Hernando Cortes was at first believed by Montezuma (Aztec Emperor) to be Quetzalcoatl the Aztec god himself. Not only did Cortes arrive in "giant ships" and riding "iron clad demons" (War Horses), but he also wore armor and had much more knowledge of the world than the Aztecs who hadn't met any Europeans before Cortes. Montezuma also did not want to provoke a war with Cortes so he was especially careful to treat him with the utmost respect.
Unfortunately Cortes regarded the fascinating civilization of the Aztecs as a land of savages and had only come to search for the rumored (El Dorado/City Of Gold) that was rumored to exist in Latin America. He killed almost all the Aztecs in a unfair war (including Montezuma) and took over the ruined empire as a colony for Spain.
:)
