<P> Moctezuma had the royal palace of Axayácatl, Moctezuma's father, prepared for Cortés . On the same day that the Spanish expedition and their allies entered Tenochtitlan, Moctezuma came to visit Cortés and his men . What happened in this second meeting remains controversial . According to several Spanish versions, some written years or decades later, Moctezuma first repeated his earlier, flowery welcome to Cortés on the Great Causeway, but then went on to explain his view of what the Spanish expedition represented in terms of Aztec tradition and lore, including the idea that Cortés and his men (pale, bearded men from the east) were the return of characters from Aztec legend . At the end of this explanation, the Emperor pledged his loyalty to the King of Spain and accepted Cortés as the King's representative . According to Diaz, Moctezuma said to Cortes, "As for your great King, I am in his debt and will give him of what I possess ." </P> <P> While in the Axayacatl palace, the conquistadors discovered the secret room where Moctezuma kept the treasure he had inherited from his father . The treasure consisted of a "quantity of golden objects--jewels and plates and ingots". Diaz noted, "The sight of all that wealth dumbfounded me ." </P> <P> Cortés later asked Moctezuma to allow him to erect a cross and an image of Virgin Mary next to the two large idols of Huichilobos and Tezcatlipoca, after climbing the one hundred and fourteen steps to the top of the main temple pyramid, a central place for religious authority . Moctezuma and his papas were furious at the suggestion, with Moctezuma claiming his idols, "give us health and rain and crops and weather, and all the victories we desire ." </P> <P> After Cortés' request surrounding the questioning of raising the cross and the image of the Virgin Mary, the Mexica then killed seven Spanish soldiers Cortés had left on the coast, including Cortes' Villa Rica Constable Juan de Escalante, and many Totonacs . Cortés along with five of his captains and Doña Marina and Aguilar, convinced Moctezuma to "come quietly with us to our quarters, and make no protest...if you cry out, or raise any commotion, you will immediately be killed ." Moctezuma was later implicated by Qualpopoca and his captains, who had killed the Spanish soldiers . Though these captains of Moctezuma were sentenced to be "burned to death", Moctezuma continued to remain a prisoner, fearing a "rebellion in his city" or that the Spanish may "try to set up another prince in his place ." This, despite Moctezuma's chieftains, nephews and relations suggesting they should attack the Spanish . </P>

What was the downfall of the aztec empire