Did Cortes beat the Aztecs

Yes, Hernán Cortés and his Spanish forces defeated the Aztec Empire in 1521. After a series of battles and alliances with various indigenous groups opposed to the Aztecs, Cortés captured the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán. The conquest was facilitated by factors such as superior weaponry, the spread of diseases like smallpox, and internal dissent among the Aztecs. This event marked the beginning of Spanish colonization in Mexico.