The fall of the Purépecha Empire in 1530 was a brutal chapter in the Spanish conquest of Mesoamerica. Unlike the Aztecs, who fought fiercely, the Purépecha under Tangáxuan II initially sought peace, only to be betrayed.

After submitting to Hernán Cortés, Tangáxuan found himself at the mercy of Nuño de Guzmán, a ruthless conquistador with a thirst for power. Accused of rebellion, Tangáxuan was tortured and executed, marking the violent end of his empire and the rise of Spanish rule.