Aztec Empire

A stone disc depicting Tlaltecuhtli, the Aztec earth god, in the pre-Hispanic city of Tenochtitlan, Mexico. Illustration: depositphotos.com

The collapse of the Aztec Empire shows why rule by force and force does not last

Accumulating hostility, lack of alliances, and Cortes' exploitation of rivals turned a powerful empire into a vulnerable one; the article offers a cautionary lesson for a foreign policy based on coercion and fear