The conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards is one of the most fascinating events in world history. No other indigenous people confronted them with such great bravery and endurance as the Aztecs did, and the laurel wreath that contemporaries placed upon the Spanish conquerors—especially their commander Ferdinand Cortez—outshines even the glory of the discoverer of America. Posterity has had to condemn many actions of Cortez and his soldiers most harshly. Nevertheless, it will forever remain memorable how this bold man, with a handful of adventurers, toppled a powerful empire that had existed for centuries and before which even the bravest Indians of Central America trembled. When Cortez landed on the coast of the American mainland, he was unfamiliar with the geography of the land or its languages.