There has been no greater underdog in history than 1500s conquistador Hernan Cortes.
Labeled a traitor by his native Spain, he landed in present day Veracruz, Mexico with an estimated 5-600 soldiers.
Fearing mutiny, he ordered 11 of his 12 ships burned, and went on to conquer the far more powerful Aztec nation of millions.
Here’s how to learn from his story:
Fearing Mutiny, Hernan Cortes burned 11 of his 12 Ships upon reaching Mexico
Limit the Options
The act of burning his ships left his men with few options.
Before, they easily could have mutinied, and returned to Cuba, where they would be hailed as heroes for capturing a labeled traitor.
Even if they had not mutinied at the moment, the thought and the chances to return home would have always been on their minds.
Instead, he sank his own ships and rallied his men with the words “fight or die”
Exploit Divisions in Your Opponent
While the Aztec nation at the time was huge, it was divided internally.
Montezuma had a firm grasp on most of the region, however there were portions of the country that were not happy with the Aztec ruling.
Cortes was able to help their position, and in doing so gained valuable allies.
This allowed them to penetrate to the heart of the country.
Build on the mistakes of others
The arrival of Cortes resembled the fabled return of the Aztec god Quetzacoatl, which Aztec mythology preached would return at the approximate time and form that Cortes did.
This allowed the Spanish to appear bigger and stronger than they were, and strike fear in the hearts of their opponents.
Reward Good Behavior
In order to ensure loyalty among the Aztec groups he allied with, Cortes ensured that their power within and around the conquered Aztec empire increased.
This ensured loyalty and compliance, and prevented a rebellion.
