Moctezuma, the last emperor of the Aztecs, has all the characteristics of a tragic hero embedded into his troubled and unusual life. He was an emperor, he was murdered. He was powerful, his realm was enslaved. Unable to resist the onslaught of the Spanish, he was forced to yield to his former slaves who joined the conquistadores in overpowering and subjugating him.

 

Though he didn’t live long enough to see the full destruction of his empire, he was the main architect of the destruction of the Aztec civilization. Indecisive, and unsure, he’s an eternal testimony to the importance of an alert intellect in the face of mortal danger.

 

You can learn more about him in his homeland, where he’s revered by the conquerors.