In 1519, Hernán Cortés led an expedition from Cuba to Mexico to explore and conquer the Aztec Empire. He arrived on the coast with about 600 men, horses, and cannons, seeking wealth and land. Cortés formed alliances with local tribes who opposed the Aztecs, which helped him gain strength. Cortés and his forces marched to the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, where they encountered Emperor Moctezuma II. After a series of battles and strategic maneuvers, Cortés captured the city in 1521, marking the fall of the Aztec Empire and the beginning of Spanish colonization in the region.