Battle of Otumba
Plain of Temalcatitlán, near Otumba, State of Mexico, Mexico
What happened
Hernán Cortés's Spanish soldiers and their Tlaxcalan allies fought a much larger Aztec army led by the cihuacoatl Matlatzincatzin. After fleeing the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, in a night escape known as La Noche Triste, the Spanish and their allies retreated toward Tlaxcala. On the plain near Otumba an Aztec army blocked their way. Cortés spotted the Aztec commander by his headdress and standard and charged at him; when the commander fell, the Aztec army stopped attacking.
Why it matters
Why it matters: The Spanish and Tlaxcalans escaped and were able to regroup. A year later they returned and captured Tenochtitlan, leading to Spanish rule in Mexico.
What came next
The survivors reached Tlaxcala, where they gathered new men and supplies. In 1521, with their Tlaxcalan allies, they besieged and took Tenochtitlan.
Did you know?
The battle gave the nearby town its title 'La Heroica Otumba'.
Timeline
- 1520La Noche Triste: the Spanish flee Tenochtitlan.
- 7 July 1520The Spanish and Tlaxcalans win at Otumba.
- July 1520The survivors reach Tlaxcala.
- 1521Tenochtitlan falls.