The Noche Triste, the “Sad Night” of June 30, 1520, was one of the most disastrous events in the history of the Spanish conquest. On that night, the Spanish attempted to break out of Tenochtitlan, where they had been trapped since their arrival in November 1519. The retreat was disastrous, with the Spanish suffering heavy losses and most of the treasure they had accumulated being lost in the waters of Lake Texcoco. The Noche Triste was a major setback for the Spanish, and it required Cortés to rebuild his forces and to plan a new assault on the Mexica capital.
The Situation Before the Retreat
The situation in Tenochtitlan had deteriorated in the spring of 1520, when Cortés was forced to leave the city to deal with a Spanish expedition that had been sent from Cuba to arrest him. Cortés left Pedro de Alvarado in charge of the Spanish forces in Tenochtitlan. Impulsive and eager to act, Alvarado committed one of the great atrocities of the conquest when he ordered the massacre of Mexica nobles during the festival of Toxcatl in May 1520.
The massacre of Toxcatl provoked a Mexica uprising, and the Spanish were besieged in the palace of Axayacatl. Cortés returned to Tenochtitlan in June 1520, and he found the situation desperate. The Spanish were exhausted and short of supplies, and the Mexica were resisting fiercely. Cortés tried to use Moctezuma II to calm the situation, but Moctezuma was killed in the fighting, either by the Spanish or by the Mexica.
The Planning of the Retreat
Cortés decided that the only way to save the Spanish forces was to break out of the city. He planned a careful retreat, with the Spanish moving in a column, with the cavalry in the front and the infantry in the rear. The retreat was to take place at night, when the Mexica would be less able to resist.
Cortés also planned to take with him the treasure that the Spanish had accumulated, including the gold and the silver that Moctezuma had given them. The treasure was the most valuable part of the Spanish gains, and Cortés was determined to save it. Cortés had the treasure loaded onto a number of wooden platforms, called calli, that were carried by the Tlaxcalan allies.
The Retreat on the Night of June 30, 1520
On the night of June 30, 1520, the Spanish began their retreat from Tenochtitlan. The Spanish moved in a column, with the cavalry in the front and the infantry in the rear. The Tlaxcalans brought up the rear, carrying the platforms with the treasure.
The retreat was detected by the Mexica, who had been warned by a woman who was crying in the streets. The Mexica attacked the retreating column, and the Spanish were forced to fight their way out of the city. The fighting was fierce, and the Spanish suffered heavy losses. The cavalry was effective in some areas, but the streets of Tenochtitlan were too narrow for the horses to maneuver effectively.
The Losses of the Spanish
The losses of the Spanish during the Noche Triste were severe. About 400 Spanish soldiers were killed, and a large number of the Tlaxcalan allies were also killed. The Spanish also lost most of the treasure they had accumulated, which was either taken by the Mexica or was lost in the waters of Lake Texcoco.
The Spanish also lost many of their weapons and supplies, and they were forced to retreat to Tlaxcala with what they could carry. The retreat was a major setback for the Spanish, and it required Cortés to rebuild his forces and to plan a new assault on the Mexica capital. The Noche Triste was a major turning point in the conquest, and it showed that the Spanish could be defeated.
The Consequences of the Noche Triste
The Noche Triste was a major setback for the Spanish, but it was not the end of the conquest. Cortés retreated to Tlaxcala, where he was given refuge by his allies. He received reinforcements from Cuba and from Spain, and he built a small fleet of brigantines, which he had transported in pieces over the mountains from the coast. The brigantines gave the Spanish control of the lake, and they were essential to the final assault on Tenochtitlan.
The Noche Triste was a major event in the conquest. The event shows that the Spanish were not invincible, and it demonstrates the importance of the indigenous allies in the Spanish victory. The Noche Triste is also an important symbol of the tragedy of the conquest, and it is widely remembered in Mexican popular culture and in the national mythology.
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