24. 350,000 Aztecs Died in the Siege of Tenochtitlan
Tenochtitlan, near present-day Mexico City, was the capital of the Aztec Empire. Cortes and his troops waged a 93-day siege against the city, which led to its collapse. 100,000 Aztecs died of starvation, and an additional 250,000 died during the battle. With the fall of Tenochtitlan, there was no way for the empire to recover.