The Valley of Mexico--The City and the Causeways--The _Conquistadores_ enter Mexico City--Meeting of Cortes and Montezuma--Greeting of the Aztec emperor to the Spaniards--Tradition of Quetzalcoatl--Splendid reception--The Teocalli--Spanish duplicity--Capture of Montezuma-- Spanish gambling--News from Vera Cruz--Forced march to the coast-- Cortes defeats Narvaez--Bad news from Mexico--Back to the capital-- Alvarado's folly--Barbarous acts of the Spaniards--The fight on the pyramid--Destruction of Aztec idols--Death of Montezuma--Spaniards flee from the city--Frightful struggle on the Causeway--Alvarado's leap--The _Noche Triste_--Battle of Otumba--Marvellous victory--Spanish recuperation--Cuitlahuac and Guatemoc--Fresh operations against the capital--Building of the brigantines--Aztec tenacity--Expedition to Cuernavaca--Xochimilco--Attack upon the city--Struggles and reverses-- Sacrifice of Spaniards--Desertion of the Allies--Return of the Allies-- Renewed attacks--Fortitude of the Aztecs--The famous catapult-- Sufferings of the Aztecs--Final attack--Appalling slaughter--Ferocious Tlascalans--Fall of Mexico. CHAPTER VI MEXICO AND THE VICEROYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 General considerations--Character of Viceroy rule--Spanish civilisation--Administration of Cortes--Torture of Guatemoc--Conquests of Guatemala and Honduras--Murder of Guatemoc--Fall of Cortes--First viceroy Mendoza--His good administration--Misrule of the _Audiencias_-- Slavery and abuse of the Indians--The Philippine islands--Progress under the Viceroys--Plans for draining the Valley of Mexico--British buccaneers--Priestly excesses--Raid of Agramonte--Exploration of California--Spain and England at war--Improvements and progress in the eighteenth century--Waning of Spanish power--Decrepitude of Spain-- Summary of Spanish rule--Spanish gifts to Mexico--The rising of Hidalgo--Spanish oppression of the colonists--Oppression by the colonists of the Indians--Republicanism and liberty--Operations and death of Hidalgo--The revolution of Morelos--Mier--The dawn of Independence--The birth of Spanish-American nations. CHAPTER VII THE EVOLUTION OF MODERN MEXICO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113