The Twilight of the Empires: The Spanish Conquest of Mesoamerica In 1519, Hernán Cortés and a band of European adventurers disembarked on the coast of Mexico, thus beginning the conquest of the Aztec empire. This process culminated in the bloody taking of Mexico-Tenochtitlan on August 13, 1521, and the defeat of Motecuhzoma II. In 1530, Tangaxoan II, the Tarascans' cazonci, or governor, was assassinated by the Spanish conquistador Beltrán Nuño de Guzmán. The Tarascans did not put up any great resistance, believing that the European armies were fulfilling prophecies of the gods. The religious fanaticism of the conquering armies prevented them from understanding the indigenous societies' way of life. They ruthlessly destroyed the majestic Mesoamerican cities and used the debris as construction materials for what would become the colonial cities. In their quest for gold, the main reason for the Conquest, the Spanish melted down the vast Aztec and Tarascan treasures. Only a few pieces of jewelry survived, a small reminder of the glory and fame of ancient Mexico. Chalice lid. Colonial, ca. 1540. Feathers and bark, diam. 28 cm. Museo Nacional de Antropología, INAH, Mexico City. Photo Michel Zabé, assistant Enrique Macías.