The Spaniards drained Lake Texcoco primarily to weaken the Aztec Empire’s power and improve the land for Spanish settlement. When Hernán Cortés and his forces arrived in the early 16th century, they found the Aztec capital, Tenochtitlán, built on an island in the lake. This unique location provided the Aztecs with significant advantages in agriculture and defense.
After the conquest of Tenochtitlán in 1521, the Spanish sought to transform the region to better align with European agricultural practices. By draining the lake, they aimed to create more arable land for farming and reduce the flooding that was a constant threat in the low-lying areas surrounding the lake. This endeavor also served military purposes, as a drained landscape could limit the water routes available to any resisting indigenous groups.
Moreover, the drainage of Lake Texcoco represented a broader goal of the Spaniards to reshape the land according to their needs and to establish dominance over the native population. It was a critical step in the colonization process, affecting both the environment and the lives of the indigenous peoples who had thrived in that ecosystem for centuries.