that the locals plan to murder the Spaniards in their sleep.

Cortés, not knowing if the rumor is true or not,  orders a preemptive strike, urged on by the Tlaxcalans, the enemies of the Cholulans.

Cortés confronts the city leaders in the main temple alleging that they are planning to attack his men.

They admit that they had been ordered to resist by Moctezuma, but they claim they have not followed his orders.

Regardless, the Spaniards on command seize and kill many of the local nobles to serve as a lesson.

They seize the Cholulan leaders Tlaquiach and Tlalchiac, then order the city set afire.

The troops start in the palace of Xacayatzin, then move on to Chialinco and Yetzcoloc.

Cortés in letters to his King claims that in three hours time his troops (helped by the Tlaxcalans) killed three thousand people and burned the city.

Another witness, Vázquez de Tapia, claims the death toll was as high as thirty thousand.

Of course, the reports by the Spaniards are usually gross exaggerations.

Since the women and children, and many men, had already fled the city, it is unlikely that so many were killed.

Regardless, the massacre of the nobility of Cholula is a notorious chapter in the conquest of Mexico.

The Azteca and Tlaxclateca histories of the events leading up to the massacre differ.

The Tlaxcalteca claim that their ambassador Patlahuatzin was sent to Cholula and had been tortured by the Cholula.

Thus, Cortés was avenging him by attacking Cholula.

The Azteca version puts the blame on the Tlaxcalteca claiming that they resented Cortés going to Cholula instead of Huexotzingo.

The massacre has a chilling effect, to say the least, on the other city states and groups affiliated with the Aztecs, as well as the Aztecs themselves.

Tales of the massacre persuade the other cities in the Aztec Empire to entertain seriously Cortés' proposals rather than risk the same fate.