Overall, the success of Hernán Cortés in his conquest of Mexico can be mainly attributed to his use of indigenous allies, the role of La Malinche as translator and his tactical skills to remain in charge and in battle. It would not have been possible to overcome the Aztec Empire with solely 500 soldiers, despite their advanced weaponry. The fact that the main fighting force of Cortés' army were native warriors demonstrates their importance in battle victories. Further, Cortés would have been unable to communicate with and gather his allies without the help of La Malinche. Her ability to bridge the language gap between Cortés and the native people were essential for his success as well as her counsel to Cortés himself that aided his decision making. Finally, Cortés’ ability to lead his men into an uncharted and unknown (by European standards) land and achieve victory in battle is greatly important to his success. The way that he upheld morale and manipulated the Aztecs through the kidnapping of Moctezuma II were essential to his conquest. In conclusion, Hernán Cortés was successful in his conquest of the Aztec Empire thanks to the help of indigenous allies, his translator La Malinche and his tactics and strategies.

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