Yesterday was the anniversary of La Noche Triste (The Night of Sorrow) – the attempt by Conquistadors and Tlaxcala allies under Hernan Cortes to escape Tenochtitlan, capital of the Mexica (Aztec) Empire.
At midnight, Cortes and his troops evacuated the city via the westerly causeway to Tacuba along Lake Texcoco. The route was deemed suitable given its short distance from inside Tenochtitlan.
Despite the cover of darkness and the construction of a portable wooden bridge to span gaps in the causeway, the Mexica soon detected the escape, launching a flotilla of canoes and opening fire with bows, slings, and spears. The vanguard, including Cortes, was able to reach the mainland, but the bulk of the retreating column descended into chaos as the portable bridge fell into the water and Mexica warriors streamed onto the causeway. Cortes attempted to rally his men amidst the turmoil, but fell into the lake and was almost captured.
The retreat from Tenochtitlan, known by Spanish chroniclers as La Noche Triste, was a disaster; although Cortes and many of his best troops had broken out of the city, hundreds had been lost, along with sizeable amounts of treasure, horses, cannon, and gunpowder. The decimated survivors continued their retreat eastwards, defeating a large Mexica force at Otumba before arriving in Tlaxcala territory on 11th July.
By Ibrahim Zamir
Empire of History 