Moctezuma (of Montezuma) II was de keizer van het Azteekse Rijk van 1502-1520. Moctezuma was in de macht ten tijde van de Spaanse verovering van Mesoamerica, geleid door Hernán Cortés. Voor de komst van de Europeanen was Moctezuma verantwoordelijk voor de grootste uitbreiding van het Azteekse Rijk.
{Microdata type="HowTo" id="9576"}Moctezuma (also spelled Montezuma) was a ruler of the Aztec Empire in the early 1500s, known for his leadership during the Spanish conquest. He is important because his reign marked the end of the Aztec civilization and the beginning of Spanish rule in Mexico.
Moctezuma expanded the Aztec Empire, strengthened its political structure, and oversaw major building projects in Tenochtitlán. He also promoted religion and culture, leaving a lasting legacy in Mesoamerican history.
When Hernán Cortés and the Spanish arrived, Moctezuma initially welcomed them, believing they might be gods from prophecy. His actions, including diplomacy and gifts, ultimately could not prevent the Spanish conquest of the Aztec Empire.
Moctezuma I ruled earlier and expanded the empire, while Moctezuma II was the emperor during the Spanish arrival and fall of the Aztec Empire. They are often confused but led in different periods and faced unique challenges.
Moctezuma is a key figure in world history because his leadership and the Spanish conquest help students understand cultural exchanges, the impact of colonization, and the transformation of societies in the Americas.