In conclusion, the Spaniards conquered the Mexicans through a combination of resolve, superior warfare, and good fortune. The fact that they had such a strong man as Cortes leading them was a great advantage. In many first hand accounts from Conquistadors like Aguilar and Bernal Diaz, Cortes is shown as a well respected and incredibly courageous man. Without him, most of the men would have returned home long before reaching the interior of Mexico. The Spanish also had the advantage on the battlefield. The Mexican warriors tried to take prisoners during battle whereas the Spaniards simply fought to kill. This on top of the far superior weaponry of the Spanish made it a very lopsided battle. The Spaniards not only had steel swords but they also had steel armor, horses, canons, and muskets. The Mexicans were fighting with obsidian blade swords and cotton armor. Finally, one of the most important things for the Spaniards victory, was the fact that the Mexicans thought that they were gods for the better part of the invasion. Without this, the Spaniards would not have received all the tribute items they did, nor would they have been so readily taken into the different cities. Chances are they would have been attacked almost instantly and with a greater force. Besides this, the Spaniards unwittingly had a secret weapon. They didn't know it, but they utilized germ warfare on the Mexicans in the form of smallpox. This disease alone wiped out nearly half of the population of Tenochtitlan. Because of this, the Spaniards were able to conquer one of the largest and most powerful empires in the world.