Below is a list of charges made against all of the defendants in our trial.  Each defendant has been charged with the fall of the Aztec Empire.

La Malinche:  Doña Marina, also known as La Malinche, has been charged with murder of the Aztecs.

• Even though Doña Marina may not have personally killed any Aztecs, she translated the indigenous peoples language into Spanish for Cortés so he could convince other tribes to help him conquer the Aztec empire.
• Doña Marina served as a spy for Cortés by obtaining important information, which allowed him to seize Tenochtitlán.
• Doña Marina did not belong to the Aztec Empire and may have had personal reasons for seeing the fall of the Aztec Empire.  As a non-Aztec, these people were forced to pay tribute (taxes) and made to be slaves.
• If it was not for Doña Marina's help it is very possible that Cortés would not have been as successful as he was for she was a dilegent aide to his cause.

Tlatoani Montezuma:  The leader of the Aztec Empire.

• Because Montezuma believed that the Spaniards were gods, he allowed them to enter the empire peacefully, and be captured by them.
• Montezuma treated Cortés and his army as honored guests and gave them easy access to his empire.
• Montezuma had angered many other tribes, therefore, creating many enemies who wanted to see the empire fall.
• Montezuma's army allowed Cortés to leave Tenotitlán and replenish his army.
• Montezuma failed to realize that the Spaniards wanted gold for themselves and to take over the empire.

Hernán Cortés:  The leader of the Spanish Army that invaded the Aztec Empire.

• Cortés took possession of another people's territory for gold, personal power, and in the name of the Spanish Empire.
• Cortés murdered thousands of indigenous people either in battle or by giving them diseases they could not fight.
• Cortés impersonated himself as the god Quetzalcóatl, therefore, deceiving the Aztecs and taking advantage of their hospitality.
• Cortés deceived his indigenous allies to get what he wanted which was power and gold for himself.

King Charles V:

• King Charles V paid for Cortés' journey to the New World so he could conquer as many indigenous people as he could.
• King Charles V allowed Cortés to use brutal force, horrible mistreatment, and to murder thousands of Aztecs for his own greed.
• King Charles V misused his position as king to gain more power and wealth. He didn't care how he got it or whom he brought down to get it.
• King Charles V murdered innocent people for gold and enslaved many Aztecs.
• King Charles V murdered in the name of spreading Christianity to all indigenous people, who he considered to be barbarians.