February 28, 1525
Acalan (modern day Campeche, Mexico)
Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor, is executed
Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés, took Cuauhtémoc prisoner after Cuauhtémoc’s surrender, but held him in high regards and treated him well (according to Spanish records), until the conquistadors did not find the treasures they were expecting. Cuauhtémoc was tortured in an attempt to find the missing treasures, and although some gold was found it was still a disappointing amount.
Fearing Cuauhtémoc may lead a revolt against the conquistadors, Cortés held Cuauhtémoc on trial and had the Emperor and some of his men hanged for conspiring against the Spanish. However, it is reported that there was no evidence supporting this claim and Cortés reportedly lost sleep due to his guilt, even injuring himself as he wandered at night while exhausted.
