Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/574

568 reigning seventeen years he died in 1502, after which his son, Montezuma II, was chosen the ninth king. He was a man of great nobility and talent, very popular among his people, and, from all accounts, his reign proved, beyond a doubt, that of the highest state of prosperity in the country. The quantity of grain grown showed that the land was well cultivated, and the Court and nobles lived so luxuriously that the people could not have fared badly.

After reigning eighteen years, he was, by false betraying and promises of Fernando Cortez, taken prisoner in his own capitol, and died of wounds received in 1520.

During the imprisonment of King Montezuma, his brother Cuitlahua was elected chief to the throne. He was also a great warrior; in fact, more so than his brother Montezuma. He was hostile and a bitter foe towards the Spaniards.

King Cuitlahua and his cousin Guatamzin went to work to reorganize and raise a large army, and made a fierce and bold attack upon the Spaniards.

Cortez, seeing that he was losing much ground and men, called upon King Montezuma in his temple to speak and to pacify the Mexicans, but Montezuma had no sooner made his appearance at a window when he was first shot by an arrow and afterwards hit and killed by a stone on the temple. This act so enraged the Mexicans that they finally defeated the Spaniards and their allies, and drove them from the city July 10, 1520, and is called noche trizte (doleful night).

The Spaniards retreated by the way of Tlacopan, a small town out of the city. It was the first resting-place of Cortez' army. Next day they marched on towards Tlascallian. On their way they fell in with another hostile tribe called Pupolucans or Tepejacans, and fought a desperate battle at their capital, Tepejacan, July 18, 1520. Fortunately for the Spaniards, they killed their popular young prince in the beginning of the fight, which demoralized the Pupolucans, who fled in all directions. Had the Spaniards failed in this engagement, not a Spaniard or ally would have been left to tell the tale of the battle of Tepejacan.