Moctezuma II (c.1466-1520), more popularly known to history as Montezuma, was was the ninth tlatoani or ruler of Tenochtitlan (site of modern Mexico City), reigning from 1502 to 1520. The first contact between indigenous civilizations of Mesoamerica and Europeans took place during his reign, and he was killed during the initial stages of the Spanish conquest of Mexico, when Conquistador Hernán Cortés and his men fought to escape from the Aztec capital Tenochtitlan. After initially welcoming the Spaniards as gods, Montezuma was soon taken prisoner by Cortés; the circumstances of Montezuma's death are disputed with some claiming the Spaniards murdered him, others asserting his own people murdered him in revenge.