MONTEZUMA, surnamed XOCOYOTZIN and called MONTEZUMA II, chief, or emperor, of ancient Mexico: b. 1479 (authority of Bernal Diaz) ; d. Tenochtitlan, Mexico, 30 June 1520. He is well known as the ruler of the Aztecs at the time of the Spanish invasion. He succeeded his uncle Ahuizotl as chief in 1503. Almost constant wars were carried on by him with the Tarascans and Tlascalans, and he is said to have led an expedition as far south as Hon duras. His internal policy was in many re spects wise. He severely enforced the laws, introduced valuable changes in the courts and built many public works, including temples, a new conduit for the water supply and a hos pital for invalided warriors. But by his arro gance and pomp, his seclusion, his restriction of appointments to those only of noble rank and his heavy taxation he made himself greatly disliked. His conquests enlarged the empire, but the various parts were without cohesion, and insurrections were frequent. When news was brought in 1518 that ships and white men (of Jean de Grijalva's expedition) had been seen off the coast, Montezuma was greatly alarmed, because an ancient prophecy foretold that Quetzalcoatl, the white god, would at some time come to reign over Mexico. He sent pres
ents to Cortez, who had landed at Vera Cruz in April 1519, and tried to prevent him from marching to Tenochtitlan. Cortez, however, arrived there in November and was well re ceived. Fearing an outbreak of the people, who did not agree with the conciliating policy of the monarch, Cortez then took Montezuma prisoner and retained him as a hostage in the quarters of the Spaniards. The Aztecs finally made an attack upon the quarters (June 1520). Montezuma, at the request of Cortez, attempted in a speech from the wall to end hostilities, but was wounded by a volley of stones and died four days later. The Indians came to regard him as a deity, and indeed called him their chief god, though this reverence did not include worship. Consult Prescott, W. H., 'Conquest of (1843); Bancroft, H. H., 'Mexico,' Vol. I (Vol. IX of his 'Works' 1883-90); Diaz, B., 'Historia verdadara de la conquista de la Nueva Espana.'