Before the Spanish arrival, the Americas were home to two powerful civilizations: the Aztec Empire in Mexico and the Inca Empire along the Andes. This documentary explores their sophisticated societies—from the floating gardens of the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlan, and their practice of human sacrifice, to the Inca's incredible mountain fortresses like Machu Picchu and their unique khipu records. We trace the fateful encounters between Hernán Cortés and Moctezuma II, and Francisco Pizarro and Atahualpa, revealing how religious prophecy, disease, and opposing ideas of warfare led to the swift, brutal end of these great empires, ushering in the age of New Spain. You can now become a History Hit member right here on YouTube! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more. Get an exclusive release every week by signing up here: https://bit.ly/4pyExyn Subscribe to Parable for more Religious History documentaries! This channel is part of the History Hit Network. Any queries, please contact us at: owned-enquiries@littledotstudios.com #Parable #ReligiousHistoryDocumentary