Which Spanish conquistador is known for conquering the Aztec Empire?

Hernando Cortez is renowned for conquering the Aztec Empire in the early 16th century, specifically during the years 1519 to 1521. He is often credited with the fall of Tenochtitlan, the capital of the Aztec Empire, through a combination of military prowess, strategic alliances with indigenous peoples, and the introduction of European diseases that devastated the native population. Cortez's expedition was significant not only for its immediate impact on the Aztecs but also for the broader Spanish colonization of the Americas.

His conquest was emblematic of the Spanish exploration and the aggressive expansion of Spanish territory in the New World. The events surrounding Cortez's campaign against the Aztecs have been widely studied and discussed in the context of colonization, cultural exchange, and the consequences of European imperialism on indigenous societies.