Compare And Contrast The Spanish Over The Aztec And Inka Empires

The remarkable feat of contouring the Aztec and Inka empires were persuaded by the Spanish in the 16th Century. Three key foundations affected the outcome of these conquests. Religious passion and belief in a higher order was one key component to the Spanish success. Another invaluable factor was help from indigenous allies. Finally, the spread of small pox was crucial in weakening the mighty Empires. These three dynamics cemented victory for the Spanish over the Aztec and Inka empires.
Religious pride and the Native American’s belief in gods proved to be a pivotal advantage for the Spanish. During the expulsion of the Muslim infidels in Spain, the Spanish conquistadors fought for their monarchs, and for the Church. Rebecca Earle described the relation between the conquest of Spain and the Americas, “the conquests of the Indians began when those of the Moors had finished, so that Spaniards should always be battling against infidels.” The Spanish not only fought for the crown but also to rid the world of infidels. Conquistadors thought God would lead them to triumph over the Native Americans; “the Spanish believed they were inherently

superior to the natives and that their Christian God would lead them to victory.” The Spanish were not the only ones to believe this. The natives considered the Spaniards as gods because they were invincible in battle and not affected by the massive outbreak of smallpox. Both the Spanish and the Native Americans believed in a higher power played a part in the Spanish victories and conquest of America.
Disease in the Americas proved significantly help the Spaniards in their invasion of America.

Cortez and his army got driven out of Tenochtitlan on the Night of Sorrow. After months of preparation, they returned to capture the Aztec capital. When Cortez returned, he found the Aztec riddled by disease, and ultimately an easier opponent since the Aztec defenses were crippled. Burkholder said, “Previously unknown to the Mesoamerican population, smallpox devastated it… Probably many more Indians died in the epidemic than from wounds received in battle.” Without the devastating effects of smallpox, Cortez would have had a much more formidable defense and likely would have lasted much longer in the siege of the city. Since much of the population was sick and dying, the Aztec could not fend off the Spanish for more than two

months.
Smallpox and disease devastated the Inka Empire, “as in Mexico, disease proved to be a powerful ally to the Spaniards.” Pizarro attacked the Inka’s in the midst of an epidemic and civil war. The Spanish “were challenging the Inka at a particularly propitious moment, in the late 1520’s an epidemic had swept through the northern reaches of the empire. Identified as smallpox.” The disease even killed many high ranking officials of the Inka, further weakening the Inka’s ability to form a strong defense against the Spanish invasion. Disease proved to be an enormous ally for the Spanish.
Both Cortez and Pizarro used native allies and translators to guarantee success in their military campaigns in the New World. Pizarro was able to gather intelligence about an Inka civil war through native youths, which he captured on previous expeditions. Likewise, Cortez gained two Indian translators, who gave “crucial information about the Aztec state and intentions, in some cases saving the Spanish from military disaster.” Insight from the natives provided strategic advantages over the Aztec and Inka.
Besides translators and spies, Pizarro and Cortez gained help from native warriors. Pizarro used the civil war to turn the Inka against each other. Cortez recruited a plethora native warriors throughout his conquest as he moved towards Tenochtitlan; “by the final stage of his campaign, Indian auxiliaries vastly outnumbered the Spanish conquistadors and contributed immeasurably to Corte’s success.” The mightiest of the native tribes who joined Cortez were the Tlaxcalans. After Cortez and his men had got defeated on the Night of Sorrows, the Tlaxcalans provided a haven for the Spaniards. During this period, numerous native warriors joined Cortez for his final assault on Tenochtitlan. The natives proved to be extremely beneficial to the Spaniards during the conquests over the Aztec and Inka Empires.
The Spanish outstandingly conquered the two most significant Empires in Mesoamerica and South America. Many factors went into the conquest of the Aztec and Inka; three factors momentously influenced the outcome of these campaigns. Religion, indigenous allies, and disease all played a crucial role in the success of the Spanish.