On this episode of *Dave Does History*, we’re heading back to the summer of 1520, deep into the heart of Mesoamerica, where a broken band of Spanish conquistadors found themselves surrounded by thousands of Aztec warriors on the dusty plains of Otumba. Hernán Cortés was battered, outnumbered, and on the brink of ruin. What happened next wasn’t a miracle—it was desperation, steel nerves, and a reckless cavalry charge that changed history. Today, we’ll dive into the truth behind the Battle of Otumba, cut through the myths of Spanish superiority, and explore how the conquest of the Aztecs nearly ended before it began. This isn’t your high school textbook version. This is a story of betrayal, blood, and blind luck, and it just might change the way you see the so-called conquest of the New World. Buckle up. Cortés is cornered, and the empire is on the line.