Page:Notes of the Mexican war 1846-47-48.djvu/575

569 After plundering and destroying the capital they marched on and arrived at Tlascalla July 20, 1520, and were cheerfully received by the Tlascallians.

The tenth king, Cuitlahua, had reigned but four months when he died of that fatal disease called small-pox, which disease carried away over one hundred and fifty thousand Mexicans.

After the death of King Cuitlahua, Prince Guatamzin, then chief of the army, was chosen emperor. He was very popular, and a dashing young officer, and a nephew to both Montezuma and Cuitlahua, and a son-in-law to King Montezuma. He having married his own cousin, a beautiful young princess, Tecuichpa. Emperor Guatamzin, who was now the eleventh and last ruler of the original Mexicans, went to work and strengthened his city, and re-organized his forces, to be ready to receive the Spaniards and their allies.

In August, 1521, Conqueror Cortez, with a large and welldisciplined army of Spaniards, Tlascallians and other hostile tribes, made their appearance for the second time in the valley of Mexico, and attacked the city of Mexico, both by land and the surrounding lakes, causing great slaughter among the Mexicans with his (Cortez's) artillery.

Emperor Guatamzin, seeing that his people were all dashed, and his own fate doomed, ordered his aids, or princes, together with all his jewels, treasures, valued at many millions of dollars, to be thrown into the lakes. After which he (Guatamzin), with his family, was trying to make his escape on the Lake Tezeuco in a canoe, but was overhauled and captured by a swift Spanish sailing craft, Guatamzin was now under the clutches of his much-hated and revengeful foe, and having no chances or hope of escaping an ignominous death. He begged of Capt. Correjdor Holgum, the commanding officer, not to molest nor to insult his family, and particularly the Empress Tecuichpa, which request was granted by the officer. When Guatamzin was brought before Conqueror Cortez, he (Guatamzin) addressed Cortez in these