Indian groups provided crucial support to early Spanish settlers in Mexico by supplying food, guiding expeditions, and translating, which helped the Spanish survive. While many Indian allies died fighting the Spanish or from diseases after 1521, some native warriors accompanied Spanish campaigns later. Hernando Cortés led the Spanish conquest of the Aztec empire beginning in 1518, destroying their capital Tenochtitlan and exploiting native beliefs that he was the returning god Quetzalcoatl, allowing the Spanish to take advantage of factors like disease, technology, and native assistance to conquer Mesoamerica.

1. Indian Conquistadors

2. Indian Friends Spanish settlers were dependent on the natives. They were used for supplies and support within the settlements. They helped out as porters, cooks, guides, spies, translators and interpreters. These roles played a major part in the survival of the Spanish settlers. Gave gold to the Spanish and other resources as gifts and to establish peace

3. Indian War Allies There weren’t many Indian allies after 1521. Many of them were killed by the end of the war in combat or impacted by epidemic diseases. Spaniards who went on campaigns after the war were accompanied by Nahua and other native warriors.

4. Hernando Cortes In 1518 Velázquez put him in command of an expedition to explore and secure the interior of Mexico for colonization. When he conquered Mexico, Tenochtitlan went out of existence. Was believed to be the returning deity of Quetzalcoatl.

5. Micro patriotism, epidemics, metal weapons and native assistance gave the Spanish an advantage in battle and led to their conquest of Mesoamerica.