388. The Fall of the Aztecs: The Festival of Blood (Part 5)

The Rest Is History

Goalhanger

History

4.6 • 18.6K Ratings

🗓️ 14 November 2023

⏱️ 47 minutes

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Summary

“The blood flowed like water…” It is 1520 and word has reached Hernán Cortés in Tenochtitlan that another group of Spaniards led by the ferocious Pánfilo de Narváez, have landed on the coast to hunt him down. Taking drastic action, he decides to leave the city with his wily mistress Malinche to pursue the newcomers, but not before taking the Emperor of the Aztecs, Montezuma, as his hostage. But can Cortés really overcome a much larger force commanded by such a formidable rival? And can his lieutenant, the dashing, violent and reckless Pedro de Alvarado, keep his cool in the heart of the capital? For one of the most hallowed Aztec festivals is fast approaching. The tension is mounting, and the Spaniards’ swords are thirsty for blood … In today’s episode in this unmissable series, Dominic and Tom lead us deeper into the heart of darkness, as the story of the Fall of the Aztecs takes a shocking and nightmarish turn … *Dominic’s book The Fall of the Aztecs is available now from bookshops across the UK - the perfect Christmas present!* *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in New Zealand and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Thank you for listening to the Rest is History.
0:02.2	For bonus episodes, early access,
0:04.4	add free listening and access to our chat community,
0:07.7	sign up at rest is History pod.com.
0:10.7	That's rest is History Pod.com. In the temple square the drummers struck up a pounding rhythm. The dancers joined hands once again,
0:30.0	400 of the bravest and strongest young men in the city.
0:34.0	The crowds began to chant and clap.
0:36.0	Hundreds and hundreds of men, women and children,
0:39.0	their faces shining with religious excitement.
0:42.0	None of them, of course, had brought weapons.
0:44.3	Round and round the dancers world faster and faster.
0:47.8	The drummers hammered louder and louder.
0:50.3	The sun beat down hotter and hotter.
0:53.6	In their excitement, nobody noticed the Spaniards closing the gates leading out of the temple
0:58.2	precinct and taking up their positions around the edge of the square.
1:02.3	Round and round went the dancers in wave after
1:04.1	wave of joy and passion. Lauder and louder, hotter and hotter, faster and faster.
1:08.3	Alvarado drew his sword. His eyes were burning. For just a fraction of a second the drumers faltered.
1:15.0	Myron! he screamed. Let them die. So began the carnage.
1:28.8	Thrilling prose here Dominic from a top historian of the fall of the Aztecs, namely yourself, your latest volume in your Adventures of Time series and listeners who have made it this far with
1:35.2	us will know that we are now embarking on something unprecedented in the rest of history,
1:41.0	which is our first part five in a series so over the course of
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